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My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND THE ECONOMIST Winner of the Natan Book Award, the National Jewish Book Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award An authoritative and deeply personal narrative history of the State of Israel, by one of the most influential journalists writing about the Middle East today Not since Thomas L. Friedmans groundbreaking From Beirut to Jerusalem has a book captured the essence and the beating heart of the Middle East as keenly and dynamically as My Promised Land. Facing unprecedented internal and external pressures, Israel today is at a moment of existential crisis. Ari Shavit draws on interviews, historical documents, private diaries, and letters, as well as his own familys story, illuminating the pivotal moments of the Zionist century to tell a riveting narrative that is larger than the sum of its parts: both personal and national, both deeply human and of profound historical dimension. We meet Shavits great-grandfather, a British Zionist who in 1897 visited the Holy Land on a Thomas Cook tour and understood that it was the way of the future for his people; the idealist young farmer who bought land from his Arab neighbor in the 1920s to grow the Jaffa oranges that would create Palestines booming economy; the visionary youth group leader who, in the 1940s, transformed Masada from the neglected ruins of an extremist sect into a powerful symbol for Zionism; the Palestinian who as a young man in 1948 was driven with his family from his home during the expulsion from Lydda; the immigrant orphans of Europes Holocaust, who took on menial work and focused on raising their children to become the leaders of the new state; the pragmatic engineer who was instrumental in developing Israels nuclear program in the 1960s, in the only interview he ever gave; the zealous religious Zionists who started the settler movement in the 1970s; the dot-com entrepreneurs and young men and women behind Tel-Avivs booming club scene; and todays architects of Israels foreign policy with Iran, whose nuclear threat looms ominously over the tiny country. As it examines the complexities and contradictions of the Israeli condition, My Promised Land asks difficult but important questions: Why did Israel come to be? How did it come to be? Can Israel survive? Culminating with an analysis of the issues and threats that Israel is currently facing, My Promised Land uses the defining events of the past to shed new light on the present. The result is a landmark portrait of a small, vibrant country living on the edge, whose identity and presence play a crucial role in todays global political landscape. Praise for My Promised Land "This book will sweep you up in its narrative force and not let go of you until it is done. [Shavits] accomplishment is so unlikely, so total . . . that it makes you believe anything is possible, even, God help us, peace in the Middle East." - Simon Schama, Financial Times "[A] must-read book." - Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times "Important and powerful . . . the least tendentious book about Israel I have ever read." - Leon Wieseltier, The New York Times Book Review "Spellbinding . . . Shavits prophetic voice carries lessons that all sides need to hear." - The Economist "One of the most nuanced and challenging books written on Israel in years." - The Wall Street JournalFrom the Hardcover edition.
Ari Shavit (Author), Paul Boehmer (Narrator)
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Egypt: Ancient civilization of Egypt with Egyptian mythology including the book of the dead
Discover the mysteries of Egypt and its ancient civilization with this book on the history of Egypt and Egyptian mythology. Uncover the secrets of one of the world's most ancient civilizations, as you explore the rich culture, religion and mythology of the Egyptians. This incredible book contains a wealth of information about the powerful pharaohs and their gods, their religious beliefs, and the incredible monuments that still stand today. From the Great Pyramids of Giza to the grand monuments of Karnak, discover the incredible engineering feats and artistic beauty of the ancient Egyptians. Learn about the powerful gods and goddesses of Egyptian mythology and explore the complex beliefs and rituals that were practiced in the temples of Egypt. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in learning about the history and mythology of Egypt. With detailed descriptions you'll be transported to the golden age of the Pharaohs. Get your copy Today! And Start your journey into the mysterious and powerful world of Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Secrets Of History, Will Forrest (Author), Dean Ericson (Narrator)
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Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume 1
The first volume of Will Durant’s Pulitzer Prize–winning series, Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume I chronicles the early history of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia. In this masterful work, readers will encounter: Sumeria, birthplace of the first cities and written laws the Egyptians, who perfected monumental architecture, medicine, and mummification more than 3,500 years ago the Babylonians, who developed astronomy and physics, and planted the seeds of Western mythology the Judeans, who preserved their culture forever in the immortal books of the Old Testament the Persians, who ruled the largest empire in recorded history before Rome Indian philosophy, Chinese philosophers, and Japanese samurais
Will Durant (Author), Robin Field (Narrator)
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Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War
Based on the author's National Magazine Award-winning series in Rolling Stone, this New York Times bestseller offers a firsthand account of the first warriors of the current generation to enter the Iraq War.
