Quicksand, oil and dreams

From the events leading up to the Palestinian Nakba of 1948 to recent events in the Arab World, Quicksand, Oil and Dreams traces the steps of one Palestinian refugee on a journey through the maze of Arab politics. Michael S. Ladah portrays his struggle along this journey as the struggle of all Palestinians. The book is a collection of Ladah’s experiences during the exodus from Palestine (Jaffa), as a refugee in the West Bank (Ramallah), in the United States as a student, and in Saudi Arabia as part of the US and Saudi oil industries. Ladah relates his experiences to the political and social events of the time, placing the stories in a historical context. Quicksand, Oil and Dreams provides a unique and personal perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the plight of all Palestinians living in Diaspora. Themes of justice, peace and tolerance pervade each chapter. Ladah recounts fond childhood memories of pre-1948 Palestine where Moslems, Christians and Jews lived in peace before the political ambitions of Zionists gave rise to adversity between Palestinian Arabs and Jews. In later chapters, Ladah demonstrates the indifference that Arab governments have shown toward the plight of the Palestinians. His stories throughout the book clearly demonstrate that the mistreatment of the Palestinians by various Arab authorities was never justified. By tracing his steps through this journey, Ladah tells not only his own story but the story of every Palestinian. He speaks not only of his own dreams, but the dreams of every Palestinian. The book is very enjoyable and easy to read. The most enjoyable passages are those where Michael writes about his experiences in Ramallah from 1948 through 1960. His political activism as a student at the Friends Boys School, an American (Quaker) missionary school, and his encounters with the mukhabarat are stark reminders that Palestinian youth have always resisted oppression, regardless of what form it may take. "Quicksand, Oil and Dreams" is currently being distributed as part of an effort to raise funds for The Ladah Foundation (http://www.ladahfoundation.org), a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization that benefits Palestinian scholarships.