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An Innocent Bystander: The Killing of Leon Klinghoffer
The definitive story of one American family at the center of a single, shocking act of international terrorism that "manages to capture the essence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" (Dan Ephron).
On October 3, 1985, Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled Jewish New Yorker, and his wife boarded the Achille Lauro to celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary with a Mediterranean cruise. Four days later, four Palestinian fedayeen hijacked the Italian luxury liner and took the passengers and crew hostage. Leon Klinghoffer was shot in the head, his body and wheelchair thrown overboard. His murder became a flashpoint in the intractable struggle between Israelis and Arabs and gave Americans a horrifying preview of what it means when terrorism hits home.
In this richly reported book, drawing on multiple perspectives, Julie Salamon dispels the mythology that has grown around that shattering moment. What transpired on the Achille Lauro left the Klinghoffer family in the grip of irredeemable sorrow, while precipitating tragic reverberations for the wives and sons of Abu al-Abbas, the Palestinian mastermind behind the hijacking, and the family of Alex Odeh, a Palestinian-American murdered in Los Angeles in a brutal act of retaliation.
Through intimate interviews with almost all living participants, including one of the hijackers, Julie Salamon brings alive the moment-by-moment saga of the hijacking and the ensuing U.S.-led international manhunt; the diplomatic wrangling between the United States, Egypt, Italy, and Israel; the long agonizing search for justice; and the inside story of the controversial opera about the Klinghoffer tragedy that provoked a culture war.
An Innocent Bystander is a masterful work of journalism that moves between the personal and the global with the pace of a geopolitical thriller and the depth of a psychological drama. Throughout lies the tension wrought by terrorism and its repercussions today.
On October 3, 1985, Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled Jewish New Yorker, and his wife boarded the Achille Lauro to celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary with a Mediterranean cruise. Four days later, four Palestinian fedayeen hijacked the Italian luxury liner and took the passengers and crew hostage. Leon Klinghoffer was shot in the head, his body and wheelchair thrown overboard. His murder became a flashpoint in the intractable struggle between Israelis and Arabs and gave Americans a horrifying preview of what it means when terrorism hits home.
In this richly reported book, drawing on multiple perspectives, Julie Salamon dispels the mythology that has grown around that shattering moment. What transpired on the Achille Lauro left the Klinghoffer family in the grip of irredeemable sorrow, while precipitating tragic reverberations for the wives and sons of Abu al-Abbas, the Palestinian mastermind behind the hijacking, and the family of Alex Odeh, a Palestinian-American murdered in Los Angeles in a brutal act of retaliation.
Through intimate interviews with almost all living participants, including one of the hijackers, Julie Salamon brings alive the moment-by-moment saga of the hijacking and the ensuing U.S.-led international manhunt; the diplomatic wrangling between the United States, Egypt, Italy, and Israel; the long agonizing search for justice; and the inside story of the controversial opera about the Klinghoffer tragedy that provoked a culture war.
An Innocent Bystander is a masterful work of journalism that moves between the personal and the global with the pace of a geopolitical thriller and the depth of a psychological drama. Throughout lies the tension wrought by terrorism and its repercussions today.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2019
23 people are currently reading
1779 people want to read
About the author
Julie Salamon
21 books93 followersJulie Salamon has written thirteen books in many genres, including Unlikely Friends, an Audible Original released summer 2021. Her new children's book One More Story, Tata, illustrated by Jill Weber, was published by Astra's Minerva imprint in July 2024. She is working on a nonfiction book for Ann Godoff at The Penguin Press, that involves the crisis of urban homelessness and its intersection with history. Julie's other books include New York Times bestsellers Wendy and the Lost Boys and The Christmas Tree (illustrated by Jill Weber) as well as Hospital, The Devil’s Candy, Facing the Wind , The Net of Dreams , Innocent Bystander and Rambam’s Ladder. She has written two children's books, Mutt's Promise, and Cat in the City, also illustrated by Jill Weber. Julie was a reporter and then the film critic for The Wall Street Journal and then a television critic and reporter on the staff of the New York Times. Julie is a graduate of Tufts University and New York University School of Law. She is chair of the BRC, a social services organization in New York City that provides care for people who are homeless and may suffer from addiction or mental disease.. Born in Cincinnati and raised in Seaman, Ohio, a rural town of 800; in 2008 she was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame. New York City has long been home; she lives in downtown Manhattan with her husband Bill Abrams, executive director of Trickle Up. They have two children, Roxie and Eli, and a dog named Frankie, most recent in a long line of feline and canine friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 30, 2020
October 7, 1985 was the date that the world learned that the Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship, was high jacked by four Palestinian fighters hoping to draw the world’s attention to their cause. A shiver of terror went through the consciousness of those who thought that the fight between the Israeli and Palestinian people only took place in the Middle East.
For Americans, they learned that some of their countrymen were on board. This brought the realization of terrorism “home” to everyday people. Julie Salomon tells the intimate story of the Klinghoffer couple, Marilyn and Leon, and those directly involved in their harrowing experience.
