• The Volunteer

  • The Incredible True Story of an Israeli Spy on the Trail of International Terrorists
  • By: Michael Ross, Jonathan Kay
  • Narrated by: Walter Dixon
  • Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

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The Volunteer  By  cover art

The Volunteer

By: Michael Ross, Jonathan Kay
Narrated by: Walter Dixon
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Editorial reviews

In 1982, when Michael Ross was a 21-year old Canadian Anglican, he visited Israel. Soon he had converted to Judaism, married an Israeli woman, served in the Israeli army, and joined the Mossad, Israel’s nerve center for counterterrorism, covert operations, and intelligence gathering. Over the next 20 years Ross lived the classic double life: family man and spy. The Volunteer is his memoir.

Performed briskly and with precision by Walter Dixon, The Volunteer seeks to introduce the listener to the life of a particular spy, and to situate Israel in the larger geopolitical context. Ross is a man whose dangerous life and career are the products of a love for a land that is not obviously his own, and his ideological defense of Israel is made clear.

Publisher's summary

In 1982, a 20-something named Michael Ross left home to backpack across Europe. Little did he know that his vacation would set in motion a chain of events that would hurl him into a career where the bosses are seasoned spies, and the work is tracking the world’s most dangerous terrorists. The Volunteer is a fast-paced memoir that provides insight into our world, both pre- and post-9/11, told by a man on the front lines in the war against terror.

©2007, 2011 Michael Ross (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[It’s] James Bond in a T-shirt and slippers...a page-turner, filled with well-observed, convincing detail." (George Jonas, bestselling author of Vengeance [the book that inspired the film Munich])

What listeners say about The Volunteer

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed this Espionage from another country!!

If you could sum up The Volunteer in three words, what would they be?

I enjoyed hearing the Espionage story of a Mossad Agent. Usually I only hear about Espionage story from U.S. CIA agents. This book brought me into this world and I enjoyed it!!

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting but not as exciting as subtitle suggests

Enjoyable memoir of Mossad agent but with much less frontline action than “on the trail of international terrorists” have the average reader imagine.
The writing and the narration are mostly uninspired and report style.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful|!

The well-written, continually interesting story of an Anglican who, much to his surprise following a vacation after serving in the Canadian military, found himself with an Israeli wife and ultimate career as a Mossad agent. Ignore the nonsensical, slanted, propagandistic Publishers Weekly review associated with the book's listing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Terrific story and wonderful narrator

Joyed this so much more than I thought I would. But it on the Lord and could not stop listening. It was a wonderful and fascinating story ---very much worth a listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Inside the Life of a Spy

If you could sum up The Volunteer in three words, what would they be?

Exciting real espionage

What other book might you compare The Volunteer to and why?

A novel by Alan Furst-- but this is a memoir.

What about Walter Dixon’s performance did you like?

The narrator is intelligent-- he understands what he is reading, which is not always the case.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Libro muy interesante y cautivante

El relato es súper entretenido, no deja de impresionar a medida que vas avanzando. Muy buenas historias.

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