Evan Wright (Author), Patrick Girard Lawlor (Narrator)
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Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now
Continuing her very personal journey from a deeply religious Islamic upbringing to a post at Harvard, the brilliant, charismatic and controversial New York Times and Globe and Mail #1 bestselling author of Infidel and Nomad makes a powerful plea for an Islamic Reformation as the only way to end the horrors of terrorism and sectarian warfare and the repression of women and minorities. Today, the world 's 1.6 billion Muslims can be divided into a minority of fundamentalists, a majority of observant "daily" Muslims and a few dissidents who risk their lives by questioning their own religion. But there is only one Islam and, as Ayaan Hirsi Ali argues, there is no denying that some of its key teachings, like the subordination of women and the duty to wage holy war, are incompatible with the values of a free society. For centuries it has seemed as if Islam is immune to change. But Hirsi Ali has come to believe that a "Reformation", a revision of Islamic doctrine aimed at reconciling the religion with modernity, is now at hand, and may even have begun. The Arab Spring may now seem like a political failure. But its challenge to traditional authority revealed a new readiness, not least by Muslim women, to think freely and to speak out. Ayaan Hirsi Ali argues that ordinary Muslims throughout the world want change. Courageously challenging the fundamentalists, she identifies five key amendments to Islamic doctrine that must be made in order to set Muslims free from their 7th-century chains. Interweaving her own experiences, historical analogies and powerful examples from contemporary Islamic societies and cultures, Heretic is not a call to arms, but a passionate plea for peaceful change and a new era of toleration.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Author), Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Narrator)
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Holy Land: A Pilgrimage Through the Footsteps of Jesus
Embark on a life-changing journey through the Holy Land, with one of its greatest living experts at your guide. The lands where Jesus lived and missioned can be seen as a "Fifth Gospel," illuminating the reality of Jesus and his times. Every year millions of pilgrims flock to the Holy Land, walking in the footsteps of Jesus and the apostles. Now, Holy Land takes you on a virtual pilgrimage of these sacred places. Rev. Donald Senior, a renowned scholar and pilgrimage leader, will guide you down the Jordan River, across the Sea of Galilee, and up to the Mount of Olives. As you take this journey, you will gain deeper insight into the power and beauty of the Gospel message. After learning about the geographical context of the Holy Land and its most distinctive features, you will journey through the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, gaining profound insights into the most important events of the New Testament. As you explore Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, mission in Capernaum, and crucifixion in Jerusalem, you will illuminate your understanding of the Gospels. In visiting the sites of Jesus' Gospel history, you will come to see how Jesus is truly the word made flesh. Not everyone can physically go to the Holy Land, but this program allows you to travel through the Gospels anytime and anywhere. Take this powerful pilgrimage today. This pilgrimage is part of the Learn25 collection and includes a free PDF study guide.
