Customer Reviews

Moshe Dayan: Story of My Life

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Despite the title, this book is not really a biography of Moshe Dayan. Rather, it is a remarkably thorough, extremely well-written historical account of the background, execution, and consequences of Israel's major military conflicts.

This book begins biographically, as Dayan gives the basic details of his family's immigration to Israel and his early life at Deganiah and Nahalal. However, once the author comes to the point where he becomes involved in military affairs, he concentrates solely on that subject, leaving all other matters behind. However, since Moshe Dayan is perhaps the most important military figure in the modern history of Israel, this focus and perspective is most welcome. Dayan is so focused on recounting military matters that he glosses over even his time as Israel's Minister of Agriculture.

Those reading this book will find it to be one of the most fascinating and engaging military histories ever written. Dayan has a true knack for storytelling, and keeps his readers interested despite the wealth of details and analysis that he manages to convey. He does so in a frank and clear manner, making this book accessible even to readers with only a basic background in the history of Israel.

The only major flaw in this book is its ending. Dayan spends the final few chapters defending his actions during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, resulting in a defensive, even bitter tone. Perhaps this is to be expected, as the book was written shortly after Dayan's acrimonious exit from public office. In his defense, however, Dayan does frame this book as a personal account, and not an objective history.

All in all, this is one of the best books on the subject of Israeli history available, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject.

This is the best book I have ever read about Israel and the Middle East. Dayan's clarity of vision, his professionalism, his magnetism and quality of leadership have been brought to bear in creating a vivid account of a crucial period of Middle East history.

The book recounts the history and anecdotes of the re-creation of the state of Israel from its new roots in 1915 through to the war of idependence 1948-1952, in which Dayan played a key role. Other sections cover his role as Chief of Staff(1953-1957), his particpation as government minister and then his return to private life (1958-1967), The Six Day War (1967), the reconstruction and bridge building efforts (1967-1973), The Yom Kippur War (1973) and finally the aftermath (1973-1975).

Moshe Dayan was a great general who served his country with honor, dignity and courage in the hours of their most dire need. As a soldier he was brilliant and as a caring human being he was exceptional. This unsentimental book written in a refreshing and informative style, says as much about the man as about his history - brilliant!...

I bought this book expecting an account like a personal biography, i.e. military family, etc. Instead I have found an almost quasi-historical narrative of Israel from under the Ottoman Empire thru the British Mandate thru the War of Independance, Sinai campaign, Six-day war, Yom Kippur. Dayan's family worked on the collectives-farms and because of the need for self-defense became involved in the Hagganah and self-protection forces. After an arrest, he joins a British unit during WW2 and ascends in rank during the War of Independance to high command. He gives his impressions of politicians he works with; Including opposing arabs. The book is over 600 pages but Dayan writes an interesting and tight narrative that is hard to put down.

From cover to cover you'll find this book hard to put down. It is fascinating reading from one who rose from the ranks of an ordinary individual to one one who became a great military leader. Dyan gives a personal perspective of the growth of Israel from 1948, first independence, to the battle skirmishes in the 50's, to the "Six Day War," to the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and what Israel will be in the future. Included are insights on Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Gen Ariel Sharon, (one of the hero's of the Six Day War) and etc. Great insight, personal perspective, historical docudrama of the real life exploits of a tiny nation fighting for it's life against incredible odds and winning everytime. Truely this is one book hard to put down.

The life of Moshe Dayan is indeed very interesting. By reading it one gets to understand much better the historical and political issues involved in the isralei - palestinian question and how this matter got entangled with most of the 20th century geopolitical evolution. Moshe Dayan was a natural born soldier, being involved with the zionist undercovered military machine since his teens. His rise to power was connected to the clear leadership he exerted on his soldiers, and not to political arrangements. In this sense Dayan was always among his soldiers, much more a "primus inter pares" than an unreachable strategist that sees battle from a map room. The book is very sincere and in many points he opens his heart and one can see the joy (as for example in the episode of the liberation of Jerusalem) and sadness (when he talks about the dead young officers during the yom kippur war). It is important to notice, however, that despite being such a telented soldier, one can not say that Dayan succeeded as a politician. His mandate as Minister of Agriculture receives almost no atention in the book and one can see that his heart was not at it. Other episodes that deserved more atention, like the Lavon affair and the creation of Rafi are quite superficially touched.

