My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel Free Audiobook Download by Ari Shavit

'My Promised Land' is a readable and illuminating look at the many aspects of Israel's story. It tells the history of the Jewish people, which began more than 3,000 years ago in what is now modern-day Palestine. The author makes his case for why "Israel" should not be an issue--rather, he argues that it is an issue that needs to be explained to Americans who are still unfamiliar with it.

This book is a detailed account of Israel's history and the major events that shaped it. The author starts at the beginning with the Jewish exile in Babylon and ends with the present day, detailing how Israel has been a land that was promised to those who alived in exile and now they have returned home and are trying to live according to their basic moral code.

Israel is a country in turmoil. The promise of Israel has long been distorted by the tragedy and tragedy has been in turn warped by a triumph of an illusionary past. Ari Shavit's new book, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, explores the history of this fascinating country with all its current complexities.

My Promised Land is a personal, dazzling study of the triumph and tragedy of Israel. Ari Shavit's thesis is that Israel has always been at war with itself: its founding as a state was a violent struggle for independence from both the British Mandate and European Jewry. His story ranges across time, from the bloody battle for sovereignty over Palestine in the 1940's to the current tensions in Jerusalem.

This has been a week of intense activity. Israel's missiles are raining down on Gaza, Israeli forces are being deployed in the West Bank and the United Nations is preparing to vote on a resolution condemning Israel's actions. On the day that the ceasefire came into effect, Ari Shavit wrote: "While Israelis were celebrating one big victory, they should be aware that they're also celebrating their biggest defeat."

In this sweeping and gripping narrative, Ari Shavit tells the story of a country's history through the lens of its founding myth. He presents the most comprehensive account to date of Israel's contested origins, political evolution, and military success. Drawing on his own interviews with those at the center of decision-making---including prime ministers and generals---Shavit sheds new light on the nation's past as well as its precarious future.