by Ari Shavit
First published 2013
Israeli journalist Ari Shavit examines his country's turbulent history through a deeply personal lens. Drawing on extensive interviews and family stories, Shavit weaves together pivotal moments that shaped modern Israel. He traces connections from his great-grandfather, a British Zionist who visited Palestine in 1897, to Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives in the new state. The narrative moves through defining events: the transformation of Masada into a Zionist symbol, displaced Palestinians, the secret nuclear facility at Dimona, the intifadas, the Oslo peace process, settlement expansion, and the Lebanon wars. Shavit presents voices from all sides, creating what he calls a cinematic report of crisis moments past and present. His account captures both the confusion and determination of a people caught in an epic they struggle to understand, yet remain committed to their homeland along the Mediterranean coast.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-narrative, social-commentary
Setting: Israel, Palestine
Period: 1897, 20th-century, 21st-century
478 pages · Paperback · Spectrum