A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time

Howard M. Sachar

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, May 15, 2007 - History - 1296 pages

First published in 1976, Howard M. Sachar’s A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time was regarded one of the most valuable works available detailing the history of this still relatively young country. Decades later, readers can again be immersed in this monumental work.

The second edition of this volume covers topics such as the first of the Aliyahs in the 1880s; the rise of Jewish nationalism; the beginning of the political Zionist movement and, later, how the movement changed after Theodor Herzl; the Balfour Declaration; the factors that led to the Arab-Jewish confrontation; Palestine and its role both during the Second World War and after; the war of independence and the many wars that followed it over the next few decades; and the development of the Israeli republic and the many challenges it faced, both domestic and foreign, and still faces today.

This is a truly enriching and exhaustive history of a nation that holds claim to one of the most complicated and controversial histories in the world.

What people are saying

User Review -

This is an essential read for anyone interested in the Middle East, its conflicts and the current climate in the region. It gives a detailed account of not only the Jewish state but of the surrounding regions and the impact that the establishment of the State of Israel had, and continues to have on world politics. While it is long, the language is easy to follow and Mr Sachar writes in such a way that even the endless political ruction can hold the interest of someone who would normally lapse into a coma at the mention of the phrase “and in world news today”.
As a reader with limited knowledge of the region the text seems to be an equitable (as opposed to equal or bipartisan) chronicle of some of the most contentious events in recent history and the bibliography provides opportunities to research further and be able to develop your knowledge on the subject.
After reading this book, the next time you’re at the pub and someone asks “what’s going on over there anyway?” You’ll be more than prepared. 

Contents

• THE RISE OF JEWISH NATIONALISM: 3
• III: 12
• THE BEGINNING OF THE RETURN: 18

About the author

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and reared in Champaign, Illinois, HOWARD MORLEY SACHAR received his undergraduate education at Swarthmore and took his graduate degrees at Harvard. He has taught extensively in the field of modern European history, and lived in the Middle East for six years, two of them on fellowship, the rest as founder-director of Brandeis University's Hiatt Institute in Jerusalem. Dr. Sachar has contributed to many scholarly journals and is the author of thirteen other books.

Bibliographic information

• Title: A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time
• Author: Howard M. Sachar
• Edition: illustrated, revised
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2007
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Jan 8, 2010
• ISBN: 0375711325, 9780375711329
• Length: 1296 pages
• Subjects: History / Jewish; History / Middle East / Israel & Palestine; Religion / Judaism / History