Israel Books

If you think that modern Israeli books, songs, movies, newspapers, and daily TV represent Jewish values and Israeli interests - don't read this book.

If, on the other hand, you wish to understand why, when, and how the mainstream Israeli cultural and educational establishment degraded to active support of anti-semitic propaganda - this book's for you.

In this encyclopedic in its historical perspective book, Hazony tells us that anti-Zionism, this sickness of Israeli society did not start in Oslo. Zionism and anti-Zionism were born together, half a century ahead of Holocaust.

"If you will it, it is no dream."

And if you will not - it may turn into a dream again.

A masterfully written book with a powerful message.

Yuval Lirov, Practicing Profitability - Billing Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinics and Chiropractic Offices: Collections, Audit Risk, SOAP Notes, Scheduling, Care Plans, and Coding

This book takes you through the evolution of Zionism over the last 100+ years. It is essential reading for anyone wanting to learn about the unending problems of the land of Palestine.

Hazony is an excellent writer. The book begins as a slow, lumbering read, hard to get into, but you must get through the Introduction and first few Chapters. Then the book begins to roll and you will find yourself unable to put it down. The only complaint I have of this book is that mine is the paperback edition and the print font is too small. Spend a few extra dollars and get the hardback if you are over 40 and need reading glasses.

Yoram Hazony writes and expresses so clearly what has been on so many of our minds when we see Israel today. The anti-Jewish influence shows up on Israeli TV, in Israeli schoolbooks, Meretz party, and such anti-Zionist newspapers as Ha'aretz. Hazony tells us who these people are and what their background is.

The book describes in great detail, the workings of Herzl, Ben-Gurion and Buber. The inner workings of modern Israeli government are carefully dissected. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the intellectual struggle that is as important to the State as relations with its Arab neighbors. Hazony's unimpeachable scholarship and his fluid writing style makes it an enjoyable must read.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Check it out on YouTube. I love the message of this 7 minute, 39 second recording. The narrarator quotes Napoleon and Mark Twain as the jews' infinitesimal history is told within this time frame. I can't help but think of Daniel chapter 2 and 7 as Mark Twain writes of how the ancient empires of Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, "made a vast noise" but "faded into dreamstuff". Mark Twain asks, "All things are mortal but the jew...What is the secret of his immortality?"

There is virtually little mention of Islam or muslims in this book which at first seemed a little surprising to me, except that a jewish acquaintance of mine once told me a joke which I think of and chuckle at still. He told me that if you put 2 jewish men in the same room, you will get 3 different opinions! Imagine, if true, what it's like in the Knesset, where there seems to be at least 4 parties and several hundred men and women!

I can't recommend this book enough, especially since I mark myself as an ardent, christian, zionist. I loved Hazony's book about Esther. He writes very clearly and beautifully in English. I highly recommend this!

Zionism began as an idea, in the modern age, amongst mostly russian and european jews in the 1880's. At that time there had been terrible pogroms amongst russian jews and anti-semitic injustices on the european continent as evidenced by the Dreyfus affair in France. Amidst such persecution, the idea of a permanent state for jews was advanced most notably by Theodor Herzl who wrote a book entitled The Jewish State.

This book's content is about the anti-state sentiment prevalent within many Israeli jews and jews elsewhere in the world. The book begins with Hazony telling of his tour of duty within the Israeli army and how enthusiasm for the jewish nation has flagged and lacks the spirit of earlier pioneers like Ariel Sharon, Moshe Dayan, Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, etc. From thence, he begins a retelling, a modern Hagaddah, of the history of zionism and its earliest critics, until the present time. In explaining the generation gap among Israelis, Hazony brings to mind Turgenev's plot in "Father's and Sons". Hazony sees the mostly german or ashkenazi/european professors at jewish universities as having greatly influenced the thinking among Israeli youth. I could readily understand how such thinking could have reached a climax amongst european jews during the decades immediately preceding WWII. Having seen the abuse of power of fascist states, like Italy and Germany in the 1930's, the european jews would without a doubt be extremely wary of any state, jew or otherwise, having any power. They could easily find, I add, biblical evidence to support their claims. Though, I also add, there is biblical evidence to support it. I do love Ahad Ha'am's writing and thinking, mainly that the spiritual state is and should be preeminent over the physical. The reality, however, is, I'm ever more convinced after reading this book, that whether Israel is bi-national or not, there must be a physical, jewish state for the jews to remain alive and breathing on this planet. Although I'm beginning to understand why some jews might be anti-state, given the very recent past and immediate present climate within the international community, it seems to me that these views expressed by jews are very damaging to their own kith and kin and gives ammunition, figuratively and literally, to their murderous foes. Having such a large, critical majority within their own ranks, I find it EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that a totalitarian state could ever emerge from amongst the jews. And if it ever did, there would be a swelling of ranks amongst them of zealots and maccabees. I, frankly, cannot see it (a naziesque state) happening.

Hazony ends his book on a positive note, seeing that even amongst the jews, once the idea for the state is amply fleshed out within the realm of ideas, the support for the jewish state will be amply manifested, and freely embraced. One so often forgets the lessons of one's own life or the life of his or her people. I watched a documentary recommended by an Amazon friend called, "The Refugees of Silence" about jews in palestine, many of whom had managed to survive the holocaust, who immediately thereafter were herded into refugee camps, having been denied residence in all other countries of the world. The jews there were still powerless to do anything for their own relatives, in their own backyards. Such stories were totally new to me. But, as Hazony reveals in this book, even at times when support for the State of Israel was greatest, as that in May 14, 1948, the critics against it, within their own people, began to loudly voice their views. So, I still believe my jewish friend was right-for every 2 jews, at least 3 opinions! The war for the state amongst them in the realm of ideas continues today too as in my favorite YouTube selection which ends with these thoughts:

"Once you know who you are, where you come from, what meaning the past has for your future, you bring great meaning into your life. And when you do that, you bring great meaning into the world."

