Warrior: An Autobiography [Paperback]

Ariel Sharon (Author), David Chanoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2001

Israel's newest prime minister as of February 6, 2001, Ariel Sharon is a dynamic and controversial leader. A hero in Israel's wars, perhaps the most daring and successful commander in Israel's extraordinary military history, Sharon has always been a warrior, whether the enemies were hostile Arab nations, terrorists, Time magazine, or rival politicians. The public man is well known -- aggressive in battle, hard-line in politics -- but the private man has always been obscured by Sharon's dazzling career and powerful personality. In this compelling and dramatic auto-biography, the real Sharon appears for the first time: a complex man, a loving father, a figure of courage and compassion. He is a warrior who commands the respect and love of his troops, a visionary, and an uncompromising, ruthless pragmatist.

Sharon tells his story with frankness, power, intelligence, and a brilliant gift for detail. Always controversial, he is as outspoken as his friends -- and enemies -- would expect him to be.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Arguably Israel's most colorful and controversial public figure of the past decade, Sharon is known for his brilliant generalship in several wars, as well as his accomplishments as minister of defense and agriculture. In this engrossing autobiography written wth freelancer Chanoff, he reveals his private self: his upbringing on a farm in Palestine; his rise in army ranks amid alleged intrigue; his enjoyment of physical labor on his farm (and pride in the cooperative efforts of his Arab and Israeli employees); and personal tragedies, including the accidental death of his son. Sharon is bluntly outspoken about the most provocative phase of his varied career; the 1982 invasion of Lebanon ("Israel's war against the PLO's kingdom of terror") and the question of his responsibility for the Sabra-Shatilla massacre. He presents evidence to refute the charge that he was "indirectly responsible" for the tragedy. This major work reveals much about high-level policymaking in Israel, the Israeli Defense Force and the responsibilities of its general officers.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This is an autobiography of one of the most controversial personages of contemporary Israel. Depending upon the commentator, Ariel Sharon is a hero or a spoiled parvenu. More than a self-portrait of an Israeli pioneer and a general, this is a serious glimpse into the real political world of the Israeli government and a deeply believed statement on the Jewish state's credo. Sharon not only served the state as a military officer but also, using his expertise as a farmer, as the Minister of Agriculture. On the subjects of the highly contentious decisions in the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict and in the incursion into Lebanon in 1982, Sharon sets out his version of events and their interpretation. Since there is no other similar version of Sharon's life, this is essential reading and highly recommended for a wide variety of audiences. For Sharon's actions in the 1973 war, Uri Dan's favorable account Sharon's Bridgehead (o.p.) might be consulted.
- Sanford R. Silverburg, Catawba Coll., Salisbury, N.C.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 2 Sub edition (October 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074322566X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743225663
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #921,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Side of a Misunderstood Leader, May 14, 2003

By 

Henry Oliner (Macon, GA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Warrior: An Autobiography (Paperback)

Ariel Sharon is so demonized by so many in the Arab world and Liberal Jews and Israelis that I sought this book to hear his side of his incredible career and life. Having spent most of his life fighting for Israel's survival and combatting terrorism in every war and conflict, he illuminates the problems Israel faces and the nature of its Arab opposition.

Like a true warrior he is a man of peace. Those who have been in the carnage of battle want to avoid it the most, but he has enough insight to understand that compromises and shortcuts to accomodate other's deadlines and agendas only means sending your grandchildren off to war.

His stories of being in the frontline of Israel's historic battles are gripping military history; and his rise from a neophyte poltician to Israel's Prime Minister provides a rich introduction to Israeli politics. His efforts to develop trade and agricultural ties throughout the world is less known than his military and political career, but very important among his contributions.

But most of all I wanted to hear his account of the Lebanese war and specifically the massacres in Sabra and Shatilla. I have always been bewildered at how the murder of Moslems by Christians would lead to the villanization of a Jew. He explained his view how he was sacrificed by the international pressures and Israel's own political parties.

The fact that he was able to rise from this poltical abyss to become prime minister is a remarkable achievement. There is far more depth to this man than his opponents would want us to believe.

This book was an excellent read a must for those trying to understand the complexities of modern Israel, and a fascinating biography of the leading player on the middle eastern stage.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Description of His Life and What He Really Thinks, January 7, 2006

By 

J. E. Robinson - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Warrior: An Autobiography (Board book)

I read this book when it first came out three or four years ago.

It is a terrific read that brings together the history of modern Israel, the various wars starting with the war of independence in 1948 against the Arabs, including Iraq, and later his political career.

The book has a some good photographs and many wonderful war stories. One realizes how close Sharon came to ending his life on the battlefield.

I was struck by four things in the book. The first was Sharon's closeness to the land of Israel. He was born and grew up there, and joined the paratroopers when he was quite young. He was a true blue Israeli through and through. As a soldier he was admired by all including the PM, David Ben Gurion - who acted as defense minister. They had a direct relationship bypassing the generals, to the chagrin of many.

The second was the tragic story of his own life and how one child died of a gun accident, and then how his wife died, essentially leaving him alone in the world. The other was his battle - that he won in a New York court - to clear his name of the deaths in the camps in Lebanon.

Finally, we see a man that love the concept of peace with the Arabs. He was a tough man in many ways, but had realized that as a former soldier he had the credibility to make difficult decisions to force concessions to make a peace.

This is a great biography, and Sharon will be missed. We hold our breath and hope for his recovery.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Warrior, January 14, 2002

By 

Adil Sohail Qureshi (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Warrior: An Autobiography (Paperback)

A cunning soldier, a loving father and a controversial politician, these are the words I would decribe this man.

This book is a nice book indeed. It talks about his life in his own words. It talks about his life and Israel's domestic policies (Settlments in the West bank etc,) relation's with the USA and in the Arab World and the wars Israel fought in under Sharon's eyes.

I highly recommand this.