Marilyn Klinghoffer had organized the trip which included her husband, Leon, and their friends known as the “Beach People”. Marilyn’s colon cancer was in remission; and, Leon was barely able to talk or walk after having suffered a second stroke. The Klinghoffers loved the sea and it was decided they should celebrate Leon’s improvement due to intensive therapy and Marilyn’s remission and birthday during the cruise on October 6. The Achille Lauro would be the best choice as, although not new or ornate, the ship could best accommodate Leon’s wheelchair.
The four Palestinian fighters were sent about their task by Abu al-Abbas, commander of the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF)—a more aggressive offshoot of the PLO and in league with Yasser Arafat. There is some difference in opinion as to exactly what that task was to entail, but what happened on the Achille Lauro would end up causing hardship and heartbreak to all involved. Leon Klinghoffer would be killed and he and his wheelchair thrown in the sea like discarded refuse. Not only the relatives of the Klinghoffers, but also the terrorists and their families would be affected by the decision made on the cruise ship for decades to come.
A look at the revenge-killing of Alex Odeh, regional director of (ADL) the Arab American Anti-Defamation League in Southern California causes one to reflect on the senseless murder of a gentle soul who considered himself American and wanted to achieve understanding and peace between Arabs and Jews.
A thoroughly researched, journalistic piece An Innocent Bystander painstakingly sorts through all the data and delivers an important work of history.
My thanks to Little, Brown and Company who provided my Goodreads Giveaway for an unbiased review.
For Americans, they learned that some of their countrymen were on board. This brought the realization of terrorism “home” to everyday people. Julie Salomon tells the intimate story of the Klinghoffer couple, Marilyn and Leon, and those directly involved in their harrowing experience.
Marilyn Klinghoffer had organized the trip which included her husband, Leon, and their friends known as the “Beach People”. Marilyn’s colon cancer was in remission; and, Leon was barely able to talk or walk after having suffered a second stroke. The Klinghoffers loved the sea and it was decided they should celebrate Leon’s improvement due to intensive therapy and Marilyn’s remission and birthday during the cruise on October 6. The Achille Lauro would be the best choice as, although not new or ornate, the ship could best accommodate Leon’s wheelchair.
The four Palestinian fighters were sent about their task by Abu al-Abbas, commander of the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF)—a more aggressive offshoot of the PLO and in league with Yasser Arafat. There is some difference in opinion as to exactly what that task was to entail, but what happened on the Achille Lauro would end up causing hardship and heartbreak to all involved. Leon Klinghoffer would be killed and he and his wheelchair thrown in the sea like discarded refuse. Not only the relatives of the Klinghoffers, but also the terrorists and their families would be affected by the decision made on the cruise ship for decades to come.
A look at the revenge-killing of Alex Odeh, regional director of (ADL) the Arab American Anti-Defamation League in Southern California causes one to reflect on the senseless murder of a gentle soul who considered himself American and wanted to achieve understanding and peace between Arabs and Jews.
A thoroughly researched, journalistic piece An Innocent Bystander painstakingly sorts through all the data and delivers an important work of history.
My thanks to Little, Brown and Company who provided my Goodreads Giveaway for an unbiased review.
February 3, 2020
Author Julie Salamon personally knew the Klinghoffer family and decided to uncover the entire story from all points of view. She has written a powerful book that was full of surprises for this reader. I especially appreciated the vast amount of research that added such depth to the book such as the interviews with Palestine Liberation Front leader, Abu al-Abbas's wives and sons. Abbas was the mastermind behind the 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship "MS Achille Lauro" and the killing of wheel-chair bound Leon Klinghoffer. Not an easy read but it filled in many missing pieces and tells a terrible tale of injustice, hatred and politics.
June 28, 2019
I was very interested to learn more about the hijacking of the Achille Lauro in 1985 and the horrible killing of Leon Klinghoffer but this book was disappointing.
In my opinion the author made a couple of strange decisions in how she told the story. The first thing I found strange is the arc of the story. The key event that this book is supposed to be about happens in the first third of the book with little detail in the lead up to the actual hijacking and in my opinion not much on the actual time the hijackers had control of the ship. It really feels like the author did not want to focus on the horrible hijacking of innocent people and she definitely didn't want to focus on the murder of Leon Klinghoffer which makes the title of her book strange at best and misleading at worst. The book almost feels more like a biography of Abu al-Abbas.
I found another thing strange especially since I believe the author is a daughter of Czech immigrants who were Holocaust survivors. I felt like she had an anti American and anti Israel bias in her writing. I felt that she was very critical of Reagan, his advisors, Netanyahu and Israel every chance she got but bent over backwards to paint Palestinians and Abu al-Abbas in sympathetic terms. She was very concerned for Abu al-Abbas family after the hijacking.
Overall I found the light attention on the actual hijacking and my perceived bias of the author to be too much for me to enjoy the book.
In my opinion the author made a couple of strange decisions in how she told the story. The first thing I found strange is the arc of the story. The key event that this book is supposed to be about happens in the first third of the book with little detail in the lead up to the actual hijacking and in my opinion not much on the actual time the hijackers had control of the ship. It really feels like the author did not want to focus on the horrible hijacking of innocent people and she definitely didn't want to focus on the murder of Leon Klinghoffer which makes the title of her book strange at best and misleading at worst. The book almost feels more like a biography of Abu al-Abbas.
