Seidman does a wonderful job recounting the life of Menachem Begin. He does so from first hand experience from his long standing friendship with Begin. He explodes the myth that Begin was merely a war-mongering radical, and explains what real Zionism meant to him. Explored is the genius that made Begin both poltically controversial and for most of his career unpopular: that is his ability to distinguish potential peace partners from intractible enemies. Begin is portrayed accurately as a true hero to the Jewish people.

A badly needed tribute to the original Likud leader, now sadly lost to history, infrequently remembered and rarely celebrated.

Although physically petite, Menachem Begin was a true giant among statesmen in general, and the Jewish people in particular. This book explains why.

Hillel Seidman (the author) has experienced Jewish history as few others have. As a survivor of the Holocaust who was active in Polish politics before the war and Israeli after the war, he has a broad and encompassing perspective. As an added facet to his personality he was a religious leader as well. He has a story to tell.

His story is uniquely Jewish - and uniquely honest. He introduces us to former Prime Minister Menachem Begin from the perspective of a friend and follower. He isn't carefull about how he presents his story, he just lets it gush out as it comes to him. Many have written about Menachem Begin but none as compellingly honest as Dr. Hillel Seidman.

There are few Jews today who still share the "survivor" emotion and waultenschaung of Seidman and Begin - and that's a shame. The classical cliche about Jews is: "Two Jews? Three opinions!" Our infighting and devisiveness are legendary. Only one with a real "survivor" perspective is able to say, "Ahavat Yisrael above all".

I highly recommend this book. Meet Menachem Begin.

Revolt is the story of the Israeli struggle against the British from 1944 to 1948 to end the Mandate and establish a Jewish state. Jews, who had endured centuries of discrimination in Europe culminating with the Holocaust, saw their chance. They would not be denied.

It was perhaps the strangest war in history: death camp survivors pitted in a life-and-death struggle against the British, who were liberating Nazi concentration camps in Europe while simultaneously keeping the gates to "Palestine" closed. Begin justifies his murderous actions by citing the struggles of the Jewish people through the centuries punctuated by Auschwitz and Treblinka. Certainly, any government who stood between Jews and their, "Promised Land," was evil and had to be dispensed with accordingly. Begin details the Irgun's most famous actions: the raid at Acre Prison, and the destruction of British Headquarters at the King David Hotel, to name a couple. He consistently describes his Irgun, "freedom fighters," in the most glowing terms. The book details how battles were fought and won both in Palestine and in the Court of Public Opinion in Britain. Ultimately, the British left. The, "freedom fighter's" had won, or have they?

In the over 50 years that have elapsed since the struggle, Israel has "won" four major wars with her Arab neighbors. However, recognition of Israel has never been granted. The goal of real peace has proved more elusive than guerilla and later conventional military victory. Was there another way to establish a Jewish state? Begin says emphatically, "No!" Interestingly enough many Zionist leaders, including David Ben-Gurion, disagreed with him. Arab terrorists such as Yasser Arafat have copied Begin's tactics and are now spreading mayhem throughout Israel. Question? If the goal of establishing a homeland for displaced, disenfranchised people was valid for Begin and the Irgun, can the same not be said for the Palestinians? The key question remains to this day: What does Israel do with over a million hostile, Palestinian refugees?

President Ronald Reagan said, "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." What is the distinction? An American military instructor answered this question rhetorically: "Victory or defeat! If a revolutionary succeeds in overthrowing the established government, he is a, patriot, a, visionary, a, hero. If he fails, he is a, criminal, an anarchist, and/or a terrorist." Given this definition, Begin is a patriot, Arafat, a terrorist. Note both have blood on their hands!

Revolt is a text on how to conduct a guerilla campaign. The question it does not answer is how to deal with the after effects of a guerilla campaign. How does one build bridges to defeated and humiliated foes? When that question is answered perhaps there can be real peace in the Mid-East.

Their was a time when terrorists were Jewish. Their was a time when a small band of Jews took on the British empire. Mr. Begin led this group. He also led one of the few Israeli parties to oppose Labour/Rafi for thirty years in the opposition until the Likud victory in the 70s. Begin is a ma larger then life and this is his story about the 'Revolt' against the British empire. His decision not to fight fellow Jews and not to fight Ben Gurion are legendary. ANd the Irguns use of terror against Arabs, evoking the biblical eye-for-an-eye, is also legendary. This is a monumental work evoking a different age, a worthwhile read.

This book takes you into and underground with the Irgun Zvi Leumi. The jewish freedom fighter organization led by Begin during the years leading up to the establishment of the state of Israel. It was very interesting getting Begin's view on the contraversal organization on subjects such as Ben-Gurion and Dier Yassin. Begin takes you into this underground world that reads with the excitment of a ficticious novel. Every reader will come away inspired by the charasmatic leader. However, to get a true prospective on Begin himself, this is not the book. Begin is very modest about his leadership and focus's more on the organization rather than himself. Although, some is lost in the translation from Hebrew to English, you won't come away dissapointed

I was shopping for a book on Mr. Begin because I had just finished 'the Revolt' written by him. I wanted a general biography covering the post war years and the struggle in the Political realm as well as details of his decision to invade lebanon and the peace with Egypt. This book, although it details his life, is profoundly popular history. IN effect a new biography needs to be written on Begin because it is hard to find a good one.

This was a very good biography of Menachim Begin. This book tells of his earlier career when he was a member of the group
Irgin and was actually wanted dead or alive by the British
government.You will also learn od some of the actions that he
participated in against the British government to get them to leave the Middle East.Also well covered is his career as a
politician.His career in the Knesset as a minority member and a
literal backbencher is well documented.His election as Prime

Minister of Israel is also well covered.The author writes about
the Camp David peace accords and the bombing of the Iraqi nuclear
reactor. You will also learn of Begin winning the Nobel Peace prize. A very good book on the life of Israel.You will enjoy it.