His family is of Lebanese origin, settling in Oklahoma in the United States a generation before Shadid was born. He spent fifteen years as an international correspondent, mainly in the Middle East, and covered myriad conflicts, particularly the war in Iraq. He did not merely observed the violence, but was shot in the shoulder in 2001 in Baghdad. Though he is a Christian, he was the Islamic affairs correspondent for the Post. Shadid brings the balance of his work as a journalist to his memoir, capturing details of day-to-day life in Marjayoun as well as opening his personal narrative up to historical context. He tries to present a well-balanced view of Marjayoun and Lebanon, asking each of his neighbors and friends how they feel about their home and its future. Despite his roots...