Cathy Sultan combines compelling history and vivid personal
interviews that connect the lives of the oft-ignored civilians of South Lebanon and northern Israel during the war of July 2006 and its aftermath.

She documents how these families and soldiers have been victimized by the hawkish, shortsighted policy decisions of Israel, Lebanon, and the United States. Sultan describes the polluting effects of cluster bombs and other environmental hazards left behind after the war in Lebanon, and explains the strategic importance of such geographic features as the Litani River and the Shabba Farms area.

She conducts compelling, in-depth interviews with both Lebanese and Israeli civilians and soldiers as they recount their experiences of the conflict. Throughout the book, these narratives are particularly memorable for their detail, honesty, and the deep sense of tragedy they relate.

The book also addresses the media's treatment of the war, systematically dispelling common myths about the region perpetuated by government and mainstream sources. Sultan’s years of real life experience in the region, as well as her comprehensive knowledge of the conflict, add to the authenticity of her accounts.

Finally, she reveals how divisive factions within the current Lebanese government leave the country teetering on the brink of yet more violence, imploring government officials on all sides to act with foresight, compassion, and responsibility.

According to Reese Erlich, foreign correspondent and author of The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of US Policy and the Middle East Crisis, "Tragedy in South Lebanon is an  important book that should be read by anyone interested in Israel and Lebanon."
 
Jack Rice, journalist, syndicated CBS radio talk show host and former CIA officer writes: "Finally, finally, finally there is a book that looks at the complex issues in Lebanon for what they really are-complex! And even more importantly, Cathy has taken her experience and transported all of us into the region to better understand the complexities from the people themselves. We have had enough of the bumper sticker slogans and five second sound bites. Great!"
 
George Cody, Ph.D., Executive Director of American Task Force for Lebanon writes: "As someone who works with other organizations to ban the use, sale, and transfer of cluster bombs, I applaud Cathy Sultan's discussion on the effects of these lethal weapons on Lebanese civilians, many of them children, who continue to be killed and maimed by these odious, unexploded Israeli cluster bombs."
 
According to Timur Goksel, Former Senior Advisor of UNIFIL in Lebanon: "Sultan gives a fair and accurate account of what went on in South Lebanon. As a UN official who spent 24 years in South Lebanon, I say she also lends refreshing voice to those who would otherwise never be heard."