Donald Senior (Author), Donald Senior (Narrator)
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Sleeping with the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul For Saudi Crude
"Saudi Arabia is more and more an irrational state—a place that spawns global terrorism even as it succumbs to an ancient and deeply seated isolationism, a kingdom led by a royal family that can’t get out of the way of its own greed. Is this the fulcrum we want the global economy to balance on?” In his explosive New York Times bestseller, See No Evil, former CIA operative Robert Baer exposed how Washington politics drastically compromised the CIA’s efforts to fight global terrorism. Now in his powerful new book, Sleeping with the Devil, Baer turns his attention to Saudi Arabia, revealing how our government’s cynical relationship with our Middle Eastern ally and America’s dependence on Saudi oil make us increasingly vulnerable to economic disaster and put us at risk for further acts of terrorism. For decades, the United States and Saudi Arabia have been locked in a “harmony of interests.” America counted on the Saudis for cheap oil, political stability in the Middle East, and lucrative business relationships for the United States, while providing a voracious market for the kingdom’s vast oil reserves. With money and oil flowing freely between Washington and Riyadh, the United States has felt secure in its relationship with the Saudis and the ruling Al Sa’ud family. But the rot at the core of our “friendship” with the Saudis was dramatically revealed when it became apparent that fifteen of the nineteen September 11 hijackers proved to be Saudi citizens. In Sleeping with the Devil, Baer documents with chilling clarity how our addiction to cheap oil and Saudi petrodollars caused us to turn a blind eye to the Al Sa’ud’s culture of bribery, its abysmal human rights record, and its financial support of fundamentalist Islamic groups that have been directly linked to international acts of terror, including those against the United States. Drawing on his experience as a field operative who was on the ground in the Middle East for much of his twenty years with the agency, as well as the large network of sources he has cultivated in the region and in the U.S. intelligence community, Baer vividly portrays our decades-old relationship with the increasingly dysfunctional and corrupt Al Sa’ud family, the fierce anti-Western sentiment that is sweeping the kingdom, and the desperate link between the two. In hopes of saving its own neck, the royal family has been shoveling money as fast as it can to mosque schools that preach hatred of America and to militant fundamentalist groups—an end game just waiting to play out. Baer not only reveals the outrageous excesses of a Saudi royal family completely out of touch with the people of its kingdom, he also takes readers on a highly personal search for the deeper roots of modern terrorism, a journey that returns time again and again to Saudi Arabia: to the Wahhabis, the powerful Islamic sect that rules the Saudi street; to the Taliban and al Qaeda, both of which Saudi Arabia helped to underwrite; and to the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most active and effective terrorist groups in existence, which the Al Sa’ud have sheltered and funded. The money and arms that we send to Saudi Arabia are, in effect, being used to cut our own throat, Baer writes, but America might have only itself to blame. So long as we continue to encourage the highly volatile Saudi state to bank our oil under its sand—and so long as we continue to grab at the Al Sa’ud’s money—we are laying the groundwork for a potential global economic catastrophe.
Robert Baer (Author), Robertson Dean (Narrator)
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Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison - Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diploma
The dramatic memoir of the journalist who was held hostage in a high-security prison in Tehran for eighteen months and whose release—which almost didn’t happen—became a part of the Iran nuclear deal. In July 2014, Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian was arrested by Iranian police, accused of spying for America. The charges were absurd. Rezaian’s reporting was a mix of human interest stories and political analysis. He had even served as a guide for Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. Initially, Rezaian thought the whole thing was a terrible misunderstanding, but soon realized that it was much more dire as it became an eighteen-month prison stint with impossibly high diplomatic stakes. While in prison, Rezaian had tireless advocates working on his behalf. His brother lobbied political heavyweights including John Kerry and Barack Obama and started a social media campaign—#FreeJason—while Jason’s wife navigated the red tape of the Iranian security apparatus, all while the courts used Rezaian as a bargaining chip in negotiations for the Iran nuclear deal. In Prisoner, Rezaian writes of his exhausting interrogations and farcical trial. He also reflects on his idyllic childhood in Northern California and his bond with his Iranian father, a rug merchant; how his teacher Christopher Hitchens inspired him to pursue journalism; and his life-changing decision to move to Tehran, where his career took off and he met his wife. Written with wit, humor, and grace, Prisoner brings to life a fascinating, maddening culture in all its complexity. “Jason paid a deep price in defense of journalism and his story proves that not everyone who defends freedom carries a gun, some carry a pen.” —John F. Kerry, 68th Secretary of State
Jason Rezaian (Author), Jason Rezaian (Narrator)
