Going All the Way: Christian Warlords, Israeli Adventurers, and the War in Lebanon

by Jonathan C. Randal

Book by Randal, Jonathan

Genres: History, Middle East, Lebanon, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1983

Reviews

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book after a Lebanese friend recommended it. The book really should probably be 5 stars, but I withheld 1 star because it was published too soon. Published in 1983 the book misses the final 7 years of the Lebanese Civil War and misses some rather important events like the rise of Hizbullah and Shi'a radicalism (the book fails to really discuss the Shi'a altogether). That being said the author provides tremendous insight into Lebanon's Christian community and fault lines and rivalries within the Maronite sect more specifically. Other highlights include its focus on Israel's invasions of Lebanon in 1978 and 82 along with their rationale and the U.S.' miscalculation of the events in Lebanon. In particular Randal does a great job of contextualizing events within the region and the country more specifically. In many ways I would argue that this is a superior account of Lebanon when compared to the more popular From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the early years of the Lebanese Civil War and the historical forces that shaped it.

[Elie Daou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the content of this book is very interesting and telling, the book is undermined by everything else about it. The structure, or lack thereof for the most part, as well as the editing, is quite abysmal and haphazard. The author jumps from one year to the next and then to the previous as if the chronology of the events was merely an unimportant detail. A lot of ideas and narrations are butchered or interrupted abruptly with no apparent reason and without proper endings.
The book is still worth a read because it gets one thing right: there are no "good guys and bad guys" in wars. The book unabashedly points out the atrocities and stupidities committed by all sides during those troubled times. Although the book is more interested in Christian events, it does not exonerate the other sides of any accusation.
I'd recommend the book solely on the fact that there are relatively few others who deal with the same era and viewpoint. If interested in a retelling of those events then pick it up but otherwise is not a particularly well-written book.

[Ali Kabalan · Rating 4 out of 5]

حرب الألف سنة: حتى آخر مسيحي في لبنان، أول كتاب شامل قرأته عن الحرب في لبنان التي عايشتها بكامل فصولها. لقد شبينا سوياً فكان عمري يزيد والحرب تزيد عنفها و"تطور" أساليبها. هذا الكتاب شكل لي قناعة مطلقة بعبثية وأنانية قادة لبنان السياسيين، نعم إنهم ملعوب بهم ويخيل لهم أنهم لاعبون يلعبون بغيرهم. كتاب غير موجه ولا يسعى للدعاية. مدى صحة المعلومات والأحاديث لا أستطيع تبنيه لكن ما عايشته وما حصل على الأرض يدل على مصداقية ما ورد في الكتاب. أنصح كل اللبنانيين بقرائته فأنا أعود اليه كثيراً وحتى اليوم كون "حربنا" على لبنان ما زالت مستمرة ... لم تتجاوز الخمسين بعد، وينك يا ألـــــــــــــــف ...

[Tarek Moghabghab · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I appreciate the author’s attempt to create a compelling narrative, this book is strikingly lacking factual accuracy. It is clear that the author has taken liberties with the truth in order to create a more dramatic and sensational story. The narrative is highly subjective and lacking in credibility.

It is a disservice to both the reader and the subject matter (and to Jonathan’s beloved PLO and the Assad Family) to distort the truth in such a way. The author’s biases were glaringly obvious. I am not sure if the author had not done proper research or had intentionally manipulated them to fit their own agenda.

It is difficult to take the book seriously when the facts are so clearly misrepresented. Its lack of factual accuracy and highly subjective approach leave much to be desired. I cannot recommend the book to anyone seeking a thorough and accurate account of the Lebanese war.

On a good note, the book is entertaining on a surface level.

[Elizabeth Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the Maronites never seemed to have grasped is that in a land shot through with accumulated paranoia of so many minorities, legitimacy requires sharing power and privilege. If the Sunnis or other community felt shortchanged, then rationally it was up to the Maronites, who were running the show, to make it worthwhile to keep the doubters believing that Lebanon as a state could satisfy their demands. - p.51

I already paid....multiple times. Who stole my school seat?

[Tiago Relvão · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good first hand portrait of a jourbalist that covered the war in lebanon, with interesting insider details and side stories. Lacks for not covering the conflict end to end, and at times you can feel a bit lost in the events evolution, but well, it's the lebanese civil war, the most complex and volatile war ever.

[Natharian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having reservations about the lack of structure in this book, it is worth reading simply for the adept contextualization of events, the vulnerabilities of feudal warlords and their families depicted through meetings with the writer, and the willingness to blame all sides of the conflict on issues that arouse the emotions of many, leaving few capable of authentic impartiality. In here one sees it all: sectarianism, impassioned tribalism, cult of personality, the interplay of hubris and trauma, confusing power dynamics, betrayal, the perpetual bafflement of US presidents with the Middle East, and a country torn apart by the endless birth of factions within its tiny surface area.

Due to the lack of chronology, I only recommend this book after one has acquired an intimate knowledge of Lebanese politics and the country's civil war.

[Mano Chil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect to be impressed with Randal's analysis of the events of the Lebanese civil war plus the information he provided about certain events which I knew little about.

As much as anyone that says that Randal is a pro-leftist, I think he did a fair job with his journalistic coverage.

[Randa Rzkalla]

its very important book