Israel

A Concise History of a Nation Reborn

De: Daniel Gordis

Narrado por: Fred Sanders

The first comprehensive yet accessible history of the state of Israel from its inception to present day, from Daniel Gordis, ""one of the most respected Israel analysts"" (The Forward) living and writing in Jerusalem.

Israel is a tiny state, and yet it has captured the world’s attention, aroused its imagination, and lately, been the object of its opprobrium. Why does such a small country speak to so many global concerns? More pressingly: Why does Israel make the decisions it does? And what lies in its future?

We cannot answer these questions until we understand Israel’s people and the questions and conflicts, the hopes and desires, that have animated their conversations and actions. Though Israel’s history is rife with conflict, these conflicts do not fully communicate the spirit of Israel and its people: they give short shrift to the dream that gave birth to the state, and to the vision for the Jewish people that was at its core. Guiding us through the milestones of Israeli history, Gordis relays the drama of the Jewish people’s story and the creation of the state. Clear-eyed and erudite, he illustrates how Israel became a cultural, economic and military powerhouse—but also explains where Israel made grave mistakes and traces the long history of Israel’s deepening isolation.

With Israel, public intellectual Daniel Gordis offers us a brief but thorough account of the cultural, economic, and political history of this complex nation, from its beginnings to the present. Accessible, levelheaded, and rigorous, Israel sheds light on the Israel’s past so we can understand its future. The result is a vivid portrait of a people, and a nation, reborn.

Excellent, mildly but honestly biased, terrible narration

I'm sorry, I just can't forgive the decision to cast narrators who don't know how to pronounce even basic Hebrew names or words in a book about Israel. I'm not looking for ultra-authentic native accent, but jeez, are these readings assigned to narrators by pure chance like judges to court cases?

Excellent history in a format I haven't really seen done elsewhere - comprehensive but concise. It definitely reflects a desire to tell a story from the point of view of Jews (Zionist and non-Zionist alike), but provides sufficient context generally that there's enough material upon which to base arguments against if one were so inclined. I put this under the entirely proper category of an author acknowledging from the outset that he is biased but will earnestly attempt to write in a manner that is fair to all sides. It's left to the reader to decide how well he succeeds in that, but there's no obfuscation or misinformation.

Great read; shows history, current story & nuance

Great well-written book. Daniel Gordis does a great job in presenting a long history in a brief manner, relating the trajectory and path that led Israel and the Jewish people to where they are today. He does a wonderful job of keeping impartial and just presents the facts of both sides of the coin, relating a people's history to their actions and describing both their successes and missteps along the way. By describing many important details in their broader context, he gives the high-level and specifics in an efficient manner. It is a great way to learn all about this country that is at the forefront of news so often, and understand how Israel got to where it is today, and suggests some views or hints to where we can go from here. Highly recommended to anyone who wants an impartial view of the history and current situation. This review opinion is my own and is coincidentally an entry for the Audible 20 review sweepstakes entry.

Wonderful Book

This is a wonderfully written book , and Gordis is able to frame the major figures and ideas which has shaped the Jewish State. His portraits of Herzl, Ahad Ha’am, Ben Gurion and Begin are particularly instructive and he uses those figures and ideas to frame many of the debates throughout Israel’s history.

As for the reading, the narrator is clear. However, it is clear he does not know Hebrew as he constantly mispronounces words and even some names. While for me it was not distracting, as he is a very good reader, I think it important to learn how to pronounce the words correctly.

Filled in the Blanks

I've been visiting Israel since the spring of 1967. Now I understand all the pieces and parts that have been the miracle and the pathos of this unique nation. The author was masterful in weaving the significant individuals into the story from beginning to end and left me wanting to read and study even more.

Great book

Great book, concise and at the same time in-depth enough. Do not pay attention to the Hebrew words pronunciation. The importance of the book is elsewhere.