A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon ReconsideredToday Lebanon is one of the world's most divided countries. But paradoxically the faction-ridden Lebanese, both Christians and Muslims, have never shown a keener consciousness of common identity. How can this be? In the light of modern scholarship, Salibi examines the historical myths on which his country's warring communities have based their conflicting visions of the Lebanese nation. He shows that Lebanon cannot afford this divisiveness, that in order to develop and maintain a sense of political unity, it is necesary to distinuish fact from fiction and then build on what is real in the common experience of both groups. Salibi offers a major reinterpretation of Lebanese history and provides remarkable insights into the dynamic of Lebanon's recent conflict. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
How it all began | 19 |
The confidence game | 38 |
Copyright | |
12 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accepted according actually al-Din already Anatolia appeared Arab nationalism Arab nationalist Arab world Arabia arrived became began beginning Beirut British Byzantine caliphs called Catholic century certainly chiefs Christian church cities civilization claim considered continued Crusaders Damascus district Druze early eastern Egypt emirs empire established European existed fact Fakhr forces French Greater Lebanon Greek hand happened head important independent Iraq Islamic Italy Jabal Kisrawan land later Lebanese living Maan maintained Mamluk Maronites matter Moreover Mount Lebanon mountain Muslim nationalist natural needed northern originally Orthodox Ottoman particular parties patriarch period Persian Phoenician political present recognized regarded region religious remained Republic Roman Rome rule sects secure Shihab Shiites Shuf side Sidon social success sultan Sunnite Syria territory town traditional tribal tribes Tripoli ultimately valley villages Western whole