Yitzhak Rabin's republished memoirs in the wake of his death provide an interesting insight into both his personal travails as well as accounts Israel's torrid history. He starts simply enough with his childhood, but quickly moves onto the events that have shaped both his live and Israel's. They include the war for independence, the Six Day War, his tenure as Israeli Ambassador to the US, and ultimately his achieving the position of Prime Minister. He covers his transition from a military leader, where the objectives are clear, to a diplomat, where gains and losses are less precise. His writing style is simple and lucid.

The book is enjoyable not so much for the story it tells as for the intimate details Rabin provides concerning his relationships with monumental figures of the time such as Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Golda Meir and others. He is complimentary towards Kissinger, his mentor in many regards, but does not fail to describe the moments of tension that ensued from many ups and downs. Rabin is also very forthcoming with candid remarks concerning his longtime rivalry with Shimon Perez. He gives an honest description of what it required to jockey both the White House, Congress, as well as a supportive Jewish contingent in the United States. His time spent in Washington coincided with the domestic turmoil regarding Vietnam. As a representative of Israel many of his lectures and appearances did not go without the mar of protests. He gives and enlightening account of a troubled time in America as an outsider. His description of his Washington time is perhaps the most interesting section for Americans.

The newly published version also includes some of his more recent speeches, including the one he gave at a rally immediately preceding his tragic death. It is well worth the read.

Twice in his career, Yitzhak Rabin was hailed as a great hero, first after the 1967 Six-Day War and again after his 1993 signing of the Oslo Accords with Arafat. Unfortunately, in each case the truth of his actual role and performance was more or less suppressed. In 1967, he suffered a collapse that rendered him basically non-functional during the war which was actually commanded by Ezer Weizman and Haim Bar-Lev (although there is no doubt he contributed much to the Israel Defense Forces preparations for the victorious campaign). In 1993, against his better judgment, the Oslo accords were forced upon him by his nemesises Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin and others. Rabin's assassination, which took place under very murky circumstances in which there is evidence that the state security forces may have had a role in setting it up, cast him in the martyr's role which, temporarily strengthened support for the agreements which were already being undermined by unremitting terrorist attacks and bestowed upon him a saint-like reputation which was at odds with the true record of his life. Today, in the midst of the large-scale terrorist war against Israel which began in September 2000, a more balanced appraisal of Rabin than which is presented in this book may become possible. Recently, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army revealed that Rabin told him shortly before his death that it was now apparent to him that the Oslo Agreements were a disaster for Israel, and that if he should be re-elected he would abrogate them but he didn't feel strong enough at the time to do it. Tragically, the wave of terrorist atrocities were destroying the man before his death and he began to speak irrationally even to the point where this man who had devoted his whole life to the security of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel was now saying that it was "not reasonable to expect the state to protect the lives of the individual citizens of that state". In his final appearance in a television news interview program three days before his death, he was speaking incoherently and he stated that his political opposition which was making strong, telling criticism of his failed policies (and, unlike what is stated in the book was leading by far in public opinion polls) was so "despicable" that it was even responsible for traffic accidents in the country! The next day, an aquaintance of mine who is a life-long supporter of Rabin's Labor Party said "a madman is leading this country". When reading this book, it must be kept in mind at all times the post-assassination atmosphere in which it was written. One hopes that a new biography will soon be written in which a more balanced view of this man who contributed much to the State of Israel but who ended up being destroyed both by his closet political colleagues and by the Arab leader with whom he signed the disastrous Oslo agreement.

This book is an excellent first step in understanding Yitzhak Rabin, but it is by no means the last. It gives a chronological, easily written account of his life, highlighting the tremendous accomplishments and breezily whizzing by some of his faults.

If you are looking for a factual account of his life, this is a good book to use. If you are writing a 10-page paper on Rabin's life, you need look no further. If you want to truly understand the psychology of this complicated man, or you would like a balanced portrayal of him, you will need to look beyond this.

In the introduction, it states that if he had lived, he would undoubtedly have been re-elected. The facts suggest otherwise; the Israeli people had had enough of him, and it was not until after his death that the nation began to recognize what it had lost, both in its leadership and in its innocence. This book seems a product of the years of the wistfulness that often follow the death of an important leader.

Audio version is great! Well written, well researched, and well read! Reads like Uris' Exudus, but true!

This is yet another in a series of authors who try to twist history to prove that "Rabin was not murdered by the extreme right and even if he was, he brought it upon himself". We have certain words for enemies of the Jews who say similar things about our six million murdered brethren. Unfortunately the menu does not allow me to give it "minus five stars".

This book will infuriate, frustrate and frighten you -- but it is a 'must read!' It proves beyond a doubt that the Rabin assassination was much more complicated than has been presented. Crucial evidence was lost, tampered with, or stolen. Doctors' reports disagree. The book leaves the reader with haunting questions. David Morrison, a practicing psychiatrist in the United States for 20 years before moving to Israel, joins a growing number of authors who are challenging the official version of who, how and why the late Prime Minister of Israel was killed. Despite attempts by Israeli politicians, the media, and book distributors to suppress alternative opinions, the disturbing questions will not go away. Even the family of Yitzhak Rabin have publicly voiced their doubts and disbelief.

One of the most important contributions of this book is to place the assassination in context -- a deliberate and sustained official attempt to destroy the opposition. The police, the Secret Service ("Shabak"), and other institutions of government maintained a systematic attempt to discredit and undermine the settler movement and its supporters. The plot involved Ministers and the Attorney General's office, one of whom is now on the Israeli Supreme Court. Rabin's tenure in office may have been one of the greatest threat to Israeli democracy.

Morrison carefully shows that the Shabak had been caught lying to official commissions of inquiry during the previous administration of Yitzhak Shamir. But the real shift came with Rabin's appointment of Carmi Gillon to head the organization. With opposition to his policies growing, and his popularity slipping dangerously, Rabin saw that the real threat to his policies was from the Right -- Israeli settlers and their supporters. Gillon's war against the settler movement involved recruiting agents to infiltrate their communities and engage in provocative acts, including violence. One of these agents was Avishai Raviv, who is currently on trial in Israel, although all the proceedings are closed.

Raviv set up phony "terrorist" organizations, attacked and claimed responsibility for killing Arabs, and incited violence. His activities, although known by the government, elicited arrests and wide-spread attacks in the media against the Right wing opposition and the settler movement. It was Raviv who lured Yigal Amir into his cult and encouraged him to kill Yitzhak Rabin.

Morrison presents a number of disturbing contradictions in the official version of Rabin's death, and the events surrounding that tragic event. There are major discrepancies in doctors' descriptions of Rabin's wounds, and their locations. The official autopsy report indicates that Rabin's spine was unhurt, while all other doctors that examined him noted that his spine was shattered.

Yoram Rubin, Rabin's bodyguard testified that he was shot by Amir. His clinical report shows that he was only treated for superficial wounds. Leah, Rabin's wife, was told by Shabak agents at the time not to worry because Amir was only shooting blanks. There is no explanation for the absolute breakdown in security surrounding the Prime Minister. There are contradictions in ballistic evidence. The bullets that were recovered were missing for 11 hours between the time of the murder until their mysterious arrival at the police station. Moreover, the bullets do not appear to have been fired from Amir's weapon.

Was it a "sting" operation -- an attempt to discredit the right-wing -- gone awry? A conspiracy gone wrong? Or an insider "hit?" One of the things I learned from the murder mysteries I've seen in movies is the detectives always ask: who stood to gain the most?