While this book is has a level of historical depth that is hard to find in other histories of Palestine, what struck me most was Khalidi’s personal history. Many times throughout the book, Khalidi will stop mid-sentence in a discussion of a major historial moment to note his familial relationship to the people in question. This not only humanizes Khalidi as an author, but serves to humanize the Palestinian cause itself – these are real people with real histories, and every Palestinian has similar stories and proximity to these events.
The first half of the book was far more enjoyable, largely because it was new material for me. I was much less informed on the pre-1948 history of Palestine, which Khalidi covers well. The post-1967 history gets a bit more tedious, but the level of detail is respectable.
Overall, I’d say this is a great read for anyone looking to better understand the origins of the Palestinian struggle, although I don’t think I would recommend it to anyone looking for their first read on Palestine.