O Jerusalem!

Great content on Israel’s history! Nice prep for trip to Israel

Loved this book. If you are interested in the history of the modern state of Israel this book is a must read. It was well researched by the authors and makes for a fascinating read.

Fascinating, compelling account of the battle for Jerusalem in 1947-48.

sad

This monumental work is the most gripping and informative account I've read about the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Of course the focus is on Jerusalem and the text does not cover the war in Galilee or the South in any detail. The work includes the roles of famous persons and the experiences of ordinary people in equal measure.Part 1: A Time To Mourn And A Time To Dance covers the UN decision in favour of partition, the Arab reaction, some background history - ancient Israel as well as the British Mandate period - and the various missions by both sides to procure arms.Part 2: A House Divided, deals with the beginning of hostilities and unrest in the city, the deteriorating situation on the Tel Aviv- Jerusalem road, various horrific bombings of certain landmark buildings, the intensifying struggle for the city and the different Arab forces involved in the war.Part 3: A City Besieged, concentrates on the harrowing struggle to hang on to the Jewish quarter of the old city from March 20 to May 13 of 1948. It includes an account of the tragic events at the village of Deir Yassin, the veracity of which is still in dispute today.Part 4: These Shall Stand describes the movements of the various Arab forces and the Jewish response. It provides details of the Arab Legion attack on the city, Jewish counterattacks, the battle of Latrun, the loss of the Jewish quarter in the old city, and the building of a new road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Finally Israel was established but it would only regain the old city in 1967.The Epilogue looks at the aftermath of the war of independence and takes stock of the terrible losses. The root of the refugee problem is explored and the author briefly deals with the transformation of the new Jewish State into a flourishing economic entity.There are extensive explanatory notes arranged by chapter, a vast bibliography of books, articles, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers plus private documents and correspondence. The book concludes with an index.On the inside front and back covers and in the text itself are maps of Jerusalem and Israel, whilst the 40 pages of black and white plates encompass 60 photographs of people and places.Both sides suffered terribly in this war. The authors succeed in being objective as regards the struggle between Jew and Arab, but it is clear that they consider the Haganah as the sole legitimate force on the Jewish side and they are openly hostile to the Irgun.O Jerusalem is a riveting read on many levels. It holds the reader's attention by dealing with events from the perspective of a wide spectrum of individuals. The narrative is often very sad and sensitive readers should be aware that certain passages are quite disturbing. But this book is probably the very best history of the Rebirth of Israel and the part Jerusalem played in this momentous event.

I am stunned to see no reviews for this book which I read many years ago, and want to express that it is a fabulously researched and eminently readable history of the conflict in the Middle East from the early twentieth century, notably the Balfour Declaration through the Israeli war for independence. There are great character portraits of the many heroes and villains on all sides. This is the most balanced history of the region I have encountered. Personally, I went from having Jewish roommates and neighbors to doing business in the Arab world; I have friends and attachments on both sides. This narrative gave me an understanding rarely presented in the US media, and an understanding of the notion that the great tragedies in history occur not when right meets wrong, but when right meets right: I know Arabs driven from land they owned for centuries whose claims are now at odds with Israeli's who have now owned the same land for three generations; this is a story of those kinds of people and conflicts.(All of Collins & LaPierre's books are first rate.)

Correct Title was sent. However, I was anticipating the Cover to be as depicted on the sellers Ad. That Cover as depicted was the specific Cover I had been seeking to purchase. Kept the Book I received as I did not want to go through the Return process.

Good

Have returned it to uk books. They are going to deduct postage (I also paid postage to return it) and 15% restocking fee. So far have received nothing. Very poor treatment

Schon die Art, wie Collins und Lapierre das Thema angehen, verspricht Lesegenuss, wenn man die Grausamkeiten der Ereignisse unterdrücken kann. Die Vielzahl der Akteure sind sowohl Romanfiguren als auch echte Personen der Geschichte, die man erkennt und deren Handlungsweisen unter dem Aspekt der beschriebenen die heutigen Geschehnisse besser verstehen lernt. Der damals entstandene Hass, der insbesondere heute zu unversöhnlichen Handlungen, wie 2014 geschehen, ist wegen der teilweisen brutalen kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen leichter zu verstehen, aber nichts destotrotz weder damals noch heute zu akzeptieren oder zu verstehen oder zu verzeihen. Das Buch ist lesenwert oder sogar Pflichtlektüre, auch wenn man für die eine oder die andere Seite Sympathien zeigt, wenn man nur einen Teil der heutigen Ereignisse verstehen will.

Ein umfassendes Werk zu einer langwährenden Krise, das die Hintergründe gut beleuchtet!

laut unseren Medien heutzutage wird ja Israel meist eigensinnig, sturr und dominant bzw. tyrannisch dargestellt. Nicht immer aber so unterschwellig ja. Nun, seit ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, habe ich auch mehr Verständnis warum das so ist.Ich sehe den Nahostkonflikt mittlerweile neutral und möchte mich weder auf die eine noch auf die andere Seite stellen. Mit O Jerusalem bekommt man einen interessanten Perspektivwechsel, welcher nicht voreingenommen ist. Wer Zeit, Lust und das Interesse an dieser Thematik findet kann es sich ja mal näher ansehen.