I found another thing strange especially since I believe the author is a daughter of Czech immigrants who were Holocaust survivors. I felt like she had an anti American and anti Israel bias in her writing. I felt that she was very critical of Reagan, his advisors, Netanyahu and Israel every chance she got but bent over backwards to paint Palestinians and Abu al-Abbas in sympathetic terms. She was very concerned for Abu al-Abbas family after the hijacking.
Overall I found the light attention on the actual hijacking and my perceived bias of the author to be too much for me to enjoy the book.
April 6, 2019
The morning after I finished this book, I woke with that oddly pleasant sense of grief one has when a very good book is finished; like saying good bye after a visit with friends who live far away.
I cannot quite believe that I have that feeling for a book about the Israeli/Palestinian tragedy.
This is how all history should be written: profoundly personal and intimate. Never clearly right versus wrong. Messily human. Easily read and packed with facts that are never dry and boring.
I ache for the Klinghoffers , for the Palestinian families, for Israel.
It is a story that shows how hardline approaches only cause suffering and not a solution.
This is a history book, but the story is so relevant today, the issues so pressing and alive and unresolved, that it could be considered a Current Events Book. I kept forgetting that this happened 30+ years ago.
Almost daily there is news about this conflict, and now, for me, it is not some vague thing happening across the world to strangers. It is in my world, my backyard. They are my neighbors. Of all the reasons to read history, that realization must be the most important.
I cannot quite believe that I have that feeling for a book about the Israeli/Palestinian tragedy.
This is how all history should be written: profoundly personal and intimate. Never clearly right versus wrong. Messily human. Easily read and packed with facts that are never dry and boring.
I ache for the Klinghoffers , for the Palestinian families, for Israel.
It is a story that shows how hardline approaches only cause suffering and not a solution.
This is a history book, but the story is so relevant today, the issues so pressing and alive and unresolved, that it could be considered a Current Events Book. I kept forgetting that this happened 30+ years ago.
Almost daily there is news about this conflict, and now, for me, it is not some vague thing happening across the world to strangers. It is in my world, my backyard. They are my neighbors. Of all the reasons to read history, that realization must be the most important.
June 13, 2019
Since the attacks on 9/11, I've noticed that many Americans think terrorism began that day. And that Osama Bin Ladin was the first terrorist. Well, terrorism with death and hijacking began many years earlier; a prime example was the hijacking of the Italian cruise boat, "Achille Lauro" and the subsequent murder of American Leon Klinghoffer. Author Julie Salamon has taken the 1985 incident and looked behind and beyond, in her new book, "An Innocent Bystander: The Killing of Leon Klinghoffer".
I've always wondered at the efficacy of hijacking a cruise ship. Oh, a jet, sure; both hijackers and hostages are in a confined space and its much easier for the hijackers to control the situation. The 1980's were a time of plane hijackings and airport shootings, but the taking of a cruise ship seems to be a one-shot deal. The five hijackers seized the ship when most of the passengers were off on a shore excursion and so there were fewer hostages left to control. The master-mind behind the operation was Abu Al-Abbas, and the ship was held for three days. Demands buffeted back and forth between the hijackers and various government entities, and included release of Arab political prisoners held by Israel. Eventually, the hijackers gave up and the ship's captives were released. All but 69 year old Leon Klinghoffer, who had been shot while sitting in his wheel chair and thrown off the boat. His body was later recovered.
Leon Klinghoffer had been confined to a wheelchair since his stroke a few years before. He was on this cruise with his wife, Marilyn, largely because the "Achille Lauro" was wheelchair accessible. He had two daughters and the family was very close. Author Salamon takes a look at Klinghoffer's life...and murder. She also turns her attention to the Arabs who had planned and taken part in the hijacking. She's very even-handed in looking at the history between the Israelis and the Arabs. Abbas was a protege of Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian leaders. Her list of sources is astoundingly long and her relatively short book is a testament to concise writing.
Julie Salamon also looks at the opera, "The Death of Klinghoffer", written in the early 1991, by John Adams, Alice Goodman, and Peter Sellars. It was instantly controversial and was produced by opera companies around the world. It was finally produced in-house by the Metropolitan Opera, but not included in the "Live at the Met" program.
I'm giving the book 4 stars, rather than 5, because I wondered "where are the pictures"? We needed pictures of many of the people mentioned and the book is not as good as it could have been if it had had pictures.
I've always wondered at the efficacy of hijacking a cruise ship. Oh, a jet, sure; both hijackers and hostages are in a confined space and its much easier for the hijackers to control the situation. The 1980's were a time of plane hijackings and airport shootings, but the taking of a cruise ship seems to be a one-shot deal. The five hijackers seized the ship when most of the passengers were off on a shore excursion and so there were fewer hostages left to control. The master-mind behind the operation was Abu Al-Abbas, and the ship was held for three days. Demands buffeted back and forth between the hijackers and various government entities, and included release of Arab political prisoners held by Israel. Eventually, the hijackers gave up and the ship's captives were released. All but 69 year old Leon Klinghoffer, who had been shot while sitting in his wheel chair and thrown off the boat. His body was later recovered.
