Try free for 30 days

  • Israel

  • A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth
  • By: Noa Tishby
  • Narrated by: Noa Tishby
  • Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (75 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Israel cover art

Israel

By: Noa Tishby
Narrated by: Noa Tishby
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.81

Buy Now for $26.81

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

AUDIO EXCLUSIVE: INCLUDES THE SONG “ELATION STATION” BY INFECTED MUSHROOM!

A “fascinating and very moving” (Aaron Sorkin, award-winning screenwriter of The West Wing and The Social Network) chronological timeline spanning from Biblical times to today that explores one of the most interesting countries in the world—Israel.

Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts?

Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby. But “this is not your Bubbie’s history book” (Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher). Instead, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” (Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor) to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, Tishby chronicles her homeland’s evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel’s creation to the disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, Tishby provides critical context around headline-generating controversies and offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel.

©2021 Noa Tishby. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Israel

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    62
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    59
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    54
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating, insightful & educational

Everyone trying to understand or making comments on the Middle East and Israel in particular should listen or read this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The facts we never hear

Beautifully written & narrated. Lots of information we rarely hear and from a descendent of a family firmly involved in the pre and early days of the state of Israel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

Fact laden and balanced. Everyone should read this book. I think it would benefit from an epilogue given the recent events in the ME. Thank you Noa

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Understanding and Respect for all people

loved it?
I recommend this book to all my friends and family.
I remain a friend always.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Objective but not impartial.

I guess it is probably impossible for a balanced book on the history of Middle East. What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the telling of the author’s family history and their association with Israel.
However, when it came to providing the historical context the author’s views become increasingly nationalist through the book. While she does briefly mention some of Israel’s historical faults they are inevitably followed by a big ‘but’……. The author may claim she’s objective but she’s definitely not impartial.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

authentic

Fantastic account of Israel from personal and historic perspective. Well written, well researched and well presented with sincere and humorous presentation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Nir
  • 08-06-2021

Brilliant, balanced, eye opening, super interesting

I read this book twice. It is a must for all Israel supporters. A brilliant example of how to explain Israel. It is also a must for all Israel demonisers. It is a superb test to their moral compass.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read for a balanced and informed take on Israel

Thank you Noa for bringing this book into the world. I really appreciated the detailed and balanced approach that is much needed in this era of click bait headlines and 30 second sound bites.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

As someone who has attended dozens of anti-israeli protests (Athens, London, Sydney) chanted "from the river to the sea.." and have supported the BDS I am so grateful to this book and so regretful for not doing my homework before taking a stand in the past. The anti-Israeli propaganda is convincing and manipulates well intended people, especially the young idealists,that want to stand for what is presented like a massive injustice and Israel like a fascist state.

This is an excellent book in learning some very important facts and Noa a hugely important voice for the Israelis and also all Jewish communities around the world.

My mother is a 3rd generation Egyptian jew who in the 50s was forced to fill a suitcase, leave the country and never return. Thank you for mentioning the nearly 900.000 jews that were expelled from the arab countries in the 50s.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great, great, great book!

Listen to it. You won’t regret it.
It’s full of facts and super easy to understand.
It does leave you with a question though: “why them, why?” I understand that every community needs a common enemy, but “why them?”.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.