The Best Kind Of American (murder, War, And America's Undoing In The Middle East)

By (author) Ghattas, Kim
Short description/annotation:
A work of true crime - a 1984 murder in war-torn Beirut - and the history of Iran, Israel and the US that burns to this day, from acclaimed and bestselling author Kim Ghattas.
Description:

FROM THE BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF BLACK WAVE

''Stunningly well researched'' -- The Times
''Twisty, dark and gripping, an all-too-real whodunnit.'' -- The Spectator
''[An] excellent book'' -- The New York Times
''A hugely enjoyable non-fiction thriller'' -- WILLIAM DALRYMPLE

A gripping investigation into a murder in Beirut, as one journalist’s search for justice unearths the tangled forces of revolution, war, espionage and betrayal that still haunts the Middle East today.

On January 18, 1984, Malcolm Kerr was assassinated by a pair of gunmen outside his office. His murder was just one more shocking headline in a city ravaged by the chaos of nine years of war. Four decades later, the question of who killed Malcolm and why still haunts Kerr’s family.

Kim Ghattas embarks on a quest to solve the mystery of Kerr’s assassination, weaving together the family’s story with that of Lebanon’s warlords and peacemakers, Hezbollah hostage takers and Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and American presidents from Reagan to Trump.

This is the definitive story of how Beirut sparked policies which went on to shape the Middle East for decades and helped determine the ambitions of figures from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Ghattas delivers a riveting, deeply human saga—a must-read for understanding why this conflict continues to shape today’s world.

Table of contents:

Note on Names and Spellings
People and Organizations
Maps
Introduction

Part I — War
1. I Will Survive
2. Let’s Make America Great Again
3. Mission Accomplished
4. Ayatollah on the Med
5. Watershed
6. Missing
7. Little Tehran
8. Lion of Damascus
9. The Best Kind of American

Part II — Scandal
10. Surrender
11. Travel with Amal
12. Home Visit
13. Cake and Missiles
14. Brothers
15. Saddam’s Gift
16. Pax Americana
17. Intercept
18. Hollow Justice
19. We Meet Again
20. Divine Impunity

Epilogue
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index

Review quote:
Gripping, authoritative, compassionate and perceptive, [...] a vital contribution to our understanding of the recent history of the Middle East and of today''s conflicts that continue to cause such tragedy and suffering.
Review quote:
Ghattas has written both a geopolitical whodunit and a masterful investigative history of the forces that have torn apart Lebanon for the past 50 years. The Best Kind of American is not only a riveting book, but a very important one by one of the most astute chroniclers of the modern Middle East.
Review quote:
It’s rare to read a book about the complex and fraught recent history of the Middle East and your first reaction is: I can’t wait to see the movie version. Kim Ghattas, a masterful writer, brings to life the compelling stories of fascinating, often remarkable people and makes us care about them deeply. A triumph.
Review quote:
A miraculous achievement. [...] A deeply moving and brilliant book.
Review quote:
Kim Ghattas is one of best informed, most intelligent and eerily prescient writers on the Middle East, remarkable for her ability to bring clarity to the most complex scenarios. [...] It is not just