Leon Klinghoffer had been confined to a wheelchair since his stroke a few years before. He was on this cruise with his wife, Marilyn, largely because the "Achille Lauro" was wheelchair accessible. He had two daughters and the family was very close. Author Salamon takes a look at Klinghoffer's life...and murder. She also turns her attention to the Arabs who had planned and taken part in the hijacking. She's very even-handed in looking at the history between the Israelis and the Arabs. Abbas was a protege of Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian leaders. Her list of sources is astoundingly long and her relatively short book is a testament to concise writing.
Julie Salamon also looks at the opera, "The Death of Klinghoffer", written in the early 1991, by John Adams, Alice Goodman, and Peter Sellars. It was instantly controversial and was produced by opera companies around the world. It was finally produced in-house by the Metropolitan Opera, but not included in the "Live at the Met" program.
I'm giving the book 4 stars, rather than 5, because I wondered "where are the pictures"? We needed pictures of many of the people mentioned and the book is not as good as it could have been if it had had pictures.
May 20, 2019
On finishing the book, I felt An Innocent Bystander to be a really important book for our time because of Salamon's ability to listen, understand and bring to life the human dimensions on all sides of the terrible incident that is part of a terible, continuing conflict. The telling of the story, really the stories are in themselves amazing and the book is an incredible page turner, but finally it's the broadening, the real stretching of one's ability to see and feel from many sides that makes the book so incredibly moving and, I hope, exemplary. Aside from getting to know the Klinghoffer family we come to know a number of Palestinian families connected in very different ways to the story of the Achille Lauro. There are many surprises and a number of characters I never could have imagined and am so grateful to have met. To have seen through many of these eyes is quietly life changing. Even if reading the book is not going to dramatically hasten the end of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, the book can model a way for us to see and think about one another.
June 20, 2019
This book is biased in the worst way.The author fawns over the terrorists.She speaks about how handsome they looked in their designer jeans and Gucci shoes.Seriously.Continually criticizes President Reagan for wanting to respond to repeated terror attacks with force.Same with Israel.If you want a one sided story which diminishes the horror of unprovoked murder,this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2019
International terrorism in the 1980s: the capture of American hostages; airline hijackings and the bombing of Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270 innocent people; the Iran-Contra scandal that nearly capsized the Reagan presidency – commanded the attention of U.S. leaders and society. Iconic images included the pictures of the captive Americans held by shadowy groups affiliated with Iran, the ghoulish picture of Navy diver, Robert Dean Stethem’s body being dumped on a tarmac after his execution during the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight #847 and the headlines from the 1986 case of the Achille Lauro and the murder of wheelchair-bound, 69-year old Leon Klinghoffer.
Innocent Bystander, a new book by author Julie Salamon, retells the story of the Klinghoffer case. With the benefit of history and research, a more complex and textured tale emerges. Originally entitled “Klinghoffer’s Daughters,” Salamon expanded the book’s scope when she read The Curse of the Achille Lauro, by Reem Al-Nimer, the second wife of Abu al Abbas, who organized an attack on Israel, using the Achille Lauro to deliver a four-man cell on its deadly mission. Salamon explored the lives of Abu al Abbas and the four terrorists, the oldest being 23 years old. She describes their recruitment by Abbas, their mission and the events that led to their decision to hijack the ship and the slaying of Klinghoffer.
Salamon’s research also uncovered newly declassified documents courtesy of the Reagan Library which showed the U.S. government seized with the challenge of responding to an attack on an American abroad. When the Achille Lauro was rerouted to Port Said in Egypt and the terrorists boarded a plane, a U.S. squadron of F14 fighters was ordered to force the plane to land in Italy, with orders to shoot it down if the pilot didn’t comply. Oliver North pops up in the middle of the story as the NSC operative pushing for aggressive action to bring the terrorists to justice, bending international law if necessary.
A seasoned journalist and author, Salamon is scrupulously fair in recounting the deeds of the hijackers as well as the pain and suffering of the Klinghoffer family and their circle of close friends. She rightly underscores the emergence of the Klinghoffer family as a symbol and continuing voice for the victims of international terrorism – usually lost in the cacophony of geopolitics and conflicting historical narratives.
The case of the Achille Lauro is well-remembered by Americans as a time when we questioned our ability to safely travel abroad. An Innocent Bystander recalls that time and goes deeper to reveal the intertwining tales of victims and perpetrators, politicians and policy makers to bring us to a fuller understanding of this haunting case. It is a unique and deserving story, expertly told.
Innocent Bystander, a new book by author Julie Salamon, retells the story of the Klinghoffer case. With the benefit of history and research, a more complex and textured tale emerges. Originally entitled “Klinghoffer’s Daughters,” Salamon expanded the book’s scope when she read The Curse of the Achille Lauro, by Reem Al-Nimer, the second wife of Abu al Abbas, who organized an attack on Israel, using the Achille Lauro to deliver a four-man cell on its deadly mission. Salamon explored the lives of Abu al Abbas and the four terrorists, the oldest being 23 years old. She describes their recruitment by Abbas, their mission and the events that led to their decision to hijack the ship and the slaying of Klinghoffer.
