Anna's house : the American Colony in Jerusalem / Odd Karsten Tveit.

Includes index.

Anna's House tells the story of a young Norwegian girl whose family emigrated to America in the middle of the 19th century, and who later became a charismatic sect leader from Chicago who brought her flock to Jerusalem in 1881. Though of Norwegian origin, her story becomes truly an American saga in Jerusalem, which parallels the radical changes in the Middle East, the results of which we are living through today. ANNA'S HOUSE is a must read for students of the Middle East and for those intrigued by the psychology of religious cults. This book is an excellent companion piece to Jane Fletcher Geniesse's AMERICAN PRIESTESS, since both books detail the life of Anna Spofford who with her husband gathered a group of believers in the immanent second coming, traveld to Jerusalem, and there founded the American Colony. While both books tell the compelling story of a charismatic and infuriating woman, ANNA'S HOUSE provides further insights into the complexities of Arab/Israeli relations, from the origins of the Zionist movement in the 19th Century to the establishment of the state of Israel. Anna's daughter Bertha deplored the creation of the new state which was accompanied by the violence that has since prevailed, but was rebuffed in her efforts to share her knowledge and experience with President Truman and with officials of the United Nations.