Yoram Hazony knows how to tell a story. He is not the arrogant intellectual who speaks from his ivory tower. He introduces himself so we know his family background and his personal stand of the Jewish question. The introduction is worth the whole book. There he succintly summarizes the book, points to Israel's troubles, gives names, origins and main developments. Puts the main characters on the scene, and we follow them through the years of Israel's modern making. It's the zionists vs the anti-zionists; the intellectuals (who nevertheless benefit from, and are accomplices of the Israel state they so decry) vs the common people who want to live free (specially if that means as a Jew). It's a tale that has become wide spread over the western world: the fight to win the minds and hearts of the people through the influence on the mass media. The tactics are detestably simple, but nonetheless they work, in the name of peace and justice the Israelis (Jewish and non-Jewish) are to give themselves up to their Arab neighbors, short of leaving the country or committing suicide directly. The book is comprehensive in its scope, and I wished it would be a little more succint in some developments that detract from the main story, but it definitely makes its point by not leaving any thread missing. Forceful and convincing.

Martin Buber epitomizes the intellectual anti-zionist from the ivroy tower (the Chomsky of the Israeli state). On the other side stand (or stood) the Founders of modern Israel, standing above all Ben-Gurion. With the Founders, of course, are the people, fewer every year because, bottom line: common-sense is the least common of the senses when challenged by the deafening noise of the professors and their billionaire friends (See Gore & Soros) and the media. It's sad to the point of upsetting to see how Buber and his clique wouldn't even have the refugees from the Holocaust when they were stranded in European camps come to Israel, while the university professors where safe and partying in Tel Aviv.

A last point I want to mention is that the very survival of Israel through all these years is nothing but a miracle, and you don't have to be a theist to see it. Surrounded by enemies within and without, reduced to a tiny territory, a speck in the back of the threatening Arab Empire, Israel lives, and flourishes.

This book interprets Zionist history as a sort of political battle between what I'll call the Right and the Left. Let me explain what I mean by Right and Left and then tell you where Hazony is in this spectrum.

People on the Right want to, as a priority, help themselves and their close allies. That's what they know they can be good at. When this plan works, they become more productive and the whole society benefits. But there is a risk (that the Right is willing to take), namely that they'll help themselves so much at the expense of others that society as a whole will not benefit. And from there, it is a short step to harming society enough so that they are brought down with it.

People on the Left want to, as a priority, help all of society. That's what they know they can be fair at. When this plan works, the people they help generally reciprocate, and everyone benefits. But there is a risk (that the Left is willing to take), namely that the rest of society may benefit a little, but only by taking advantage of the Left and its allies. And from there, it is a short step to having thugs, not the rest of society, become the ones who truly take advantage of the Left's support, so society as a whole is harmed.

I'm on the Left and Hazony is on the Right. I'm first and foremost a citizen of the world. He's first and foremost a Jewish Israeli. And in this book, Hazony makes some interesting points about those in Israel who have gone too far off course on the Left. But I was always concerned that Hazony was about to go off course to the Right.

Hazony's targets are those who feel that Zionism is no longer needed (as well as those who feel it was never a good idea). I have no problem with that. Hazony describes the Biltmore Conference in May of 1942 at which the delegates voted overwhelmingly (478 to 4) for a Jewish state. There's no doubt that a Jewish state was needed then (both for Jews and for human society as a whole). And there is no reason to believe that it isn't just as necessary today, if only to protect the Jews of Israel. In addition, why aren't those asking for an end to Zionism asking for an end to French nationalism, German nationalism, and an end to all other nationalities?

Hazony discusses Herzl in detail. And he shows how the British wound up adopting the infamous White Paper in May of 1939 that certainly made a Jewish state a necessity, whether one was established or not.

The author shows how Ben-Gurion really tried very hard to establish a Jewish state. And how some on the Left, especially Buber, went overboard and tried to avoid doing anything that might require the use of force.

However, I think Anita Shapira is right to say that Hazony's Ben-Gurion comes across as monolithic, and that Hazony does not discuss the times when Ben-Gurion emphasized that Zionism is simply part of human rights, and that Israelis were to be free people within the family of nations. Clearly, these types of statements, making Israel a state for everyone, sound much better to me than they do to Hazony. I think Hazony ought to have presented a more nuanced and more accurate picture of Ben-Gurion. He should have told us that Ben-Gurion for many years regarded modern Zionism as unconnected to ancient Jewish history. On the other hand, Hazony is correct that once Israel became a state, Ben-Gurion began to talk more about ancient Israel. And this is actually not a big issue for me: we all know that many Israelis take ancient Jewish history very seriously and many do not.

In my opinion, Hazony exaggerates the importance and extent of antizionism in Israel, both historically and at present. Yes, there are a number of people in Israeli academia who present a revisionist and inaccurate view of history. And that is a serious matter. But most Israelis have no trouble telling the difference between the human rights in Israel and lack of human rights, especially for Jews, in neighboring Arab nations.

I think Hazony is not asking the reader to accept Zionism uncritically. And he's certainly not asking Israelis to be greedy or unjust. Far from it. He's asking all of us to reject antizionist lies. And he's asking Israeli Jews to demand their rights as human beings rather than allow themselves to be pressured into adopting the political positions of their Arab neighbors.

The issue of whether Israel is a Jewish state or not is similar to the issue of whether France is a French state or not. Until we're ready to get the French to abandon their flag and national anthem, I see no reason to ask if the Israelis ought to abandon theirs. And that's why I think this book is worth reading.

