Customer Reviews

The Volunteer: The Incredible True Story of an Israeli Spy on the Trail of International Terrorists

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a well-written, intelligent, genuinely informative book which goes against the spy-memoir norm in a few ways -- first, the author is clear that neither his ego nor his bank account will be fattened at the expense of Mossad's security or his former colleagues' safety. Ross offers sharp, often wry personal observations of people and practices, but he firmly abides by the boundary he set.

Related to that, he doesn't sensationalize or apologize for the life he led or the actions he took -- and these are his own stories, not standard Mossad mythologizing. That's refreshing and valuable for those of us curious about the nuts and bolts of undercover operations for Mossad and similar intelligence agencies: how actions are really planned and executed.

He's open about the personal costs of the work, similar to the dilemmas presented in "Vengeance." I also appreciate very much the context he provides of life in Israel -- it's a remarkable country and people. He conveys some of the ways it's so similar to the US, while being so very different, and how that inevitably shapes Mossad decisions and policies.

When you compare this book to "By Way of Deception," that other Mossad 'memoir,' you can see why Michael Ross was a valued Mossad officer for over a decade, while Ostrovsky was bounced out of the service in very short order. (I guess Mossad's quality control really works!)

Definitely recommended.

How on earth did a Canadian born citizen with an Anglican background end up working for one of the world's most (in)famous intelligence agency, the Mossad? Known for their supreme effectiveness in such areas as; spying, kidnapping, collecting intelligence, counter-terrorism, assassination of terrorists, and rescuing of hostages, the ever so controversial Mossad is an elite force fully equipped with a staff of superbly trained and highly skilled individuals.

One such individual is Michael Ross, who as a young man in his twenties embarked on a trip to Europe. From there, an opportunity came to travel to Israel, and he took it. Upon his landing to the "holy land," he settled in a Kibbutz (an Israeli socialist type of collective community) where he worked in the farming fields. During his stay, he made friends, formed a connection with the people and the land, converted to Judaism, married a local woman, served in the Israeli army, and later - with some uncertainty - accepted a job offer with the Mossad, who were apparently impressed with his performance in the army.

But of course, this job offer was conditional. To qualify for such position, one must possess a combination of qualities that few people have: honor, commitment, loyalty, intelligence, sound judgment, initiative, placidity, and a strong will. Most people easily succumb to pressure, especially when their health or their life is on the line. So naturally, most candidates do not last long very long, and in fact, few pass the rigorous training program to begin with. The year long exercises are often unpredictable and can be very harsh. Ross writes about some of these unpleasant experiences, revealing just how mentally fit one needs to be in order to make it to the big league. After successfully completing his training, Ross entered the field and began a successful career which saw long and irregular hours, frequent travels to far away destinations, and everyday stresses, fears, and anxieties that are so commonly affiliated with the job - all of which took their toll on Ross, who saw his personal life, including his marriage, affected by his profession.

As an agent for the Mossad, Ross performed various duties that ranged from; administrative work to spying; tracking down suspects to collecting intelligence; schmoozing with strangers to planting bombs; kidnapping suspects to forcing out confessions. While some of Ross' stories are gripping, others are a little bit less exciting. But nonetheless, I found them all interesting. Ross also he tells us a little about the CIA and FBI and their relationship with the Mossad. In these pages, we get to see how each agency functions differently. For example, while the Mossad is generally open in sharing intelligence with other allied agencies, the CIA and the FBI are far more reluctant - always suspicious of others. Also, I was a bit surprised to find out that the CIA and FBI have (or more accurately, had) some ill feelings towards each other. As Ross tells us, they pretty much viewed each other as rivals, as opposed to trustworthy partners - at least, that seemed to be the case for Ross during his days with the Mossad.

Although not exactly a tell-all book about the Mossad, Ross does give us some really good insights regarding how the agency operates - both internally and externally. The details of his own missions are also quite intriguing - at times it reads like the stuff you see in movies, but without all the glamour and glory. It's a good book overall. I certainly recommend it.

Unlike the obvious fiction of "Vengeance" (the pseudo-history on which the movie Munich was based) this one was indubitably written by one who really has "been there, done that." It's a fine book unencumbered by the sort of purple prose that often infects memoirs of first-time authors, though it does contain an inexplicable howler about the thoroughly mythical supposed efficacy of Black Talon ammunition.

As for the Publisher's Weekly review, it's politically-correct drivel that disgraces the Amazon web site.

Anyone who is interested in what really went on should buy this book.

Ross quickly inserts you into his exciting and important life's work with the Mossad in a way that keeps you invested in the outcome of not only his career, but also the security of America and Israel.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys spy books, learning about the mysteriously effective Mossad and the very intricate relationship between Israel and America.

