Shabtai Teveth (Weizmann Institute, Tel-Aviv University) is one of the few official Ben-Gurion's biographers. Teveth made a great effort in researching the evolution of Ben-Gurion's mindset (based on declassified behind close door transcripts and personal dairy) regarding the "Arab question." The book focuses on Ben-Gurion's limited contacts with the Palestinian Arab leaders, and clearly paints a different picture than then one usually available for public consumption. Surprisingly, Ben-Gurion displayed a pragmatic understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which publicly has been suppressed for propaganda purposes. From my point of view, this book is a must read book.

I was amazed at the FASCINATING life of David Ben Gurion. He was a man w/ a mission that burned in his heart from the time he was a young boy. He suffered danger and privation to persue it. No risk was too great for him to suffer but to achieve his goal. He emmigrated from Poland to Israel when local Arabs had carte blanche for murder and destruction. He persevered to be instrumental in the founding and protection of the new state of Israel. He molded the new government, chose its leaders and helped to carve the nation into an international entity. His legacy lives in the vibrancy of its people, its government and its economy. Oh for more leaders like Ben Gurion!

It is a wonderful idea to make available recordings of great speeches. I hope we have more of this in the future.
In the case of older speeches, the selection is very good, considering the restraints of time, and the readers are uniformly excellent.
As for the modern speeches, it is a marvel of technology that we can hear these speeches as delivered. It is incredible that we can hear the voice of William Jennings Bryan. I can listen to Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" a thousand times and never tire of it! How I wish I could listen to the voice of Patrick Henry! But this selection is too heavily weighted to the modern, and many of those do not deserve billing as the GREATEST speeches of ALL TIME. Also, some of the modern speeches which are included are abridged, e.g. Reagan is cut off in the middle of a sentence, while lengthy and undeserving speeches are played out in their entirety.
Also, with only a few exceptions, the selection is almost entirely American. It is hard to understand why Jimmy Carter's lengthy speech on energy policy is included, while Pericles' funeral oration is not; or why only a small portion of a single Winston Churchill speech is included; why while Bill Clinton's complete 1993 pulpit address, in excess of 20 minutes, is included.
It would be helpful if the complete list of speeches were available to online buyers, as it would be to shoppers in a brick and mortar store.

I have listened to this collection twice now, both times with pleasure. Hearing the acutal voices of Amelia Earhart, Rev. Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill and Neil Armstrong made a deeper connection than simply reading their words. The collection showcases different subjects and many times contrasts opposing viewpoints of the ideas. This volume is a fantastic introduction to the moving ideals and sometimes sad truths that have influenced Western Civilization.

Armed Prophet outlines the life of modern Israel's founder, David Ben-Gurion. Long on substance and short on detail, this work highlights the trials and tribulations of a man whose life is synonymous with the rebirth of modern Israel.

The text begins with a description of Ben-Gurion's early life, his immigration to Israel at age 20, and the hardships of the early pioneers. Next, he describes the struggles to establish a Jewish state. His difficulties included convincing fellow Jews that statehood was both achievable and desirable in a land inhabited by hostile Arabs and governed by the British who were both openly and sometimes violently opposed to the idea.

Next, he describes the campaign against Britain in Palestine/Israel followed by the Israeli War of Independence ending with the proclamation of the Jewish State May 14, 1948. Surrounded by hostile, numerically superior Arab armies and fending off challenges from within, Ben-Gurion ignored all odds and advice. His willingness to take risks, including the risk of civil war, earned him the title of "dictator" by his opponents. Readers should compare his account of the tragic Altalena affair with the one advanced by Menachem Begin in, The Revolt. Clearly, all was not peace and harmony within Israel.

The book then describes Israel's role in the 1956 war with Nasser's Egypt in concert with France and Britain. Despite international repercussions, Israel demonstrated its military superiority and put teeth into Ben-Gurion's statement, "Israel depends not on what gentiles think, but on what Jews do." It concludes by enumerating Ben-Gurion's diplomatic initiatives conducted as part of his never ending attempts to provide peace, prosperity, and, most importantly, security, for his beloved Israel.

Readers looking for a short, version of the events leading to the establishment of the Jewish state should read The Armed Prophet. It presents the significant events in chronological order and describes the key leaders involved. Clear, concise, and highly readable, it provides background for events that monopolize the world's attention today.

Here is a man who lived a long time and experienced many traumas and victories. The leader and first prime minister of Israel, Ben-Gurion was an international legend.

Completely manipulative, devious, dishonest drivel...

Please look at the facts, side by side, while reading this book.

This book is pure hagiography. Too uncritical to be of much value. Incidentally, passe what has been said elsewhere, the Nazis were not at all oppposed to the setting up of a jewish state in Palestine. On the contrary, it accorded with Nazi beliefs that Jews were "foreigners" in Germany and needed their "own" territory, being incompatible with any country they settled in. Although not true of Ben Gurion himself, many early Zionists were complicit with the Nazis.

This is the moving story of the man who secured for the Jewish people, rightfully, a homeland. The establishment of the state of Israel was trully miraculous considering the opposition by the Goliaths of the world, namely the Nazis and the inheritors of Nazi ideology, the Palestinians and numerous Arab states. Ben Gurion was a warrior poet.