When I returned from a trip to Israel, I went looking for a cookbook that presented authentic Israeli recipes to duplicate the tastes I had found on my trip. This book fills the bill. Joan Nathan always does a wonderful job of presenting Jewish recipes and cooking history; she is an author one can trust for authenticity. "Foods of Israel" not only contains excellent, well-researched recipes, but Ms. Nathan's commentary on the food, its presentation, its history, etc. make for wonderful reading. I tend to use cookbooks as reading matter rather than simply as directions; this book fulfills both needs superbly.

I have been to Israel in the past year and I came back enjoying the food. This is a great book and very authentic! If you have never been, this is about as close as you will get.

I love Joan Nathan to begin with. Her recipes are always easy to follow and don't call for a million items that you have to search for in speciality stores. This book is like reading a novel. I have several of her books and love when she explains where and how the foods came into being. I would highly recommend it.

When I came back from my first trip to Israel, I knew I had to have a cookbook that reflected all the smells and the tastes of Israel. I have always loved Joan Nathan's cookbooks. Her books are chockfull of great information and personal comments, not to mention incredibly delicious recipes! In The Foods of Israel there is a great assortment of recipes reflecting the different cultures that have influenced Israeli cuisine. There are recipes for such standard fare as hummus and fellafel and recipes that are pleasing to the palate using such herbs and spices as cumin, papkria, and cinnamin. Some of the recipes call for sumac, but since I have no idea what that is, I just left it out. Some of the ingredient lists are long, but most of the ingredients are easily obtainable, if one does not have them on hand. Some of the recipes are somewhat involved, but are well worth the effort. As with all recipes, it is important to read all the way through since some require marinating overnight. The writing of the recipes is simple and easy to follow. The table of contents and the index is helpful to the reader. I also loved the illustrations. By now you will have realized that I highly recommend this book!

This is an incredible anthology of recipes for those who long for a gastronomical return to Israel. While seemingly overwhelming, the recipes are succinct and incredibly accurate as to preparation and cooking. We are completely dependent on it.

Hazelton's book is rich in detail and authentic due to it's authors knowledge of the land of the bible which she lived in for many years and her fluency in Hebrew. Religious fundamentalists will be challenged by this book because it challenges the traditional view of the Hebrew prophet Elijah and challenges fundamentalists from all religions of the dangers of their extremist views in the judgement of others. It also gives an empowering view of Jezebel as a woman, a queen, and a wife to Ahab. It is totally relevant to our time in its challenges to the consequences of religious fundamentalism whether it comes from Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Good work, and much needed at this time!

For any thinking person this book holds much more than meets the eye!!! In fact it is an EYE opener! Not only does Hazleton bring Jezebel to vibrant life, she also shows us how the misconstrued facts, the base humanity, and the religious zealotism extant way back then have stayed alive and well clear on into our times. She connects the dots from the past to the present. This book will make you sit up and take note, of yourself and of those around you. Hazleton is not afraid to broach those questions you've kept in the recesses of your mind about man and God.

Jezebel is extraordinary -- an awesome tale, so skillfully told. Well-researched facts and fictions are woven into a cursive narrative that is both scholarly and seductive.

I personally loved her descriptions of visits to small sites in Israel that left vivid impressions...and got scared as hell by those dogs in Listib.

Loved the descriptions of Jezebel herself, her costumes and her jewels - so imaginative, so rich.

And I appreciated the thorny ideas from which she did not shrink- especially the idea of exile as a catalyst for a new religion, and those about identity & geography.

...as they would say in the Old Testament: Kol Hakavod! Congratulations!

"Jezebel" is a smoothly written book that blends fragments of history with a literary perspective of "magic realism" that provides a readable pastime. It is written somewhat like the "DaVinci Code" in that it tries to put some pace, drama, and speculation into the lives of people that did exist, but about whom we have little knowledge. It is that crossing of nonfiction information with fiction methods.

Those fiction methods (the drama, narrative, conflict, character development, etc.) allow the writer a great deal of flexibility with the truth (as in Oliver Stone's movie, "JFK," about the assassination of President John Kennedy). If you just go with the book for the fun, it's a good read. It does not bear very close inspection on a factual basis, however, and her interpretation of Biblical text is shaky at best. The comparison to the movie "JFK" is apt. As long as you don't take it seriously and just enjoy the entertainment, it is a good read; but, if you hope to gain "true" insight into the characters, events, and meaning of Jezebel, this book is as reliable as "JFK."

Lesley Hazleton has done a superb job of filling int the context and teasing out the facts regarding Jezebel. This well footnoted book, with its frequent asides and rich background material, moves quickly and surely. It is fascinating to read, and ends altogether too soon.

Jezebel, whom we learn really was called Itha-Baal, was a Phoenician princess from Tyre who married the Omride King Ahab. She appears to have been neither significantly better nor significantly worse than other royalty of her time. Nevertheless, her spectacular clash with the intransigent desert prophet Elijah eventually resulted in her being denigrated and reviled unfairly in the Hebrew Bible.

Add to that the fact that the current understanding of language has changed so much that many no longer understand such terms as metaphor and allegory. (For the effects of this lack of understanding, see, for instance, Karen Armstrong's excellent work, "The Battle for God.") As a result, the term "harlot," which was applied metaphorically in Biblical times to those who worshipped many gods and were not too fussy about which gods they worshipped, has come to be understood literally. Not so, Ms. Hazleton points out quite correctly. And she goes on to show that the Biblical account in Kings in fact makes no claim that Jezebel literally was a harlot in the sexual sense. Ms. Hazleton similarly addresses other misreadings and euphemistic mistranslations throughout this book. All of these should be of interest to anyone interested in learning what actually has been said of Jezebel, even by the victors who so reviled her.

