Israel

A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth

By: Noa Tishby

Narrated by: Noa Tishby

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

AUDIO EXCLUSIVE: INCLUDES THE SONG “ELATION STATION” BY INFECTED MUSHROOM!

A “fascinating and very moving” (Aaron Sorkin, award-winning screenwriter of The West Wing and The Social Network) chronological timeline spanning from Biblical times to today that explores one of the most interesting countries in the world—Israel.

Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts?

Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby. But “this is not your Bubbie’s history book” (Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher). Instead, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” (Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor) to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, Tishby chronicles her homeland’s evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel’s creation to the disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, Tishby provides critical context around headline-generating controversies and offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel.

©2021 Noa Tishby. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thank You Noa

As a forty year California lawyer, you would think that the words and tools to speak up for Israel would come easy to me Unfortunately, I get so angry with the bias against and misinformation about Israel that i find it hard to stay calm and make a case as I have been trained to do. Now thanks to Noa I have the facts and a measured voice. I have already bought several hardback copies to share with others. Keep going!

Must Read

I downloaded two other books on Israel and didn't finish them. Good information but super boring. Noa should be a professional voice over. She tells the story like your entertaining neighbor would. Good voice inflection and sprinkles in some colorful language where appropriate.
Originally I was interested in the conflict between Israel and Palestine which she covers quite extensively. Then she roped me into the tradition of Israel which is riddled with oppression.
She is from Israel so it's no surprise she is a proponent of Israeli policy. However, I fact checked several of her points and she was spot on.
Get her book. I really enjoyed it.

A must read for anyone with an opinion about Israel

I don’t often write reviews. My lack of writing a review has a little to do with a desire to recommend books to people I actually know, but more to do with a feeling of “But why would you care what I think about the book? You don’t know me.”

I will make an exception for “Israel: A Simple Guide To The Most Misunderstood Country On Earth.”

The first thing you need to know is that the title is not exactly accurate. Yes, the book is about Israel. And yes, the book is easy to understand. But the ease of understanding the book has more to do with the manner in which it is written than the simplicity of the treatment of the topic. Ms. Tishby (may I call you Noa?) not only understands how complex the story of Israel is, she makes sure you understand it’s complexity as well. What makes this history book, and it is a history book, “simple” is more in the manner of the telling than in the topic.

It’s not a book, dense and hard to wade through. It’s a conversation, deep and complex but thrilling and enlightening at the same time. It’s the story of a country born out of exasperation and guilt; a family forever tied to the birthing of that country; and the hatred of the country and the People who call it our Homeland regardless of where we call home.

It’s that last piece, the histories of the many countries and peoples who hate Israel, that makes this book, the story of Noa Tishby’s family, and the actual history of Israel so incredibly important right now. With the latest escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, it’s incredibly important to be reminded of who and what Israel is. As a spoiler - perfect is not one of the descriptions she uses.

Important, however, is.

the most practical and realistic view of Israel

I have visited Israel several times. what the media portrays regarding Israel and the Palestinians is not what actually takes place there. I have Arab friends, Jewish friends and Christians that I know there. they all admit Israel is not a perfect place, but they all love the freedom, the equal voting rights, etc... thank you Noa for sharing the most authentic portrayal of actually what it is really like there. best overall layman's book on the market.

I bought 4 copies for & still need more.

I reccomend this to anyone who is open minded enough to hear the truth.
Her efforts in fact findings, the in depth research and analysis was remarkable.
An absolute must read that need to be translated to all languages.

Awful Language

The author’s desire to be passionate should not have depended on foul language. Profanity is the refuge of the inarticulate.

That said, the book was an excellent and condensed history of Israel for someone interesting in learning from a reliable source.

Absolutely wonderful and extremely informative.

Noah Tishby's Israel is a complex, layered, multi faceted and flawed country. The book walks briskly through most of Israel's history - starting thousands of years ago and ending mid-2020, highlighing the focus points of its history which allowed it to become the tangled, confusing and profoundly misunderstood tiny patch of a country it is today. It is rich in anecdotes and fun-facts, allowing for a deeply interesting, though relatively light read which was incredibly informative for me, even though I've lived in Israel for years! The author manages to stay impressively apolitical and provides a generally neutral and decidedly fact-based lay of the land, both figuratively and literally. Highly recommended! Tishby does not shy away from pointing out flaws in Israel's policies in the past, which makes for a particularly heart-wrenching read throughout the Gaza (i.e. Israel-Hammas) war in 2023. Highly recommended, for readers on both ends of the political spectrum, as a poignantly fact-driven guide to the area.

Great read

This is an engaging personal account that is framed by the struggle to create a state that hopes to live up to its aspirational promise like America. So much alike yet so very different.

Incredible

A comprehensive history of Israel. Recommended for anyone who wants to understand the country and region. Entertaining and heartfelt and a must read for anyone who wants to be educated!

What a smart cookie!!

I really enjoyed listening to Noa Tishby’s book. Her subject is close to my heart and it was enlightening to hear her discourse geared towards the “younger generation “. Her narration is smooth as silk. She really does have an amazing voice.