Salamon’s research also uncovered newly declassified documents courtesy of the Reagan Library which showed the U.S. government seized with the challenge of responding to an attack on an American abroad. When the Achille Lauro was rerouted to Port Said in Egypt and the terrorists boarded a plane, a U.S. squadron of F14 fighters was ordered to force the plane to land in Italy, with orders to shoot it down if the pilot didn’t comply. Oliver North pops up in the middle of the story as the NSC operative pushing for aggressive action to bring the terrorists to justice, bending international law if necessary.
A seasoned journalist and author, Salamon is scrupulously fair in recounting the deeds of the hijackers as well as the pain and suffering of the Klinghoffer family and their circle of close friends. She rightly underscores the emergence of the Klinghoffer family as a symbol and continuing voice for the victims of international terrorism – usually lost in the cacophony of geopolitics and conflicting historical narratives.
The case of the Achille Lauro is well-remembered by Americans as a time when we questioned our ability to safely travel abroad. An Innocent Bystander recalls that time and goes deeper to reveal the intertwining tales of victims and perpetrators, politicians and policy makers to bring us to a fuller understanding of this haunting case. It is a unique and deserving story, expertly told.
October 17, 2019
Considering all that has transpired in the past 34 years, one would think that a book about a terrorist event that took place that long ago would not be particularly relevant or compelling. In An Innocent Bystander Julie Salamon shows how wrong that assumption is. The commandeering of the cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, and the murder of an elderly wheel-chair bound passenger, Leon Klinghoffer, by a small cadre of Palestinians is clearly a saga for our times. By interweaving the stories of the victims, the perpetrators, and their families, she turns what is too often a dichotomy of good and evil into a multi-dimensional tale of how history is personal and humanity is shared.
Just as compellingly, Salamon sets the international stage where all this is played out. The United States, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, and other countries had roles in this tragic episode and its aftermath. But the brilliance of this book is that here too it is propelled by the thoughts and motives of individuals, from the captain of the Achille Lauro to Oliver North to Yasser Arafat.
If we are to ever untie the Gordian knot of the Middle East, we have to understand or maybe even empathize with all the participants who created this seemingly intractable problem. By offering us An Innocent Bystander, Salamon lets us take one step in loosening that bind.
Just as compellingly, Salamon sets the international stage where all this is played out. The United States, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, and other countries had roles in this tragic episode and its aftermath. But the brilliance of this book is that here too it is propelled by the thoughts and motives of individuals, from the captain of the Achille Lauro to Oliver North to Yasser Arafat.
If we are to ever untie the Gordian knot of the Middle East, we have to understand or maybe even empathize with all the participants who created this seemingly intractable problem. By offering us An Innocent Bystander, Salamon lets us take one step in loosening that bind.
July 22, 2019
I listened to An Innocent Bystander. I wish it had been read by the author or at the very least another woman. The reader did a fine job but I can't help but think that a woman's voice would have made the story better for me. Much of the interviews were with victims' families and terrorists' wives. I think a female voice would have impacted me more when those stories were related.
This non-fiction book is about the killing of Leon Klinghoffer but it's also about other victims and the actions of the PLO, Israel, Americans, and others. There are so many more victims than Klinghoffer. There are also so many more criminals than those who held the passengers of the Achille Lauro.
This non-fiction book is about the killing of Leon Klinghoffer but it's also about other victims and the actions of the PLO, Israel, Americans, and others. There are so many more victims than Klinghoffer. There are also so many more criminals than those who held the passengers of the Achille Lauro.
June 25, 2019
Excellent, far-ranging book about the hijacking of the Achille Lauro. Salamon does a masterful job of reporting, and offers a "ticktock" view of events, exactly what happened. It's fascinating and harrowing.
July 25, 2019
As I began this book, I thought the tragedy was about the killing of a Jewish man in as wheelchair as I vaguely remembered the news and the international incident that ensued. But in fact, discovered that Klinghoffer was not killed because he was Jewish, and that this simple twist of the truth served the Israeli and American agenda. The true beauty of this story, is Julie Salamon teaches us empathy, to listen and that there were many victims in this incident, most of whom are tragically overlooked. She gave them back their voices. I am very grateful that she took the time to correct this history. I was also amazed at how many of the players then have come to the forefront, making the truth all the more important, especially now when truth is at a premium.
I will add, that I began reading this book on a trip and left it with my son because I knew he would find it as compelling as I did. So I loaded it up on my phone and drove home. The audio was wonderful and I highly recommend both.
I will add, that I began reading this book on a trip and left it with my son because I knew he would find it as compelling as I did. So I loaded it up on my phone and drove home. The audio was wonderful and I highly recommend both.
October 22, 2019
Salamon's genius lies in her ability to spotlight and personalize the across-the-board human tragedy which unfolded in October, 1985, when the Achille Lauro cruise ship was hijacked at sea in the Mediterranean. An Innocent Bystander is a thoughtful, thought-provoking deep dive into the wide-reaching backstories which led to the events as well as their lasting impact on all the parties involved.
With richly nuanced storytelling, Salamon painstakingly presents the different perspectives of the victim Leon Klinghoffer and his family, as well as those of the hijackers and their families. With the pacing of a thriller she moves between the personal and the global and keeps the reader engaged and invested.
Highly recommended as a first-rate page-turner, and equally as a fascinating and extremely relevant look back at how we came to be where we are in terms of relations between the US, Palestine, Israel and the world of terror.
