"A moving, inspiring account of life in Palestine that's enormously informative yet reads like a novel."

— Rebecca Vilkomerson, Executive Director, Jewish Voice for Peace

"Pamela Olson leads the reader on an exciting, funny, at times heart-wrenching journey, carefully deciphering complex political and historical issues. Olson is a talented writer, intelligent and exceptional in her ability to convey both tragedy and hope, remaining morally grounded and refreshingly honest."

— Ramzy Baroud, author of My Father was a Freedom Fighter

"As an Israeli whose life was shaped by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I found Fast Times in Palestine moving and refreshing. Pamela Olson comes to the Middle East with a blank slate and is therefore able to hold up an undistorted mirror to the reality she encounters."

— Miko Peled, author of The General’s Son

"Pamela Olson operates in a great tradition of American explorers, from Martha Gellhorn to Susan Meiselas to Rachel Corrie — open-minded women who have thrown off a lot of tired received wisdom about a fearful part of the world in order to see it for themselves, then brought that understanding back to their own culture. This book is a triumph of sympathy and observation."

— Philip Weiss, Editor of Mondoweiss

"Fast Times in Palestine will open your eyes to the human story inside the political drama. Mixing humor, memoir, political intrigue, romance, and sociological commentary, Olson’s heartfelt work will change how you understand the Middle East."

— Patricia Ryan Madson, Professor Emerita of Stanford University and author of Improv Wisdom

"It's love in the time of occupation as Pamela Olson... takes us on the emotional roller-coaster of her very personal experience of life in Ramallah — and in doing so lays bare the human drama of a people... determined to live free."

— Tony Karon, Senior Editor, TIME

"In a field overcrowded with arcane academic texts and strident polemics, Pamela Olson has broken through with a refreshing read that packs gritty journalism into a fast-paced, intimate personal narrative."

— Max Blumenthal, author of Republican Gomorrah

"Part adventure story, part searing reportage, part love story, and wholly absorbing... written with infectious humor, dazzling verve, keen insight, and deep passion. If you want to know what everyday life is like for the Palestinian people, go to Palestine; if you can’t, read this book."

— Dr. Kenneth Ring, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Connecticut, and co-author of Letters from Palestine

"Olson does not merely report on the world of others; she steps into their shoes and sees the world through their eyes. Fast Times in Palestine is a heroic and touching journey to self-awareness that will awaken the reader to a more humane perspective on the Arab world."

— Richard Forer, author of Breakthrough: Transforming Fear into Compassion

"Olson's masterful storytelling, imagery, and wit take the reader on a transformative journey through Palestine."

— Anna Baltzer, author of Witness in Palestine