In summary, "Jezebel" is a smooth-flowing work which is a delight to read while being educational at the same time. This book is well worth the time and money. A keeper.

It is an incredible book, and more people should know about it and purchase it! The colors in the book are so crisp and clear. It makes faith come alive! It shipped very quickly and came in perfect condition.

After I received my initial order and flipped the pages and read them, I realized that the contents were awesome and very easy to follow so I order 3 more copies as presents for my daughters. They are delighted with the book. I recomend this book for all followers of Jesus, as you graphically get to see and read about the places he must have been when he was with us on earth.

In reading the Bible, I find it hard to invision the various places mentioned. This book is wonderful and it is such an inspiration--it makes me feel like I am walking the footpaths as people in the bible. The photographs are absolutely beautiful. I can't find the appropriate
words to explain just how much this book means to me and how it has given me insight to where bible history took place. The words of the Bible now
have pictures.

The book - Where Jesus Walked - is very nice. The pictures, of course, are lovely. I kept the book even though it really wasn't what I thought I had ordered. I had mistaken this book for another larger one.

The book is brilliant - the photography superb and very sensitive. It is inspiring to see many of the places as Jesus would have seen them. I had seen the book before and searched online to get a copy for a friend and was very happy with the process and delivery via Amazon.

This book has stayed with me like few other things, since reading it many years ago. I often find occasion to quote from it; brilliantly witty, charming, scathing and life affirming all at once. Bunuel led an unusual life, but his autobiography is filled with universal truths to which any reader can immediately relate. Buy it at once, and you will find yourself reaching for it often...

An interesting short semi-bio, in whuch Luis speaks about his life and the people he has met.

Bunuel gave some interviews towards the end of his life discussing his long list of movies. That's why I was delighted to find that his autobiography--which is one of the greatest, if not the greatest by a filmmaker--does not dwell on them. Instead Don Luis chronicles his childhood and upbringing, the relationships he cultivated, and meditates on life, love, death, art, alcohol and cigarettes. Many of the stories from his younger days are even more surreal than his movies. He writes in detail about his stormy friendships with Garcia Lorca and Dali, about his half-hearted attempt to try Hollywood on for size, meetings with Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, and others. The book is not somber or sentimental, it's not over-inflated. Bunuel's voice does not intimidate, it soothes. He's a master storyteller, a very gifted and generous writer.

As a young person, don Luis helped me find my way out of the hormone fog, ... authoritarian adults and their institutions, and equally lost peers. Years later upon reading MY LAST SIGH, I was not surprised at all at the depth of don Luis' humanity and intelligence.

Nevermind the moniker "filmmaker" when talking about don Luis; he is an artist's artist. With his autobio, he only confirms what an equally supreme being he was. I miss him. However, encounter this book and become lit by life itself.

Writings by film directors tend to resemble their films, and "My Last Sigh" is no exception. Bunuel's films are anarchic, funny, unpredictable, subversive, and often disturbing in a way that's hard to pin down. So is this, his autobiography!

Though he disclaims literary talent, Bunuel turns out to be a wonderful writer, and the book is stuffed with piquant anecdotes and elegant observations. I'm afraid to quote examples, because this review would go on forever. Suffice to say that, if you could choose to live any person's life, Bunuel's would be a hard choice to beat, just for the adventure and entertainment value. This may be my favorite book written by a filmmaker.

Mr. Horovitz has written an excellent account of both the personal side to living in a time of constant terrorist attacks as well as a factual account of the detail that have been overlooked or misreported by most of the world's press outlets. Included in this book are some brief analyses of the political climate in Israel before, during and after some of the more violent bombings as well as Israel's responses. At times the author disagrees with the government's decisions, and is not ashamed to say it. In general, an excellent read and a good look into the facts of the situations as seen by a reporter who has to raise his family while enduring these terrible bombings.

When peace talks at Camp David collapsed in 2000, a conflict began which was stronger than any previously: Jerusalem Report editor and author David Horovitz considers the effects of this latest conflict and its terrorism in Still Life With Bombers, a survey of life in Israel since 2000. Israeli experience is the focus in a survey of daily lives, violence, and politics, with chapters juxtaposed between interviews with government officials on both sides of the conflict to experiences of relatives, refugees, and his own friends and family, creating an intimate social and political portrait of a country at war within its own boundaries.

This book is absolutely incredible! Thank you so much David Horovitz! I want to read your day-to-day accounts of life in Israel beyond the end of this book.

I have been a religious right-wing supporter of Eretz Israel, anxiously awaiting the time that I am in a financial position to make aliyah. I have strongly supported the anti-disengagement fighters.

Your book has made me think. It has opened my eyes to the Arab side of the story, as well as details of politics on both sides that I was not previously aware of.

This book has filled me with hope of someday living in the holy land and at the same time has made me cry, and evoked terror. Reading the chapter on Yussuf makes me wonder if there is ever any hope for peace - on the political side there is, but on the religious side it seems hopeless, as religious Jews can never voluntarily relinquish the Temple Mount or any of Jerusalem.

There have been times that I have had to put it down and walk away for a while to digest what I have just read (and cry) - and I'm only on page 166!

For a long time I have thought the solution to this problem was for millions of North American religious Jews to make aliyah and change the government in Israel, now I'm not so sure... More to come...

Reading through a volume of literature having to do with the Arab-Israeli Conflict, one is sooner or later impressed (or depressed)in realizing how little new ground is ever, really covered by the defenders of Israel, and by those of the Arabs. The same ground is laboriously traversed, over and over and over; the same charges thrown at the opponent, the same anger and outrage, the same impossible hopes floated. To paraphrase an unnamed British military man from Mandate days, "and Jew will kill Arab, and Arab will in turn kill Jew, now unto the end of time."
Horovitz's book, written by an Englishman who emigrated to Israel in the early 1980's, belongs to the Arab-bashing, or in his particular case, Arafat-bashing variety of books in this genre. He soon dispenses with his worm's eye view of fellow Israelis in the midst of the horror of the al Aqsa Intifada, perhaps the strongest and most interesting part of the book, and gets to his main argument.
To wit: all the violence that has afflicted Israel since the collapse of the Camp David Summit in 2000 can be left at the door of Yasir Arafat, who opted, at Camp David as after, to ignore substantive negotiations, even with a negotiation-mad Israeli leadership, and to proceed with the bombing.
Well, yes, this argument is possible, but Horovitz dins it into the reader's memory, again and again and yet again. There is nothing, he argues, that might explain Arafat's evident loathing for dealing responsibly with Israel save his long-harbored malificent desire to wipe out the Jewish state, by short range suicide bombings, or long-term Palestinian overbreeding. I resent propaganda, especially from a side I would otherwise support, and Horovitz's so-evident desire to "put the account straight" makes for a tedious, maddening reading, where objectivity is thrown out the window when it might uncomfortably intrude into his little truth.
How might he improve his work? Well, here is one way: tell the reader why so many Palestinians are willing to strap explosives under their belts and assure their own extinction, along with those of so many complete strangers. What, in other words, has Israel done to the Palestinians to make them so desirous of death?
I do not expect Mr. Horovitz to pick up the cue on this one. Whether or not he admits it, his political sentiments are that of the political right. He might have been a wet-behind-the-ears liberal naif back in the later 1980's or early 1990's, when he was still finding his feet on the treacherous Israeli soil, but he now, in this book, shows himself to be a Likudnik back to front. He never, ever, finds fault with the Israeli policy of saturating the Territories with Jewish setlements, depriving Palestinians of their land, their water, and their hopes of national sovereignity. He doesn't note the right wing religious-nationalist Jewish psychotics (Baruch Goldstein, Meir Kahane and his "Kach" neo-fascist thugs) whose own merry band of terrorists have further poisoned the atmosphere between Palestinian and Israeli. He doesn't talk much, most importantly, about the atmosphere of everyday Israeli inhumanity that makes Palestinian life so tedious and hard. But he does blame, vociferously,monotonously and uncritically, the string of Palestinian terror bombings, that he, again,views as Arafat's mark of Cain.
He forgets that Israel herself bears the mark of Cain, in bloodying the Palestinians, in taking their land, in treating them as second or third-class citizens of "Greater Israel".
In short, Horovitz's book is propaganda, not a study of history or current events; comforting for die-hard supporters of Israel, but in the end answering no new questions, breaking no new ground.

After the collapse of the Camp David talks in 2000, Arabs launched a wave of terrorist attacks on Israel. And while some people in faraway nations may have failed to see just who the aggressors were, those who lived in Israel could not avoid noticing.

Horovitz does a superb job of describing living with the threat of terrorist attacks. We see how both Jews and Arabs react to all the fighting. And he also explains the extent to which the conflict is misdescribed by many in the media. I was shocked to discover that several star reporters were under the misimpression that the West Bank and Gaza had been some sort of independent sovereign territory prior to 1967. Other disturbing signs were the reluctance of reporters to believe Israelis who disagreed with Arab lies, the eagerness of reporters to believe that Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was some sort of wicked war criminal, and the "conventional wisdom" that Israel was to blame for the conflict since it was holding territory that it did not stake a sovereign claim to. In addition, I was puzzled by the fact that a reporter insisted that Israel had to be held to a "higher standard."

The author explains how the Big Lie technique was used to accuse Israel of war crimes at, of all places, Jenin (where Israel went in with ground troops, dramatically sacrificing the lives of many soldiers to reduce Arab civilian casualties). And he quotes Kofi Annan, who maliciously asked "Can the whole world be wrong (in condemning Israel)?" Horovitz has a one-word answer. Yes. Any reasonable person would, if shown the facts that European Union officials were demanding to punish Israel for trying to thwart terrorist bombings and simultaneously shown that the EU was supporting the bombers financially, letting them buy explosives with its money, would see that the EU is wrong. His point is that a misinformed world will indeed be wrong.

For me, the mangling of truth by the media stood out in this book as the most serious aspect of the fighting. It is sad that Arabs are attacking Israeli civilians. It is good that the media are positioned to report on this. I think even vaguely honest reporting would bring enough political pressure to bear so that the attacks would stop. That is why it is such a pity that we are seeing nothing of the sort.

There are many other regions in the world where there is plenty of violence. They don't have anything like the media coverage we see in the Levant. If the media are failing so utterly in covering the Arab-Israeli conflict, one has to doubt their ability to get anything right.

I highly recommend this book.

Since I cannot say enough about Adjusting Sights, I will say very little.
From a literary, historical and religious perspective the author Rabbi Haim Sabato "Nails it:".
After reading this book as part of a course given by Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg, I couldn't help but give at least 2 dozen copies to friends.
And...I rushed to buy and to read Rabbi Sabato's other books.
My advise to one and all. Read it. Buy it.
Herschel Sennett

Although a bit repetitious at times, this is a work of passion. Young men, ripped from their studies, seek to wend their way through the chaos of war started on their holiest Day of Atonement. They must try to make sense of an illogical and frightening situation while safeguarding their physical and spiritual lives. It is a quick and worthwhile read, no matter what your beliefs, since it easy to sympathize with the characters.

This book is written with obvious love and passion. However, I was not able to become involved with the characters or get into the flow of the narration.

The story relies heavily on religious imagery and commentary. I have a hunch that deeply religious people with scholarly interests, especially religious Jews, will find the story very appealing. The main character cares deeply about his faith, and the war experiences are obviously an important test of that faith. I simply am not familiar enough with the sources and imagery to make the story come to life for me. I found myself stopping to try to figure out the connections instead of enjoying the story. In short, I found a story with a narrow and well-defined target audience, but that target audience simply was not me.

Besides personal reading pleasure, my other goal was to find a fictional work for an American audience. I teach a class on Middle East cultures to students with little or no background in the Middle East. Unfortunately, my students need a broader and more accessible introduction to Israeli fiction. I reluctantly leave this book to readers who are better able to appreciate its complexity and passion.

This is a book about the Yom Kippur War. It tells the story of one young religious soldier .It describes beautifully his neighborhood home synagogue .And it tells of his experience in battle, and the confusion and difficulty of this. It is also the story of a friendship and of the hero's search to find his longtime friend who it turns out has fallen in battle. It is a very moving work. And the religiousness of the main character is not imposed or extraneous but rather so within that religious discussions in the book read naturally and meaningfully. The disorentiation and suffering caused by war are described here in a muted and yet most deeply felt way. A wonderful book on a sad and painful reality.

I picked this book up in the Tel Aviv airport and read it from cover to cover on the plane ride back to New York. The author presents a personal, gripping account of tank warfare on the Golan in the 1973 Yom Kippur War suffused with spiritual and philosophical radiance. Very spiritual, very deep...a wonderful extraordinary and transforming read.

After finishing "Faith of My Fathers," I was convinced that "Among the Gods" was the II Chronicles version of Manasseh's story. Hey, I was correct. But Lynn Austin made sure that there was more to it then that. She made certain that the reader wouldn't forget the ultimate lesson in the life of Manasseh. And the lives of those he affected too. That's why she also continued the story of Joshua ben Eliakim.

Manasseh's story was anything but a fractured fairy tale, plain and simple. When he was king for most of his reign, all hell broke loose! You will see that in these pages. You'll also see the blinding bitterness and hatred that Joshua carries with him towards Manasseh. Throughout all this, he tries to make sense of his life. He also attempts to make amends to a future son that he vowed to raise as his own. Joshua has to see past his ways, and eventually understand that when it comes to God's will, God doesn't always make sense. Do we think that we seriously understand God all the time? Who do we think we are sometimes? If you find yourself asking that question a time or two, don't worry. God isn't afraid of tough questions. God is also a forgiving God. We need to do the same.

Has somebody hurt you and literally destroyed your life? God knows. Do you claim to belong to God, and his son, Christ Jesus? Then don't hesitate to forgive. In a twisted sort of way, that is one way in why I decided to give this book 5 stars. I don't agree in any way, shape or form with using crap like Apocrypha! I know that it was never an inspired "Word of God." I don't care what the scholars say, I care about what The Bible says. We indeed know for certain that Manasseh did say a prayer of redemption. What that prayer was, it was never revealed, and I believe that if God wanted it revealed, then it would be in His Word, not Apocrypha. The Bible is very clear about adding to His word in Revelation at the very least. BUT (and this is a very big BUT) this is a work of fiction, and I can understand why adding The Prayer of Manasseh might make it interesting. In my case, it really pissed me off. But I can overlook it, all the while I express what I know to be true. I may not be the most popular reviewer for my comments. But I've said what I've said, and I didn't make my comments lightly. In saying that, this was still a great read as a whole!

This whole series deserves a booming 5 stars! Lynn Austin did her homework. And if one person who isn't saved happens to read this, then praise God! For the most part, Lynn Austin is Biblically accurate. Compare the fiction you read in the pages of all five books with scripture in God's Word. Let God do the rest. This was great!

Another wonderful book from Lynn Austin. I had to stay up reading until 3:00 am to finish the book. I enjoyed it very much!

Excellent condition, prompt delivery. Wonderful story. I couldn't put it down.

I've never read a series as breahtaking as this one. I could not put the books down and I still think about it when I finished reading them. I definitely look forward to many more books that Austin will offer.

"Do you know that in the two years I've known you, I've never heard you laugh or seen you smile? I'll bet you have a nice smile, too. Like your mother's. She told me that A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Joshua tried to smile, but his heart felt as if it were breaking. "Would it help you to heal faster if I laughed?"
She considered for a moment, then shook her head. "No, I think the shock would probably kill me."
He did laugh then, but it was bittersweet. He sat up and wiped the tears from her cheeks because he knew that she couldn't do it herself.
"You're right," he said. "I can't remember the last time I laughed. And I'm so tired of feeling this way. Grief has affected every area of my life--it's hamstrung my work, blinded my judgment, poisoned all my relationships--but I don't know how to shake it off. I can't get free of it."
"It isn't grief that did all that," Miriam said. "It's hatred."

Excerpt from Among the Gods by Lynn Austin

Based on the life of King Mannasseh, chronicled in the Old Testament, as well as current archeological finds of an exact replica of Solomon's temple on Elephantine Island located in the Nile near Egypt, Lynn Austin has masterfully intertwined history with both Biblical and fictional characters.
Book five of the Chronicles of the Kings series, Among the Gods follows the physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles of Joshua as he impatiently waits on Yahweh to purge Judah of its evil king, Mannasseh. As the temple is defiled by false Gods, babies are being burned in sacrificial fires, and every type of depravity scourges the land, Joshua and Prince Amariah (the king's brother) followed by a host of Levites carrying the sacred Ark of the Covenant flee to Egypt for asylum.
Joshua thinks that waiting on God to act is torturous, but understanding His ways results in being more difficult a task. Even with the enduring support and encouragement of the woman who loves him, Joshua spiritually fails God again and again.
His relationship with his Heavenly Father isn't the only one that is daunting. The one he's attempting to build stone by weary stone with his rebellious, hate-filled adopted son, Nathan, is as well.
When will Yahweh once again call his people out of Egypt to inhabit the sweet hills of Judah? Can Joshua's insatiable need to control be broken, and will he withstand the test of fatherly love despite all, so that Nathan might see God's love through him?
Lynn Austin has given life--faults and all--to her characters in a way rarely seen. I invite you to pick up Among the Gods and take a ride into Judah at one of its worst times. Feel the utter wickedness of the kingdom, experience the robe-tearing sadness of God's people, and see Yahweh's justice and forgiveness as He sets the nation aright.
I deem this work a superbly written piece of historical fiction.

Crowley's "Equinox" is widely regarded as the seminal modern treatise on magic, or "Magick" as Crowley preferred to call it (to distinguish it from stage magic). His innovative spelling may have also been motivated by the more favorable numerological signification resulting from addition of the "k." By the way, Crowley's preferred pronunciation of his name rhymed with "holy" (and "wholely") not "how-ly."

The original Equinos was more of a "magazine" of occultism than a normal "book" like Crowley's "Magick in Theory and Practice," and the original Equinox, from which this compilation is derived, was published twice a year for about five years to coincide with the solar equinox. Crowley actually got through ten issues despite money problems and World War I paper shortages (the one volume of the original set that I have has a "pasteboard" cover and a note that it complies with WWI rationing requirements) before it went into abeyance (which Crowley justified as a cycle of speech followed by a cycle of silence). Later publications given the "Equinox" designation (like the book of Thoth) were regular books and not the mixed bag of "magazine" articles that made up the original Equinox series.

Although merely a "magazine," Crowley used the original Equinox to print the Golden Dawn materials he had received as a member of that group well before Regardie stunned the occult world with the publication of his chapter's materials in the 1930's, and thus the Equinox remained the sole public (or semi-public) source of those rituals until Regardie published his own private papers in his famous "Golden Dawn" volume in the 1930's. Crowley's original Equinox went out of print for about 80 years until the Samuel Weiser publishing house undertook the enormous and expensive task (really a labor of love) to reprint it, and that set has itself gone out of print and commands very high prices when available.

It fell upon Regardie to undertake another labor of love and digest down the best parts of the original Equinox into this "Gems from the Equinox." Although some occult writers quibbled over some of his omissions (and the OTO, inheritor of Crowley's literary estate, issued "Holy Books of Thelema" as a result), most of us feel Regardie did his usual brilliant job of selection. So consider "Gems from the Equinox" as the best Reader's Digest version of a great work you are ever going to see.

IMHO, if you just stumbled on this book and these reviews by accident, an essential budding modern magician's library could easily be built around this one volume of excerpts, plus Regardie's "Golden Dawn," plus Regardie's "Tree of Life," plus Crowley's "Magick in Theory and Practice" since reprinted, with excellent annotations, by the OTO as "Magick: Liber ABA: Book IV." (The Tree of Life, btw, includes a fairly innocuous chapter spelling out the OTO's famous "secret" concerning amrita.) Of those three, the Tree of Life is the most essential reading. "Golden Dawn" has some very useful, true to their source, original "knowledge lectures" and concise occult basics, but is really a manual for group working. "Gems" is highly inspirational, but somewhat in the same category as "Finnegan's Wake" in terms of accessibility to the casual reader. Only "Tree of Life" is immediately useful for the solo practioner. Crowley's seminal work "Magick" is essential as you grow, and his "Thoth Tarot" is sublime.

Finally, much is made of Crowley's self-designation as the "Great Beast," i.e. that creature from hell in the Book of Revelations, but it would do well to keep in mind that the English of his time tended to refer to any bad behavior on the part of children as "beastly" and the perpetrator a "right little beast," so I think Crowley was having the ultimate word play on his readers by taking this English pejorative and mixing it up with his cosmology while thumbing his nose at the Puritan establishment he grew up with. A man as beastly as the press portrayed would not have counted among his friends and supporters the large number of upper class English men and women that he did.

BTW I agree with the other reviewer that the original facsimile reprint of "Magick in Theory and Practice" makes a much better (smaller, lighter) travel companion that the bulky annotated edition mentioned above, but be aware that there are some typos and other errors in the original edition that the OTO corrected in their annotated edition.

Aleister Crowley devoted several years to blending the Aim of Religion with the Method of Science, publishing his findings in a ten-volume series Equinox from 1909-13. While his complete production is rarely available, this thick one-volume GEMS FROM THE EQUINOX gathers some of the most important writings from the set, reproducing them for new age collections serious about Crowley's writings. Regardie, Crowley's one-time secretary and biographer, provides an authentic and serious tone to over a thousand pages of writings perfect for beginners as well as advanced Crowley students and any student of Golden Dawn or Occultism.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Hail Brothers and Sisters!

Thank you for taking the time to read my review.

There really is no phraseolgy I can use to adequately tell you how highly I think of Aleister Crowley and what he has done for me and all those who I care about. YOU.

My GOD. My GOD. My GOD! Nothing can be said enough for a hard copy confirmation of your deepest intuitions. This book and the book "YOU ARE GOD, Get Over It" by Story Waters are the 2 most important volumes in my extensive spiritual library, which I've been collecting for the past 25 years. Not including The Bible (I was Christened in the Baptist church as a child).

Aleister - If I may take liberties - Hum! This man paved the way for the Messiah! I like to be called Tony. It's more personnable. When Aleister showed me the way it became infintely easier for me because this man knew what he was talking about. And he still does! I thought I was lucky to be a Probationer when I picked up this book. I was really an Adeptus Exemptus.

Thanks to to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Aethers outlined in the Vision and The Voice I quickly rose up the ranks of Ipussymus. Whoops! I think I mispelled that. Aleister had a great sense of humor and if you read the book reveiws at the back of this tome you will see that.

[...]
The deepest peace unto you, and keep up The Great Work!

Yours truly,

Tony.

The greatest thing happened when Israel Regardie selelcted these papers from the original Equinox- he made available the most important magickal writings of that enormous first volume of ten installments to the student in one comprehensive collection.

This is sort of a textbook of the Magickal Orders AA and O.T.O., as many of these teachings apply to both orders. Although the author assumes the reader to have a good familiarity with some of these topics, ideas, and practices, much is to be gained in these writings for the complete beginner. A few of the many subjects include basic yoga postures and breathing techniques, various ceremonial rituals, meditations, an Enochian Magick Primer and a guided tour of the Thirty Aethyrs, The Book of The Law and various papers surrounding it - the list goes on. There is something here for every student of Occultism, Mysticism, Magick, Comparative Religion, Theosophy, ad infinitum. This book belongs in the library of every student of the Western Tradition.

If you can only own three books associated with Crowley and his teachings, they would have to be "Magick: Liber ABA," "Magick Without Tears," and "Gems from the Equinox." This is a well organized synthesis of the most highly regarded contents of The Equinox. The reviews at the end are also good reading if you're looking for books on the occult or a good laugh.

I highly recommend this book for anyone studying or teaching the life of David in I and II Samuel. It gives an excellent portrayal of the character of this very human man as he tries to please his God.

Explores the spiritual formation of King David from his earliest experiences with Goliath to his time in the desert running from Saul to the death of his son Absalom and his eventual death. Makes a great adult study in a small group or Sunday school context.

I found a copy of this book in my in-law's attic. I looked through the contents and decided to read the chapter on Friendship - David and Jonathan. Peterson is profound in this chapter. His comments on friendship as an expression of spirituality were so insightful that I am viewing my relationships with others in a new way already. I was even convicted that my friendship with my wife was not sufficient by God's standard. Wow, what a difference one chapter can make. I can hardly wait to buy this book and read the all of Peterson's reflections on the life of David. I like this "earthy spirituality." Give it a try, you might like it too.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Is the Bible passe, or is it still relevant for today? Does Christianity mean the triumphalstic life? What is the end goal of being a Christian? How can I live an authentic Christian life?

Eugene Peterson (the author of The Message) reflects on the life of David in this book and looks at what we can learn. Every chapter contains important lessons to being a Christian, and areas that we are to reflect on, and how we interact with God in our relationship with Him. The life of David becomes a platform for us to learn about our spirituality and relationship with God.

The following are some facts about David:
- The David story is the most extensively narrated single story in the Bible. We know more about David than any other person in the Bible.
- The life of David showed the humanity of this man after God's heart, and there are many themes that run through the life of David, e.g. parents, relationships, danger, murder, temptation, adultery, pride, humiliation, children, wives, rejection, sickness, justice, fear, peace, death...
- David did not perform any miracles.
- David sinned more than Saul, yet he was known as a person after God's own heart.
- David was known as a man served God's purposes in his generation (Acts 13:36).

The story of David is simultaneously earthy and godly. It shows us that we are never more alive than when we are dealing with God. David was an unfortunate parent, an unfaithful husband, and if we look at him from a purely historical perspective, he was a barbaric chieftain with a talent for poetry. But David's importance isn't in his morality or his military prowess but in his experience and witness to God. Every event in David's life was a confrontation with God.

Spirituality and humanity cannot be separated. We can't grow spiritually without understanding our humanness. We can't grow humanly without understanding our spirituality. David shows us that we can't be human without God. Understanding all this gives hope to many Christians that God looks at the heart, and it is about having a relationship with God. There are many lessons to learn, one of the most impactful to me was David's years in the wilderness.

It seems that all of God's leaders will at sometime go through a wilderness experience at least once. The wilderness experience is not something that any flesh likes, but it is an experience that can sanctify and consecrate the flesh. "Wilderness is the place of testing, the place of tempting" (pp. 75). In David's wilderness experience, he was being set apart, made holy, for God's use. The more he dealt with God, the more human he became (pp. 75). The wilderness was an attack on the flesh and a thrust towards dependence on God. In fact, David seemed most "spiritual" in his days in the wilderness.

Wilderness spirituality also includes being with the company of people we would not ordinarily choose to be with, and who would not ordinarily choose to be with us. (pp. 96). God uses others to point us to Him. If we see that the wilderness is filled with people we do not want to be with, we would have missed God. But if we see the wilderness being filled with God, we would not miss the people in it. "The wilderness taught David to see beauty everywhere. The wilderness was David's school in the preciousness of life; through wilderness testing David learned to see God in places and things he would never have thought to look previously. The wilderness immersed David in beauties so profound that a cheap revenge was unthinkable. The wilderness trained David in loyalties so binding that a broken oath was impossible. The wilderness exposed David to the presence of God in the most barren piece of rock so that no thing, and certainly no man, could ever be treated with scorn or contempt." (pp. 77-8) We cannot be naïve about the wilderness; it is a dangerous place. But we must never avoid the wilderness; for it is a wonderful place (pp. 80). "Hardship brings out the best in David. Suffering can, if we let it, make us better instead of worse" (pp. 198).

If you have ever felt discouraged by your own imperfections in your Christian walk, read this book! David is about as earthy and real as a person gets. As another reviewer wrote, the chapter on the friendship between David and Jonathan is also insightful and valuable. Eugene Petersen explores the reality of David's life situations and choices, and how his relationship with God was affected by them. In so doing, he highlights how God grows us and walks beside us throughout all of the trials of life, even those we bring upon ourselves. Ultimately, despite everything, David remained "A man after God's own heart" proving the existence and endurance of God's grace and acceptance, and that there's hope for us all!