Two programs featuring Dr. Ronald Florence, Harvard University historian and novelist-Library of Congress and Barnes & Noble in Rockville, MD
1. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: Hebraic Section, AMED Division & the Hebrew Language Table Present: LAWRENCE AND AARONSOHN T.E. Lawrence, Aaron Aaronsohn & the Seeds of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Lecture by author Ronald Florence How an obscure British second-lieutenant and a Jewish agronomist from Palestine shaped the map and attitudes of the modern Middle East Monday, December 3, 2007 - 12:00 Noon Mary Pickford Theater-Madison Building-Library of Congress Ronald Florence is an historian and novelist, the author of eight previous books including The Gypsy Man, The Perfect Machine and Blood Libel. Educated at the University of California at Berkeley and at Harvard University, where he received a Ph.D. in European history, Florence has traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East to research and explore the locations of his books. He taught at Harvard, Sarah Lawrence College and the State University of New York. For more information call Gail Shirazi 202-707-9897 Program is free and open to the public 2. BARNES AND NOBLE PROGRAM: Discussion and book signing with Ronald Florence, Monday Dec. 3, at 7:30 PM at Barnes & Noble in Rockville, MD. Free and open to the public. For more information call 301-881-0237 Press Release RONALD FLORENCE TO DISCUSS NEW BOOK ON HISTORY OF ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT ON DEC. 3 The Arab-Israeli conflict is often said to be Biblical in its origins, with the children of Abraham contesting an ancient and eternal rivalry. But it can be argued that much of the conflict emerged less than a century ago in the turmoil of World War I. Historian and novelist Ronald Florence puts forth this argument in his new book, "Lawrence and Aaronsohn: T. E. Lawrence, Aaronsohn, and the Seeds of the Arab-Israel Conflict." Florence will discuss his book at the Library of Congress at noon on Monday, Dec. 3 in the Mary Pickford Theater, located on the third floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture, which is sponsored jointly by the Hebraic Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division and the Hebrew Language Table, is free and open to the public; tickets are not required. In "Lawrence and Aaronsohn," Florence shows how the Great Powers secretly plotted the future of the Middle East while a second lieutenant from Oxfordshire (Lawrence) and a Jewish agronomist from Palestine (Aaronsohn) imagined new nations-Arab and Jewish-rising from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. Lawrence, who would later become the iconic Lawrence of Arabia, garnered Arab support for British war strategies to advance the dreams of an Arab state. Aaron Aaronsohn gave up a distinguished career in science to establish a secret spy network in wartime Palestine, providing the intelligence that enabled the British victory over the Turks. In this gripping narrative history, Florence resurrects the exploits and sacrifices of an unsung Zionist hero, deconstructs the legend of Lawrence of Arabia and provides new perspectives on the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Florence is the author of eight books, including "The Gypsy Man," "The Perfect Machine" and "Blood Libel." Educated at the University of California at Berkeley and at Harvard University, where he received a Ph.D. in European history, Florence has traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East to research his books. He has taught at Harvard, Sarah Lawrence College and the State University of New York at Purchase Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
