Product reviews for Dining with diplomats, praying with gunmen

This book arose from a conference held at Woodbrooke in 2019 at which experienced conciliators and younger peace activists came together. I was guided towards this book by a Friend who shares my concern at the very partisan approach of many British Friends (corporately and individually) to the Israel Palestine conflict.

Let me be plain. I love this book: the content, illustrations, design and paper.

The books opens with a brief history of Quaker conciliation, the principles behind that conciliation, the lessons learnt and the opportunities to apply that learning in today’s world. It includes details of Quaker interventions in the former Yugoslavia, Uganda, Indonesia and Nigeria – to mention a scant handful

It describes in meticulous detail the skills and resources needed to prepare for successful peacemaking. It also identifies some of the snares and pitfalls, and offers some solutions in avoiding them. The book draws on first-hand experience, quoted and referenced. As such it is so much more than ‘experiences of international conciliation for a new generation of peacemakers’ - it is in part a beginners’ guide to international conciliation and will hold your hand as you are guided towards gathering the skills and resources you would need.  Although this book is specifically about conciliation between nations, many of the skills and techniques can also be applied between institutions and individuals. This book is about Quaker conciliation, so it based on assumptions and beliefs that some non-Quakers may not share.

It does not include much on Quaker relief, which so often opens doors to conciliation and negotiation. For example it was Friends’ famine relief work in Central Europe in the wake of WWI that enabled Rufus Jones to meet with the Gestapo in 1938 in the wake of Kristallnacht and negotiate. “The promise made to us was kept, and the door was opened for the extensive relief which followed our visit, including the emigration of many Jews.”

Not an omission, but a sad reminder, is how little mention is made of Israel Palestine. Clearly the need for confidentiality during any conciliatory dialogue means that we may not hear about processes for several years. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. But the hostile messages coming from British and American Friends about Israel don’t suggest any immediate Quaker involvement in conciliation is possible in in that troubled land.

This is the first book in several years that I have physically enjoyed, I am generally quite happy with an eBook. But here the words are enhanced by the physical characteristics of the book. The paper is recycled but has an unexpected smoothness and opacity which does justice to the illustrations that illuminate the text. There is a clear hierarchy to headings and subheadings, and the use of a serif font for the body text and a sans serif for the frequent quotations ensure the context of each sentence is clear, plainly, at a glance.

The illustrations, printed on such opaque paper, punctuate the text and offer moments of stillness. They offer a pause to reflect and enhance reading and deliberation.

There is one significant omission though: no index. The result is that my copy of this exquisitely-created book is bristling with Post-Its.

The book ends with an implied question, does Britain Yearly Meeting have the desire to continue the work of international conciliation? The fact that it has taken this long for anyone to review it is not encouraging.

This book arose from a conference held at Woodbrooke in 2019 at which experienced conciliators and younger peace activists came together. I was guided towards this book by a Friend who shares my concern at the very partisan approach of many British Friends (corporately and individually) to the Israel Palestine conflict.

Let me be plain. I love this book: the content, illustrations, design and paper.

The books opens with a brief history of Quaker conciliation, the principles behind that conciliation, the lessons learnt and the opportunities to apply that learning in today’s world. It includes details of Quaker interventions in the former Yugoslavia, Uganda, Indonesia and Nigeria – to mention a scant handful

It describes in meticulous detail the skills and resources needed to prepare for successful peacemaking. It also identifies some of the snares and pitfalls, and offers some solutions in avoiding them. The book draws on first-hand experience, quoted and referenced. As such it is so much more than ‘experiences of international conciliation for a new generation of peacemakers’ - it is in part a beginners’ guide to international conciliation and will hold your hand as you are guided towards gathering the skills and resources you would need.  Although this book is specifically about conciliation between nations, many of the skills and techniques can also be applied between institutions and individuals. This book is about Quaker conciliation, so it based on assumptions and beliefs that some non-Quakers may not share.

It does not include much on Quaker relief, which so often opens doors to conciliation and negotiation. For example it was Friends’ famine relief work in Central Europe in the wake of WWI that enabled Rufus Jones to meet with the Gestapo in 1938 in the wake of Kristallnacht and negotiate. “The promise made to us was kept, and the door was opened for the extensive relief which followed our visit, including the emigration of many Jews.”

Not an omission, but a sad reminder, is how little mention is made of Israel Palestine. Clearly the need for confidentiality during any conciliatory dialogue means that we may not hear about processes for several years. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. But the hostile messages coming from British and American Friends about Israel don’t suggest any immediate Quaker involvement in conciliation is possible in in that troubled land.

This is the first book in several years that I have physically enjoyed, I am generally quite happy with an eBook. But here the words are enhanced by the physical characteristics of the book. The paper is recycled but has an unexpected smoothness and opacity which does justice to the illustrations that illuminate the text. There is a clear hierarchy to headings and subheadings, and the use of a serif font for the body text and a sans serif for the frequent quotations ensure the context of each sentence is clear, plainly, at a glance.

The illustrations, printed on such opaque paper, punctuate the text and offer moments of stillness. They offer a pause to reflect and enhance reading and deliberation.

There is one significant omission though: no index. The result is that my copy of this exquisitely-created book is bristling with Post-Its.

The book ends with an implied question, does Britain Yearly Meeting have the desire to continue the work of international conciliation? The fact that it has taken this long for anyone to review it is not encouraging.

Pleeeeease use the review in this week;s the Friend

The book is too good to go unrecognised

https://thefriend.org/article/dining-with-diplomats-praying-with-gunmen-by-anne-bennett