This Heated Place is a compelling account of travel in war-torn Israel, with personal insights into the region's complex and bloody struggles. Returning to Israel after a ten-year absence, Deborah Campbell — a Canadian student at Tel Aviv University during the Gulf War — takes readers along for the ride as she gains insight into one of the world's most intractable conflicts. She drives through the West Bank with an American-Israeli settler in his bombproof SUV; visits a Palestinian family in Hebron following an Israeli army raid; talks to girls at an Islamic school in Gaza; and meets Israeli refuseniks who have spent time in prison for their stance.

Skillfully weaving together elements of political reporting with travel writing, and rejecting the simplifications that characterize mainstream journalism, Campbell carefully records her observations. Her belief that the majority of people on both sides want peace is based both on her personal experiences and on recent developments, and always she is mindful that, when it comes to understanding this terrible conflict, what you see depends on where you are standing. A highlighted map of the region and a selection of the author's own photos are included.