About the Author, Diana Watkins

Dr. Diana Watkins has led a remarkable life—from a disabled orphan in Los Angeles County to a retired professor in computer networking and medical college education. Despite initial setbacks, her adoptive mother's encouragement propelled her to excel academically, earning scholarships and fellowships that paved the way for her to teach others. Living on the autism spectrum, Dr. Watkins is deeply passionate about challenging boundaries for students who think differently, particularly in visual and nonverbal neural pathways. Her educational journey includes degrees from UCLA, the University of Arkansas, and NOVA, with a career spanning academia, literature, articles, speeches, and lectures from 1974 to 2012. Beyond her academic pursuits, her interests are as diverse as they are eclectic, ranging from shooting sports and Boy Scouts to ranching, politics, and world travel. Yet, it is her unwavering commitment to supporting Israel and combating antisemitism that has led her to write this book. With a heart full of agape love, she endeavors to correct misinformation and offer a true portrayal of Israel and its people, while shining a light on the urgent need to stand against hatred and prejudice.

My “Why” Behind the Book

It is my sincere hope that

The American Canary in the Israeli Mine will
contribute to a deeper understanding of this
critical relationship and its implications for
our shared future. May it serve as a catalyst
for dialogue, empathy, and cooperation in a
world that is in desperate need of all three.
Diana Watkins-Author


canary in a coalmine

idiom(also canary in the coalmine, canary in the mine)

something that gives an early warning of danger or failure, in the way that, in the past, a canary taken into a mine (= an underground place for digging coal or minerals) would die if the air was not safe to breathe, warning the people working there

CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY