No comments about Lives of the presidents: A graphic history of the United States.

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5 comments about Sharon: Israel's Warrior-Politician.

1. To truly understand the conflict that rages in the Middle East you have to first understand the players and no player is more complicated than Ariel Sharon. Known across the globe as a hawk and hard liner - Prime Minister Sharon began as a farmer in his often ostracized family and rose through the ranks in an undisciplined quasi-military before the formation of the Israeli Defense Forces ("IDF"). His tenure at the IDF was controversial and turbulent, but highly effective. Sharon entered politics after being forced out of the military and ultimately became the Prime Minister of Israel after the disappointing tenure of Ehud Barak. Sharon: Israel's Warrior-Politician captures the life of this most complicated man in a manner consistently balanced and fair. As a Zionist myself I am suspicious any time a group of academics gather to write about any member of Likud or other right leaning political group in Israel, but as I read this book, I was pleasantly surprised at just how balanced and fair the authors were. As debates rage over whether or not college students should read about Islam - one thing that should be added to every curriculum is a study of the man who has been instrumental at just about every twist and turn of Israeli history. From the first war in Israel to the current conflict - no figure captures the essence of Israel like Ariel Sharon and no book has ever captured the man behind the hawkish right leaning persona. A must read.

   ...




2. This is not a scholarly work, and not truly a biography (although it does have an elementary review of personal details about Sharon). The presentation is a flat monotone with no attention to relative importance of events discussed. It's as if the authors had daily news bulletins spread out before them, and then give us a synopsis. There is no analysis of significance and import of the events, or background explanation of Israeli and Palestinian personalities, politics or issues. What commentary that is given is by way of quotations (or paraphrases) of recognized authorities in the field, and often this material is without source attribution. Unless the reader has some significant prior understanding of the Israeli/Palestinian situation, much of the book will be confusing and of low informative value.



3. Ok so you bought the autobiography of Sharon and now you want the unbiased account. This book may be in order. The problem is that the book is 557 pages long(text). By page 184 you are at 1990. page 362 is already in 2001. This book makes the fatal mistake of focussing so heavily on the present, dedicating 100 pages to only a few years time when the first 100 pages covers more then 50 years. Is it possible that the current situation is worth so much text? I doubt it. Sharon has lived a life of action, serving in all of Isreals wars, the architect of victory in at least two of them. He is an amazing figure and this book focuses to much on the present, not realizing that daily events in ISreal today are just as important as they were in 1953 or 1976. If the book had dont justice to the other years it should be 5000 pages long. SOmething is fishy in denmark when it comes to this book and I would only recommend it as a history of the modern Sharon era, pick up the autobiography "warrior" to understand the rest of Sharons life.



4. I like this book. Sure, the first third of the book does rely too much on the works of Van Creveld and Morris. And it could have said something more (and something different) about Israel's war in Lebanon. But it is fairly reasonable. It does spend a little time showing how Sharon won the libel suit against Time Magazine. And it has some interesting material from Sharon's time as leader of Unit 101 (an anti-terrorism squad that was formed in 1953, after more than 450 Israelis died in terrorist attacks over a three-year period).
   
   There is plenty of discussion about retaliatory raids for terror attacks. Can one simply ask folks nicely not to allow their towns to sponsor terrorist attacks? Um, no. That does not work. The people in the town simply deny them. And they mention that they are not required to keep Israel safe! Well, what if one fights back? Doesn't that just provoke more terror? Not necessarily. We see that even the Kibeyeh raid did more to slow down terror than increase it.
   
   Still, the best part of this work is the excellent history from 1997 to 2002, which takes up about two thirds of the book. We are told of the BBC's vicious untruths in its program "The Accused," which aired in June of 2001. We read about the Durban conference. And the battle of Jenin. And much more.
   
   I've seen quite a few books about Israel fall down badly when they get to recent history. This one is a big exception to that rule. I recommend it.



5. There are verious serious problems with this book. First the book seems to be an attempt to legitimate Sharon and his life after he assumed the premiership. Ya, ya, I do feel he is over demonized but this book goes to far to counter that, glossing over and speaking dryly about important events and disputes. Secondly, or the first fourth of the book (until the 1980's) is nothing more than a paraphrasing of Sharon's biography, using limited sources and no apparent attempt to do any in depth research or interviews. Another point is the book is simply not scholarly. It has noticable editing mistakes, content errors (no, Yossi Beilen was not a negotiator at Camp David, come oh) and the annoying habit of repeating the credentials of people when not necessary (you will not find Marwan Barghouti's name without the extension of "leader of Fatah movement" for example).
   
   All and all, its is interesting for its contemporary accounts, but overall a poorly written and badly timed book. I would not recommend it.

No comments about HST: Memories of the Truman Years.

No comments about Portraits of John Quincy Adams and His Wife (Adams Papers).

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