Monique Benun

Excellent storytelling by Michener. His extensive research is infused with his excellent prose allows the reader to learn tremendous amounts of history in context and retain the information.

This is a first hand account of conversations by four of Israel's prime ministers: Eshkol, Meir, Rabin and Begin, in a time when Israel's modern history was taking shape. Despite the seven hundred pages, the book is fast-paced and hard to put down. Yehuda Avner's masterful writing and command of the English language, result in this honest insider's look into the challenges faced by humble and otherwise ordinary individuals, whose words and actions shaped the modern Middle East and their rippling effects that continue to do so. You don't need to be an academic, a history aficionado or even Jewish to appreciate this account of Israel's recent past and its trials with her allies and enemies. Highly recommend.