Rating: 4/5
This is the third book by Joe Sacco that I've read and I must say that I really enjoy the level of detail that goes into each one. He puts a lot of effort into researching each topic. Since these are basically journalistic pieces, the tone is very different from other historical books I've read.
Footnotes in Gaza is based around two events in the Gaza Strip in 1956. Both events involve Israeli soldiers attacking Palestinian refugees living in the Strip. Sacco is meticulous in setting the scene by describing events leading up to these attacks, while also comparing the situation of the refugees then to that of the Palestinians now. He describes these events as historical footnotes and attempts to raise them above that status.
There is a clear bias here because it is told from the view of the Palestinians, but Sacco incorporates historical documents when available and builds the tension between the two sides. So we are seeing the events from one side, but there is an understanding of why the other side acted the way it did to a degree.
Once he gets to the main conflict, which occurred in a schoolyard in Rafah, that tension between the two sides is unleashed. This is extremely powerful and horrifying. It speaks to Sacco's skill that he is able to bring this conflict to life and evoke such strong emotions. The book can be a slow read at times, but it is worth it.
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