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Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel
Golda Meir was a world figure unlike any other. Born in tsarist Russia in 1898, she immigrated to America in 1906 and grew up in Milwaukee, where from her earliest years she displayed the political consciousness and organizational skills that would eventually catapult her into the inner circles of Israel's founding generation. Moving to mandatory Palestine in 1921 with her husband, the passionate socialist joined a kibbutz but soon left and was hired at a public works office by the man who would become the great love of her life. A series of public service jobs brought her to the attention of David Ben-Gurion, and her political career took off. Fund-raising in America in 1948, secretly meeting in Amman with King Abdullah right before Israel's declaration of independence, mobbed by thousands of Jews in a Moscow synagogue in 1948 as Israel's first representative to the USSR, serving as minister of labor and foreign minister in the 1950s and 1960s, Golda brought fiery oratory, plainspoken appeals, and shrewd deal-making to the cause to which she had dedicated her life-the welfare and security of the State of Israel and its inhabitants. As prime minister, Golda negotiated arms agreements with Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger and had dozens of clandestine meetings with Jordan's King Hussein in the unsuccessful pursuit of a land-for-peace agreement with Israel's neighbors. But her time in office ended in tragedy, when Israel was caught off guard by Egypt and Syria's surprise attack on Yom Kippur in 1973. Analyzing newly available documents from Israeli government archives, Francine Klagsbrun looks into whether Golda could have prevented that war and whether in its darkest days she contemplated using nuclear force. Resigning in the war's aftermath, she spent her final years keeping a hand in national affairs and bemusedly enjoying international acclaim. Klagsbrun's superbly researched and masterly recounted story of Israel's founding mother gives us a Golda for the ages.
Francine Klagsbrun (Author), Jo Anna Perrin (Narrator)
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Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life
When Lisa Najeeb Halaby was twenty-six, her father introduced her to King Hussein of Jordan. Within a year, she became his fourth wife. Born in 1951 to a distinguished Arab-American family, Lisa was unsure what her role would be. King Hussein was not only the head of state in Jordan, but also considered the spiritual leader of all Muslims. This memoir provides a vital perspective on thirty years of turbulent world history from the Arab point of view: the displacement of over one million Palestinians by the creation of Israel, Hussein’s frustrating efforts for peace, and the impact of Saddam Hussein and the Gulf War on Jordan and the royal family. A fascinating and dramatic portrait of a woman who took a great risk in a part of the world where women’s roles are narrowly defined. “Her pleasing memoir ends with the king’s death after his struggle with cancer, although readers may suspect that this smart, courageous woman will remain a world presence for years to come.”--Publishers Weekly
Noor Al-Hussein, Queen Noor (Author), Suzanne Toren (Narrator)
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Two prominent Israeli liberals argue that for the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians to end with peace, Palestinians must come to terms with the fact that there will be no 'right of return.' In 1948, seven hundred thousand Palestinians were forced out of their homes by the first Arab-Israeli War. More than seventy years later, most of their houses are long gone, but millions of their descendants are still registered as refugees, with many living in refugee camps. This group?unlike countless others that were displaced in the aftermath of World War II and other conflicts?has remained unsettled, demanding to settle in the state of Israel. Their belief in a 'right of return' is one of the largest obstacles to successful diplomacy and lasting peace in the region. In The War of Return, Adi Schwartz and Einat Wilf?both liberal Israelis supportive of a two-state solution?reveal the origins of the idea of a right of return, and explain how UNRWA - the very agency charged with finding a solution for the refugees - gave in to Palestinian, Arab and international political pressure to create a permanent “refugee” problem. They argue that this Palestinian demand for a “right of return” has no legal or moral basis and make an impassioned plea for the US, the UN, and the EU to recognize this fact, for the good of Israelis and Palestinians alike. A runaway bestseller in Israel, the first English translation of The War of Return is certain to spark lively debate throughout America and abroad.
Adi Schwartz, Einat Wilf (Author), Einat Wilf (Narrator)
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Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy. For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, keeping Christianity alive. Streams of wealth flowed into Constantinople, making possible unprecedented wonders of art and architecture. And the emperors who ruled Byzantium enacted a saga of political intrigue and conquest as astonishing as anything in recorded history. Lost to the West is replete with stories of assassination, mass mutilation and execution, sexual scheming, ruthless grasping for power, and clashing armies that soaked battlefields with the blood of slain warriors numbering in the tens of thousands. From the Hardcover edition.
Lars Brownworth (Author), Lars Brownworth (Narrator)
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