With richly nuanced storytelling, Salamon painstakingly presents the different perspectives of the victim Leon Klinghoffer and his family, as well as those of the hijackers and their families. With the pacing of a thriller she moves between the personal and the global and keeps the reader engaged and invested.
Highly recommended as a first-rate page-turner, and equally as a fascinating and extremely relevant look back at how we came to be where we are in terms of relations between the US, Palestine, Israel and the world of terror.
August 29, 2019
Any book about the cold-blooded murder of an innocent wheelchair-bound veteran that STARTS with a sympathetic portrayal of how difficult that murder has made the life of the terrorist's family is worthless.
This was moral relativism at its worst, from beginning to end
This was moral relativism at its worst, from beginning to end
July 16, 2019
The women’s voices- all the women involved in this tragedy, on all sides of the story- were loud and clear. I found this to be refreshing, and kept me riveted to the end.
November 18, 2021
I had never heard of this story until it popped up on Google on this day in history. Given I was four at the time that's probably why. As someone with a love of history and ocean liners/cruise ships I was intrigued and immediately looked for a book about this story. This book seemed like it would be more about the human side as opposed to the political one. I always prefer a human story especially where the middle east is concerned as that dives into a political quagmire. For the most part it is a personal story following the lives of the Klinghoffer family the wives and families of the hijackers and another murder in California of Alex Odeh. Marilyn and Leon are on the Achille Lauro with friends. Marilyn has just learned she's free of cancer. Leon is in a wheelchair and the only reason they were on that ship was because it was accessible. How things have changed. A group of very well dressed and nervous young men are also on board. The ship drops off most if it's passengers for a day trip to the pyramids. A steward spots the young men's stash of weapons while dropping off a complementary fruit bowl and all hell breaks loose. With the diminished number of passengers the hijackers take the ship and with the exception of one who fell into a stateroom all passengers and crew are herded into a main salon and held for an unbearable 2 days. Sometimes dragged out on deck to bake in the sun while full fuel cans stood threateningly close by, with nervous young men who were more than willing to die for their cause. Forced to sleep in the salon, or on deck told the women were allowed to use one washroom while the men were told to urinate in the corner of the room. Some passengers were forced to hold live grenades, Marilyn Klinghoffer was hit with the barrel of a gun as she worried about her wheelchair bound husband after being forced on the deck and unable to bring him with her. Two shots and a splash are heard but most think it's a misfire by one of the hijackers and that a deck chair was tossed overboard. They couldn't be more wrong. Leon Klinghoffer would become the first and only victim in the hijacking. What follows next is the fight for justice for Leon Klinghoffer and how those affected by the tragedy tried to pick up the pieces of their lives, including an opera that was in poor taste. I was drawn into the families and their stories especially Norma Odeh widow of Alex who has some resentment that her husband's murder is virtually ignored while the Klinghoffer killing is everywhere and of course the Klinghoffer daughters Lisa and Ilsa and their families. It did get bogged down with the politics of the situation but it had to be done. But it was well worth it fir the personal human side of this tragic and shocking event.
June 18, 2019
In An Innocent Bystander Julie Salamon explains masterfully the complex makings of a fascinating and sweeping political event, with far-reaching repercussions threaded to international policy at the far corners of the planet, while capturing with true humanity the lives and perspectives of the individual people involved.
Salamon’s writing is pleasant like a flowing spring breeze, but her thinking and reporting are forceful like a hurricane, jam-packed with complex facts and information that she pulls together methodically, clearly, and almost effortlessly. Her greatest success, in my opinion, is that of conveying the unmistakable connections that thread through humanity and yet the terrible weight of separation; the bubble in which people operate in their own lives on different sides of the planet—the Klinghoffers, Americans in general, the Palestinians—and yet the similarity we experience as humans fearing and wanting the same things. She captures the solitude and isolating effects of religion, country, and borders, and the different ways people from different cultures and histories can view the same events. She makes us feel the cowboyishness of the US (a very humorous few pages), and the despair of others elsewhere. She also makes us reflect on more subtle things, such as the absurd difference in the labeling and treatment of "normal" homicides versus terrorism. And the skewed weight that deaths of different nationalities are given. In this book the world feels not at all small, but rather large beyond comprehension.
A deft researcher and interviewer, Salamon handles expertly a ton of complex material originating in disparate corners of the world and in different languages, and gives us an insightful, authoritative, and compassionate view. Both of the large picture and the small. Admirably, she tells with equal compassion and dignity the stories of people on opposing sides of events. Besides learning about the personal tragedy of the Klinghoffer family, as a reader I was fascinated by the lives and stories of Abu al-Abbas’s wives and children, and of Alex Odeh and his family, for whom I felt very sad. Actually, I felt sad for all the people involved, each individually swept up in machinations larger than themselves. And, too, for humanity’s failure to recognize the humanity of others.
A wise birds-eye view and a great read. Thoughtful and enlightening.
