Tea With Hezbollah by Ted Dekker... And a Giveaway

Is it really possible to love one’s enemies?

That’s the question that sparked a fascinating and, at times, terrifying journey into the heart of the Middle East during the summer of 2008. It was a trip that began in Egypt, passed beneath the steel and glass high rises of Saudi Arabia, then wound through the bullet- pocked alleyways of Beirut and dusty streets of Damascus, before ending at the cradle of the world’s three major religions: Jerusalem.


Tea with Hezbollah combines nail-biting narrative with the texture of rich historical background, as readers join novelist Ted Dekker and his co-author and Middle East expert, Carl Medearis, on a hair-raising journey. They are with them in every rocky cab ride, late-night border crossing, and back-room conversation as they sit down one-on-one with some of the most notorious leaders of the Arab world. These candid discussions with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, with muftis, sheikhs, and ayatollahs, with Osama bin Laden’s brothers, reveal these men to be real people with emotions, fears, and hopes of their own. Along the way, Dekker and Medearis discover surprising answers and even more surprising questions that they could not have anticipated—questions that lead straight to the heart of Middle Eastern conflict.


Through powerful narrative Tea With Hezbollah will draw the West into a completely fresh understanding of those we call our enemies and the teaching that dares us to love them. A must read for all who see the looming threat rising in the Middle East.

This was different from Ted Dekker's other books, mainly because this is non-fiction. Dekker and his friend Carl Medearis trek through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, and other countries in the mid-east, talking to people from the Hamas, and other enemies of the US.

The book was a fascinating read, and Dekker does a great job of portraying what it was like for him to be on enemy territory, wondering if he would make it safely back home.

The main purpose of the book is about loving our enemies, and he tackles that idea pretty well in addition to exciting and fascinating narrative about his travels.

I had a couple of issues with the book - Dekker uses "God" when talking about Allah or God, and they are not the same, and he refers to the "so-called war on terror." I feel he could have been a little more pro-USA and less pro-Muslim in the book and still got his idea of loving our enemies across. It was still an enjoyable read, and a good reminder.

About the authors:

Ted Dekker is the author of many nationally best-selling novels, including Bone Man’s Daughters, The Circle Series, Thr3e, and House. His unique style of storytelling has captured the attention of millions worldwide. Visit him at TedDekker.com and Facebook.com/TedDekker.

Carl Medearis is an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations. He acts as a catalyst for a number of current movements in the Middle East to promote peace-making and to promote cultural, political and religious dialog leading toward reconciliation. He is the author of the acclaimed book on these issues Muslims, Christians and Jesus. Visit him at http://www.carlmedearis.com/.

The giveaway:

Courtesy of the publisher, I have one copy of Tea With Hezbollah to give away.

US entries only

To enter, comment telling if you have read any Ted Dekker books, and if so, what is your favorite.

A winner will be drawn 10 days from today, February 4.

To learn more about or purchase these books at RandomHouse.com.

Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for the review and giveaway copies.