O Jerusalem (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author) "IN THE AFTERNOON of Saturday, November 29, 1947, in a cavernous gray building that had ounce housed an ice-skating rink, in Flushing Meadow, New York,..." (more)
Key Phrases: partition vote, ten thousand rifles, potash works, Tel Aviv, Old City, Abdul Khader (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It reads like a whodunit, and you turn page after page to see what happens next....The pace is so swift, the drama so heightened by alternating flashes of tragedy and comedy that one has to stop frequently to catch one's breath and marvel."

-- "The New York Times Book Review"

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A monumental work!"

-- Cleveland Press

"Moving, fascinating, informative.... No other book on this subject...comes close to O Jerusalem!"

-- Los Angeles Times

"It reads like a whodunit, and you turn page after page to see what happens next....The pace is so swift, the drama so heightened by alternating flashes of tragedy and comedy that one has to stop frequently to catch one's breath and marvel."

-- The New York Times Book Review

"A remarkable book...a history that not only clarifies the military and political events of the war but brings its human dimensions vividly to life."

-- The National Observer

"A story as dramatic, as miraculous, as full of wonders as any ever told."

-- The New York Times Book Review

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Touchstone ed edition (May 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671662414
• ISBN-13: 978-0671662417
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,140 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unbiased telling of the establishment of Israel., August 23, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

I tend towards books in the historical novel genre, and count among my favorite authors Herman Wouk and Leon Uris. "O Jerusalem!" was recommended to me by someone familiar with my interest in the history of Israel, and I was hesitant to read it at first, thinking that I didn't want to slog through some dry account of such a worthwhile topic.

Well, "dry" cannot be applied to any aspect of this book. Considering all of the college history books I've read, I think I can truly say that this is the best "true" historical telling of a topic that I've read...yet. The authors, in true journalistic form, did their research, and brought in those "human interest" aspects I so love in the historical novels. Their treatment of both the Arabs and the Jews is about as unbiased as one can be--I didn't see any blatant pandering to either side-- and felt that any (potentially) incindiary remarks were based wholly on historical track record (e.g., Arabs don't have a history--in Palestine--of cultivating the land, and this neglect is mentioned a few times). I recommend this book to anyone wishing for an in-depth (but not too technically deep!) look into the partition vote, the siege of Jerusalem, and the establishment of the State of Israel. ( As an aside: I'm not too interested in politics, but the political wrangling inherent in the entire partition process is quite fascinating. It goes to show that 'goodwill gestures' have about a million moving parts--not necessarily made out of love!).

99 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Greatest Books on Israel Ever Written, February 26, 2002

By	dougrhon "dougrhon" - See all my reviews

"O Jerusalem" is a classic. By focusing on one narrow yet vitally important aspect of the Arab-Jewish conflict surrounding the birth of Israel between WWII and 1948, the authors bring to life all the characters, good bad and neutral who played a role in the saga of Jerusalem. As readers of the book will discover, prior to 1948, Jerusalem was a city with a mixed Jewish-Arab population. The Arabs and Jews lived in relative harmony, sometimes in mixed neighborhoods. Under British rule, all religious groups had access to their own holy sights. The authors demonstrate how villaims like Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, a rabid anti-semite who spent WWII hiding from the British in Berlin, brought ruin to the Arabs of Jerusalem. Indeed, the Arabs come across as the ultimate victims, which they were. Their victimizers were not the Jews, however, but their fellow Arabs. Ultimately, war comes in 1948 and the Jews are victorious in establishing the state of Israel. Many Arab residents of Jerusalem are forced from their homes either by the Israeli Defense Force, fellow Arabs or their own fears. Most wind up in the part of the city that has come to be known as "East Jerusalem". The old city, including the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall is captured by Jordan and ALL Jews are expelled. The book describes in great detail, the tragic consequences of this conflict which was not wanted by the Jews, not wanted by their Arab neighbors but spurred on by interlopers like the Mufti, the British and many bad players fromt he Arab world like King Abdullah. It is a fair analysis. It does not make the Jews out to be saints nor does it portray all the Arabs as blood thirsty monsters. It lays blame where it belongs. Those pre-disposed to a revisionist view of Israel's birth will not appreciate this book because its fair analysis does not meet with revisionist ideology. But for anyone who wants to learn the truth about this conflict, this book is a must read.

60 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, very readable history, January 29, 2000

By	Sergio Flores (Orange, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Authors Lapierre and Collins have written a wonderful account of the establishment of the State of Israel. They have talked to people on all sides of the problem (there were more than just two sides) and, although not impartial, the end result is as gripping as it is valid. I have said that the authors have not reached an impartial result, and by this I mean that they tilt towards the Israeli side. I do, too, to be honest. But Lapierre and Collins show a lot of professionalism and at least seek balance. I recommend this title to anyone interested in the Middle East conflict, together with Dan Kurzman's "Genesis 1948: The First Arab-Israeli War."