Moshe Dayan was one of the greatest military minds the world has ever produced, and yet, he was a man devoted to peace. He rose to incredible heights, but his heart belonged to the soil and to Israel's ancient past. His story is the story of a people and a nation. It is the story great joy and great sadness.

Dayan takes us on a journey not only into the ancient past, his present, but also offers insights into the future of the region and peace might be finally achieved. It is the book for anyone interested in not only Israel or military history, but wants to gain an understanding of events that effect us to this very day.

I ordered and read Moshe Dayan's autobiography after the recent activities of the IDF. I was curious to get an idea of alternative solutions that could have been implemented by the man himself.

It was fascinating to extrapolate Dayan's preferred methods of military engagement to the recent engagement. He wrote how he and David Ben-Gurion got along well and supported and respected each other; except Dayan did not prefer to "steamroller" his troops directly at the enemy front, but to risk a dash around to the rear of the enemy, cutting them off from their reinforcements and second line of defense; thus splitting the enemy's communication lines and disrupting any coordinated plan they had. I think he was successful with this tactic many times since 1948. The book is a captivating read, chronicling the same lame political dithering and bickering as seen today - but with unimaginably violent, gut-wrenching accounts of battle which would more than compare to Omaha Beach in the movie "Saving Private Ryan." I think that Moshe Dayan experienced "Omaha Beaches" with personal integrity, valour and a caring heart, first hand, many times, for 25 years! Little did we know.

Moshe Dayan is a great autobiography.

I loved reading about this person's life. the history i learned about Israel in the early 1900s through his life was incredible. Moshe Dayan made a great mental picture of what it was like to grow up in Israel through the times when the land wasnt a nation in WW2 through its founding and 5 more middle eastern wars. Moshe dayan wrote a great biography of his life and his country. I keep this book as a memento of the history of Israel.

Moshe Dayan tells the story of his life, and his military campaigns in a clear and strong incisive language. He tells of his early years in Degania, his recruitment into the Night Brigades of Orde Wingate, his wounding and loss of an eye in Syria, his part in the Israeli War of Independance. He tells of the Sinai Campaign in which he played a leading part. And he tells also of his dramatic summoning to the Defense Ministry in the 1967 War, and the subsequent victory of that War. The difficult chapter is his own accounting of the Yom Kippur War debacle in which he perhaps does not tell us the degree to which he was responsible.
Dayan was a Biblically inspired warrior, one who knew and loved the Land of Israel very well. A controversial figure in many ways this autobiography does not include the final chapters of his story, when he was invited to be Foreign Minister by Menachem Begin, and played an important role in the contacts and peace negotiations with Egypt's Anwar Sadat.
Dayan was an inventive soldier and a courageous one who contributed much to the building of the Army of Israel. He had failings in his personal life which are not really documented in this volume.
Nonetheless he is a strong writer, and his presentation is vivid and forthright.
Reading this book one will learn not only about the life of Dayan, but about a portion of the history of Israel.

Moshe Dayan was born in palestine to Russian immigrants and was thus a Sabra, a palestinian jew. At an early age he guarded the kibbutz Deganiah along with other youths against local Arab marauders in the Galilee. His namesake was another youth named Moshe (Moses), an immigrant from Russia who was attacked and killed by marauders while he was on his way to get medicines for Moshe Dayan's father. The first few decades of twentieth century life for jews in palestine were back breaking hard work; for Moshe Dayan's family, they worked to transform mosquito-infested swamplands into lush, fertile farmlands and battled bouts of malaria regularly like many other zionist pioneers. The foundation of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) was the Hashomer (the Guard) formed in 1909, a few years before Dayan's birth, which gave rise later to the Haganah (the Defense) and Palmach of which Moshe Dayan and Yitzhak Rabin were members. These forces for the jews in palestine were indispensible to the jews' survival in many ways. He was groomed for leadership at an early age trained militarily by the English general Orde Wingate and by the zionist leader, Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. Dayan is known mostly for his role as Israel's defense minister and his military service. My curiousity about him was peaked by my trip to Israel in 2000. I thoroughly enjoyed Dayan's autobiography. It was interesting to read about Israel's early history from the vantage point of one of Israel's most famous defenders.