Like Dreamers

The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation

By: Yossi Klein Halevi

Narrated by: Mel Foster

Length: 23 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In Like Dreamers, acclaimed journalist Yossi Klein Halevi interweaves the stories of a group of 1967 paratroopers who reunited Jerusalem, tracing the history of Israel and the divergent ideologies shaping it from the Six-Day War to the present.

Following the lives of seven young members from the 55th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade, the unit responsible for restoring Jewish sovereignty to Jerusalem, Halevi reveals how this band of brothers played pivotal roles in shaping Israel's destiny long after their historic victory. While they worked together to reunite their country in 1967, these men harbored drastically different visions for Israel's future.

One emerges at the forefront of the religious settlement movement, while another is instrumental in the 2005 unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. One becomes a driving force in the growth of Israel's capitalist economy, while another ardently defends the socialist kibbutzim. One is a leading peace activist, while another helps create an anti-Zionist terror underground in Damascus.

Like Dreamers is a nuanced, in-depth look at these diverse men and the conflicting beliefs that have helped to define modern Israel and the Middle East.

©2013 Yossi Klein Halevi (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Halevi's audiobook is executed with imagination, narrative drive, and, above all, deep empathy for a wide variety of Israelis, and the result is a must-listen for anyone with an interest in contemporary Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review).

Wants to be an epic

The book wants to be a sprawling epic covering the foundation of modern Israel, and to some degree it does that - but it also spends way too much time on soap opera nonsense that isn’t interesting. At the same time parts of it a very interesting. Overall I’d give it like a 3,5, but the story I’d give a 2 because it slows down too often. If you have an interest in the subject and you can tolerate slow books then you might enjoy it - or at least tolerate it to make it to the end like I did.

Understanding from knowing

The history is irrefutable and its humanization contributed greatly to understanding the changes in Israeli politics and opinions over the years.
The narrator was beyond annoying. Mispronunciation of most of the hebrew names and places. Even got Barbara Tuchman wrong. ( tuckman not tushman). Either train him or replace him. Please.

Greatest Book Ever

I licked all the Book very interesting jewish history of what is going on in Israel and why it is happening all about the fight for God’s promised land to the Jewish people 

A fantastic telling of modern Israel

Hellevi has done a wonderful job of telling the story of modern Israel, warts and all, by artfully telling the stories of the heroic paratroopers.
The diverse pathes each of their lives followed are an excellent vehicle to tell the complex story of modern Israel

like dreamers review

story was good and entertaining. however I did not care for the reader who didn't properly pronounce many of the Hebrew names and dialog. he accented the wrong syllables and mispronounced others.

A Clearer Understanding of the Israel

I listened to this book as I traveled to Israel. Immediately I grew to understand the history before my eyes in a more sophisticated manner that I had on my other two trips. Halevi does and excellent job weaving history and biography into a story that flows like fiction. It is a long listen but well worth the time. i was disappointed when it was over because the story was moving and the men were complex real figures that played a huge role in Israel's History.

Teaches much about contemporary Israel.

Great saga connecting past to present. Highly recommended to anyone interested in learning rather than parroting cliches and seekibg understanding rather than making judgement based on that most comfortable of all platforms, ignorance.

fascinating and engaging

This is an insightful book that grabs your attention and holds it throughout. Through the varied lives, experiences, and perspectives of these paratroopers, Israeli history comes alive.

Amazing

Not often you finish and plan to start again immediately. I'd recommend an old fashioned paper book instead of Audio or kindle. It's hard to keep up with the characters and a bunch of pictures of each character would help plus it would be good to see any pictures anyway, it would add to the experience. And that's what this book is, an experience.

fascinating

loved the book
couldn't stop listening
so much history & miracles for one small group of guys
thanks