Israel

A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth

De: Noa Tishby

Narrado por: Noa Tishby

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

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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.

I have learned so much about Israel

I really enjoyed learning about the history of Israel. It is really well written. Thank you Noa for teaching me so much about the topic.

Knowledgeable and entertaining

This book is extremely pro Israel… and that turns out to be a great thing! I am midway through my conversation to Judaism and I was looking for a book to help supplement my woefully limited knowledge of the country and the current political situation.

Ms. Tishby’s love of her country is infectious and it makes me wish I were Israeli. Her personal stories were captivating and her stories paralleled some of my Sabra fiancé’s stories. Her storytelling is human, like listening to a girlfriend talk about her family.

Converting makes me feel sort of connected to Israel and I have this odd feeling of pride in reading about how far Israel has come, including all of the advancements in tech, business generally, fashion, food, infrastructure, entertainment, medical advancements and world aid outreach. On the other hand, when the author summarized the region’s military history I felt anger toward those who would attack, defame, or try to oppress Israel and her people. Her treatment of all people was balanced and she readily admits that Israel isn’t perfect - but neither is any country.

I felt every emotion reading this book - pride, anger, sadness to the point of tears, elation at triumphs, all of it. It’s strange to feel such an affinity for a country to which I have never been and in which I had previously known very little.

I will be forever grateful for this book and it’s impact in my understanding of Israel. I intend to return to certain chapters again as a way to delve into deeper study.

Excellent history. Must read/listen.

Well-presented history and survey of Israel and global mud-perceptions. Digestible and balanced. Tishbi recognizes that Israel isn’t perfect, but does a brilliant job putting imperfections in well-documented historical context.

Great and easy to follow book on Israel's history

Amazing book for anyone who wants to learn more about Israel and truly understand its history and current affairs. A good book for people who know little about the subject but also for those who all well versed.

Phenomenal- a must read! And a must listen!

Never have I had the history of the Middle East and Israel explained so clearly, understandably and delightfully!
Along with global history, Ms Tishby dotted her book with personal experiences and her own family history- informative, eye opening, fascinating, and so real it comes alive.
I read this book as I will be traveling in a few weeks to Israel for the first time. I wanted to learn more about the area and the country- as I was reading, I kept telling friends and family this book is a MUST READ! I have been quoting and recounting vignettes and information- new to me and most of my friends- astute, intelligent friends- but this history alludes us. Every word of this book eloquently enlightens the reader - from the recounting of Lawrence of Arabia, the clarity about the Palestinian issues - complicated as they are, the Arab Israelis with all citizen rights and responsibilities, the internal dilemma regarding the ultra orthodox in Israel, the real story about BDE, the UN, the many amazing, world-impacting contributions of this tiny country, Zionism 191 and 102, and the ever-present question about continued anti-semitism (when we are such a tiny sliver of the world!) to Tishby’s personal accounts.
I love reading books- but this book read by Noa Tishby herself, is a Must Listen!!
And Noa, I made it all the way to the end without crying- even though there was much to move me, tgat is, until your last line with your son - I’m still crying!! Thank you for a most outstanding literary experience!