Salamon’s writing is pleasant like a flowing spring breeze, but her thinking and reporting are forceful like a hurricane, jam-packed with complex facts and information that she pulls together methodically, clearly, and almost effortlessly. Her greatest success, in my opinion, is that of conveying the unmistakable connections that thread through humanity and yet the terrible weight of separation; the bubble in which people operate in their own lives on different sides of the planet—the Klinghoffers, Americans in general, the Palestinians—and yet the similarity we experience as humans fearing and wanting the same things. She captures the solitude and isolating effects of religion, country, and borders, and the different ways people from different cultures and histories can view the same events. She makes us feel the cowboyishness of the US (a very humorous few pages), and the despair of others elsewhere. She also makes us reflect on more subtle things, such as the absurd difference in the labeling and treatment of "normal" homicides versus terrorism. And the skewed weight that deaths of different nationalities are given. In this book the world feels not at all small, but rather large beyond comprehension.
A deft researcher and interviewer, Salamon handles expertly a ton of complex material originating in disparate corners of the world and in different languages, and gives us an insightful, authoritative, and compassionate view. Both of the large picture and the small. Admirably, she tells with equal compassion and dignity the stories of people on opposing sides of events. Besides learning about the personal tragedy of the Klinghoffer family, as a reader I was fascinated by the lives and stories of Abu al-Abbas’s wives and children, and of Alex Odeh and his family, for whom I felt very sad. Actually, I felt sad for all the people involved, each individually swept up in machinations larger than themselves. And, too, for humanity’s failure to recognize the humanity of others.
A wise birds-eye view and a great read. Thoughtful and enlightening.
September 4, 2019
This very well researched narrative dispels the widely held belief that Leon Klinghoffer was murdered aboard the Achille Lauro because he was Jewish rather than being a disabled American in a fateful place. The book is easily understood and gives excellent insight into how poverty, destruction of homeland and family roots, lack of opportunity and freedom breeds frustration, terror and violence. In this story, the setting is the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, but the ingredients form conflicts everywhere.
Julie Salamon presents a balanced and comprehensive blend of perspectives of daily life and descriptions of where hostility and rage spring from. She gave me a better understanding of how perceived (and real) occupation feels. I have witnessed those elements in Eastern Europe; Ms. Salamon explains the Middle East standpoint.
The behind the scenes negotiating, political self-interest, motives and outright deception are well described. I gained a better understanding from afar of how the changing of the guards sways hope and despair in this tortured land. I've gained an immense insight of how the US has presented a rather one-sided and unsympathetic outlook on it's participation in this conflict.
I applaud the time investment involved in this superb effort.
Julie Salamon presents a balanced and comprehensive blend of perspectives of daily life and descriptions of where hostility and rage spring from. She gave me a better understanding of how perceived (and real) occupation feels. I have witnessed those elements in Eastern Europe; Ms. Salamon explains the Middle East standpoint.
The behind the scenes negotiating, political self-interest, motives and outright deception are well described. I gained a better understanding from afar of how the changing of the guards sways hope and despair in this tortured land. I've gained an immense insight of how the US has presented a rather one-sided and unsympathetic outlook on it's participation in this conflict.
I applaud the time investment involved in this superb effort.
January 3, 2020
This is a riveting account of a tragedy that could very easily have been told from one perspective and in simple terms. Instead, Ms Salamon takes us into the world not only of the unintentional victim and his family, but also into the world of the perpetrators and their families, making for a much more complicated and fascinating read. Upon finishing the book, I had to go back to the beginning to try to figure out how Ms Salamon could vividly describe this story thirty-plus years after the fact when she hadn't actually been observing it and writing back in 1985. I felt as if events were happening in front of my eyes.
It's fascinating to read about the many different reactions to the events... from the families of the victim, to the perpetrators and their families, to leaders and diplomats in various countries, and to many others. While not excusing the disgusting murder of an elderly wheelchair-bound gentleman, the book provides insight into the mindset of the planners of the hijacking and how the young hijackers' missteps lead to the series of unintended consequences.
Read this book to try to see our messy world a bit more clearly!
It's fascinating to read about the many different reactions to the events... from the families of the victim, to the perpetrators and their families, to leaders and diplomats in various countries, and to many others. While not excusing the disgusting murder of an elderly wheelchair-bound gentleman, the book provides insight into the mindset of the planners of the hijacking and how the young hijackers' missteps lead to the series of unintended consequences.
Read this book to try to see our messy world a bit more clearly!
August 15, 2019
I was absolutely hooked on this story, from start to finish. With every turn of the page I felt like I was gaining new insight into worlds that I would never have otherwise understood. It was so eye-opening to see a single tragedy from so many different perspectives, and to see how one bullet reverberated around the world. I felt like this multifaceted approach not only made the story richer, but also served as a great lesson on how tragedies never happen in a vaccuum, and they never just affect the victims. Since reading this incredible book, I find myself wondering about all the different characters in real life who feel the echos of the tragedies we see everyday on tv. I also feel like I have such a better understanding about why we are in the position we are today when it comes to worldwide tension. This book has changed how I'm experiencing the world and made me more empathetic in seeing all sides of every situation. So I'd say that's a well deserved 5 stars! Looking forward to more incredible storytelling from Julie Salamon.