This was an incredibly exciting and informative book. Although absolutely authentic, the biography at times read like a fictitious thriller. I would highly recommend this account of the Mossad to anyone who studies this region or anyone interested in spy novels. The imagery is terific, and Ross does a terrific job of placing his work in the context of world history between 1990 and 2002. I would have enjoyed more details on his different excursions, but then again much of his story is confidential.

Very interesting, insightful and captivating.

A couple of comments regarding the editorial reviews presented here:

- A self-account book need not be balanced, show what the "other side" think of it, etc. You want a balanced view? Get a history book. The author here conveys his view, his beliefs and his experiences, which lets the reader get a little glimpse into the Israeli life and ethos.

- The occupation is not "intact" in Gaza Strip, when Israel fully pulled out, after intense international pressure to do so. The current situation is that some locals are actually fleeing the "free" area of Gaza to the still-occupied West Bank.

"The Volunteer" by author, Michael Ross (with Jonathan Kay) is a superbly written autobiographic memoir of the author's 13 years as an agent for the famous (infamous?), Israeli "Mossad".

Some 6 or 7 of those active years were as a field operative ("combatant") in the course of various missions against Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, and various other Eastern terrorist factions. The author does not sugar coat or, romanticize this profession or, his own standing with in it. Mr. Ross brushes a thick coat of reality veneer over the entire memoir. His missions, comments, personal thoughts, and the people he was forced to work with make this a "page turner- deluxe". In addition, Michael Ross's literary prowess is every bit as powerful as the "the Office" for which he worked. His last years as a liaison officer between the Mossad, CIA, and FBI are almost as interesting as some of the dark alley ways of the Middle East which he frequented, and perhaps...politically more dangerous. However, it seems that his most important and personal assignments came later near the end of his tenure, when he became involved in helping many Jews escape the barbaric treatment from Mugabe's rule in Zimbabwe, South Africa. This was the assignment that most affected him, and turned his "box of matches into... a pile of ash."

Michael Ross being the good Mossad agent that he was; naturally has a different viewpoint of the Jonathan Pollard scandal of which he mentions in chapter 15. The author contends that Pollard never worked for the Mossad but, was actually controlled from another intelligence section known as "Lakam" which was run from the Israeli Prime Minister's office. The author justifies the use of Pollard based upon his understanding that, the United States was withholding valuable information from Israel. This may, or may not be true however; if the coin were reversed, and... Pollard had been stealing Israeli secrets and giving them to the United States he would have felt differently.

None the less; Michael Ross has a superb collection of quotes, personal wisdoms, and vocabulary that he unselfishly shares with his readers. Ross also writes with a special flare highlighted by tell-tale caustic overtones which only make his story all the more realistic and interesting to read.

Unlike most works of this nature, the author's ego is not overly inflated and in many instances, actually down played. Despite what Mr. Ross may think of himself, he is a "Lion of Judah" to me.

Anyone who has an interest in the realm of intelligence gathering, or merely wants to read an interesting tale of intrigue should without a doubt...order this book.

This Book is simply AMAZING! I've read lots of books regarding Israel and Mossad, and this is one of the BEST!.

It's a Must!

Long Live Israel!.

"Volunteer" is the story of Michael Ross. He was formerly a Canadian citizen who had served in the Canadian Army. He went on a hitchhiking tour and wound up in Israel. He moved into a kibbutz and married an
Israeli girl. He then served in the Isareli army(IDF). After his service in the IDF he was recruited by Mossad. He describes in detail the hard
training he had to endure. His first assignment was the Caesarea. During
the Gulf War he had a hand in marking a ship that was shipping scuds from
North Korea to Syria. On his next assignment he slipped into Iran to make
an assessment of the Iranian nuclear program. The book points out the deep
hatred that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadine jad has for Israel. It also
points out the Hezbollah-Iranian connection. Ross was next sent to Khartoum in Sudan to target Hezbollah members. Khartoum was known as Terror Central. Osama bin-Ladin used to be part of the network in Sudan.
Ross was next promoted to the Tevel Department in the Mossad. He had a role catching a Hezbollah agent named Ramez who was based in the Detroit area. There was also a section concerning Jonathan Pollard. Ross also was
active in catching the terrorists who set off truck bombs in Nairobi,Kenya,and Oar Es Salaam. This proved to be a very informative book by an actual spy.

I was so impressed with this book. I am an ardent supporter of Israel and have gained a substantial interest in the inner-workings of their intelligence agencies. I have since bought copies for other members of my family as gifts and highly recommend this book. It is an easy, non-stop action read!