December 30, 2020
It's hard to imagine what might be more urgently needed right now than an understanding of both sides of any issue. When it's the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, which is what Julie Salamon tackles here, it's no understatement that it advances the cause of peace. That tells you what I think "Innocent Bystander: The Killing of Leon Klinghoffer," published in 2019. I'm not aware of any other book that brings out the humanity of both sides in this manner. It took copious research and footwork and thought energy to come up with this look at the plotting of a terrorist attack, the highjacking of the Achille Lauro, Klinghoffer's death and the fall out. I was young and knew few details when it happened, but it landed in my psyche. This gives it a place to go. It's also a gripping read worth the effort.
June 14, 2019
Julie Salamon has written a compelling narrative about an event that had the US holding its breath as it played out during a time when the issues appeared in stark relief. While there remains no doubt in this telling that the original crime was despicable, the art of this page-turner lies in its even handed and understanding portrayal of people affected by these events, no matter what their heritage is. This is an elegantly-written work of both intellect and the heart, a work that is both probing and compassionate. You can't put this book down when you are reading it; and when you manage to put it down, it's the kind of book that makes you want to get back to it quickly. Go for it; you won't be sorry.
June 24, 2019
I had the privilege of being a reader for this book and was honored to be asked to do so. Julie Salamon, using her investigative skills drilled down through voluminous records and testimonies, and criss-crossed the globe and interviewed individuals still connected to the Achille Lauro hijacking and killing of Leon Klinghoffer. The author weaves the tragic, heinous murder of Leon Klinghoffer, against the backdrop of global politics, and the personal impact that event had on three families. She gives particular voice to the women inextricably intertwined in the narrative. The book is not only a historic investigation into motivation and response, but it also, underscores the human factors memorialized in history.
Rabbi D. Hirsch
Rabbi D. Hirsch
March 4, 2020
An excellent exploration of the circumstances surrounding the crisis on the Achille Lauro. Not only does Julie Salamon give us a closer look at the Klinghoffer family's story, but she also gives us greater insights into the vicious cycle of violence and conflict in the Middle East, from the perspective of all those involved and their families. Both elements have shaped the lives of Jewish Americans, as well as Muslims, Palestinians and a myriad of other nationalities and religions worldwide. Like a pebble in a pond, Ms. Salamon shows us how far the ripples go and how complex they can be. She makes all of this a lot more easy to understand, which in the end, might actually lead to a spark of hope.
June 21, 2019
An Innocent Bystander provides the reader with insight and understanding beyond the incident around which this book is based. Rather than thinking about Leon Klinghoffer’s murder as an isolated episode, I was able to understand its significance in a larger geopolitical context. The many individuals who played a part in this disturbing act of terrorism became human and real. The book connected their individual motivations into a mosaic of human behavior and explored the intentional and unintentional consequences. It was well researched, uncovering facts and details not previously known, and proved to be a riveting read.
August 9, 2019
Julie Salamon has once again written an important, smart and well-told tale of something that truly matters. Her well-documented and gripping tale of the take-over of the hijacking of the Achille Lauro and the ensuing killing of the elderly, wheelchair-bound passenger Leon Klinghoffer is difficult to put down and difficult to comprehend happening. Tracing the hijacking and murder through every angle, from the Klinghoffer family to the families of the terrorists, she uses her reporter’s well-trained eye to take us into the Arab-Israeli conflict from many perspectives, most of them heart-breaking.
June 17, 2019
Julie Salamon has written a tour de force. The complexity of this sad history and the multiple fault lines traversed made for a very difficult needle to thread. Salamon brings her humane perspective to this emotionally-fraught hijacking. The book is filled with thought provoking compassion and a generosity of spirit. Her keen reportorial and researcher's skills combined with an eye for telling and poignant details further enriched the book. Quite simply this is a must read book for anyone interested in a multidimensional history of family, friends, terrorism and the middle east.
July 15, 2019
I was enthralled by Ms. Salomon's storytelling that turned a footnote in history into an engrossing and very human story. I could not put it down and finished the book in a 36 hour period. Although I was familiar with the Klinghoffer story... or thought I was..., this book shows the collateral damage Leon's Klinghoffer's death had beyond his family. I learned of bravery and pain and persistence and chicanery. Brava to Julie Salomon for her outstanding investigative reporting and resultant riveting narrative.
August 14, 2019
I did not know much about this event. I do recall the news stories about it but not much else. I've seen the opera The Death of Klinghoffer twice and I'm familiar with the controversy surrounding it.
This book is an excellent accounting of all aspects of the incident -- the Klinghoffer family, the captain, the hijackers, their accomplices, the surrounding events. It's a deep dive into the history leading up to the event and the ramifications that follow.
The author has presented both sides and she is even-handed.
This book is an excellent accounting of all aspects of the incident -- the Klinghoffer family, the captain, the hijackers, their accomplices, the surrounding events. It's a deep dive into the history leading up to the event and the ramifications that follow.
The author has presented both sides and she is even-handed.
August 21, 2019
Julie Salamon has crafted a meticulously well-researched account of a pivotal moment in America’s fraught history of terrorism. Starting with an issue that was very close to her home and community in New York, she expands her analysis and scope to humanize all of the characters who were enmeshed in this international fiasco. Possessed of such a well-rounded view of one of America’s rare “victories” in its struggle against terrorism, Salamon’s readers can extrapolate outwards to gain context for today’s ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and beyond.
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