Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel

Blumenthal, Max

ISBN 10: 1470885395 ISBN 13: 9781470885397

Publisher: Blackstone Pub, 2013

Synopsis

Assesses the takeover of Israel by extremists from the Jewish right, examining how they have restricted constitutional protections for minorities and dissidents and how they are being bankrolled by American right-wing interests.

About this title

Review

"[A] bold, personal and unapologetic book."
"Salon"
""Goliath" is a particular kind of expose-minded, documentary-broadside journalism whose place we generally recognize and respect... Blumenthal has made a sobering prima facie case that there are extreme forces [within Israel's current political-social dynamics] to be aware of, and reckoned with more fully that American discourse usually does."
James Fallows, "The Atlantic"
""Goliath."..shows in forensic detail the reality of the Israeli mainstream's embrace blatant racism against Arabs and Africans."
Antony Loewenstein, TheGuardian.com
"[A] heart stopper... "Goliath" is a threat to the Israeli status quo...because it tells too many inconvenient truths."
Larry Gross, Director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication
"Max Blumenthal's "Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel" is the most important political and investigative journalist book of 2013."
TarheelDem, "Firedoglake" Reader Diaries
"[A] bold and shocking book, presenting persuasively a major theoretical and polemical argument about Israel almost completely at odds with the image most Americans have of it... Even those generally well-informed about Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories will have their views challenged by Blumenthal's sharp eye and deadpan factual presentations."
"The American Conservative"
"[A] scathing critique of the Jewish State... Supporters of Israel should be encouraged to read this book...As Israel's greatest supporters, American Jews who care at all about the future of the country need to understand what's happening within the borders."
"The New York Observer"
"I would like to send a copy [of "Goliath"] to every Jew I know...This is the sort of book that even if you want to diss it, you can't dismiss it."
Charles H. Manekin, Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Center of Jewish Studies at the University of Maryland
"Blumenthal's new book offers an unflinching look at the racist reality of Israel that America's establishment media simply does not have the guts to confront."
Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada
"Brave reporting of a sad, even tragic tale. Makes me wish he wrote for the "New York Times.""
Stephen Walt, Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government
"Erudite, hard-hitting, ["Goliath" has] the potential to influence American public opinion on Israel..."
Rayyan Al-Shawaf, Mondoweiss
"[Blumenthal is] genuinely interested in the truth, and knows that the truth in politics often lurks in those dark caves of viciousness... ["Goliath" is] the kind of book that you just open to any chapter and quickly get a sense of both the particular and the whole. You'll find yourself instantly immersed in an engrossing family romance-one part tender, one part train-wreck-and wish you had the entire day to keep reading. Put it down, and pick it up the next day, and you'll have the exact same feeling."
Corey Robin, associate professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center
"A rich, roiling examination of 'the State of Israel during a period of deepening political and societal crisis' ... Blumenthal is an enterprising reporter."
"Kirkus Reviews"
"Brash, gritty, personal and close to the ground, this is a report from an Israel and a Palestine we seldom see in the mainstream media. The sharp-edged scenes and portraits in this disturbing book shows why the chances for lasting peace in the region have gone from bad to worse."
Adam Hochschild
"Armed with a critic's eye and a sharp pen, Blumenthal sets out to document what he regards as the fulfillment of Yeshayahu Leibowitz's darkest prophecy regarding the Israeli occupation. Exposure to the impressions from his journey through the Land of Israel-Palestine might be outrageous, unsettling, often heart wrenching. But those who fear for the image of this land would be well advised to respond to the challenge and to deal with his flowing descriptions of the struggles he witnessed and of the brave souls he met in one of the most divided and conflict-ridden places in the world."
Akiva Eldar
""Goliath" lifts the carefully maintained veil concealing the reality of Israel as it actually is today, a reality that is elided in most reportage from the region... Blumenthal's book is packed with remarkable vignettes illustrating the dangerous path Israel is currently following."
Rashid Khalidi
"It is about time someone wrote this book. Anyone who thinks he knows what is happening in Israel and its occupied territories will think again after reading this great work."
Charles Glass
"The only worthwhile, honest discussion of Israel can come from someone who possesses two attributes: fearlessness and expertise. Max Blumenthal wields both in abundance, and the result is an eye-opening and stunningly insightful book about the dramatic plight of a country central to America's political fortunes."
Glenn Greenwald
"Max Blumenthal lays bare in rich and riveting detail the full, shocking scope and virulence of a cancer, both institutional and popular, which, unchecked, will surely do more to destroy Israel from within than its enemies -- essentially of its own racist and colonialist making too -- from without."
David Hirst
"There is much in its gruesome vignettes of modern Israeli hypernationalism in action ... heart-wrenching."
David Shulman, New York Review of Books

"[A] bold, personal and unapologetic book."
Salon

"Goliath is a particular kind of expose-minded, documentary-broadside journalism whose place we generally recognize and respect... Blumenthal has made a sobering prima facie case that there are extreme forces [within Israel's current political-social dynamics] to be aware of, and reckoned with more fully that American discourse usually does."
James Fallows, The Atlantic

"Goliath...shows in forensic detail the reality of the Israeli mainstream's embrace blatant racism against Arabs and Africans."
Antony Loewenstein, TheGuardian.com

"[A] heart stopper... Goliath is a threat to the Israeli status quo...because it tells too many inconvenient truths."
Larry Gross, Director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication

"Max Blumenthal's Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel is the most important political and investigative journalist book of 2013."
TarheelDem, Firedoglake Reader Diaries

"Brave reporting of a sad, even tragic tale. Makes me wish he wrote for the New York Times."
Stephen Walt, Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government

"Erudite, hard-hitting, [Goliath has] the potential to influence American public opinion on Israel..."
Rayyan Al-Shawaf, Mondoweiss

"[Blumenthal is] genuinely interested in the truth, and knows that the truth in politics often lurks in those dark caves of viciousness... [Goliath is] the kind of book that you just open to any chapter and quickly get a sense of both the particular and the whole. You'll find yourself instantly immersed in an engrossing family romance-one part tender, one part train-wreck-and wish you had the entire day to keep reading. Put it down, and pick it up the next day, and you'll have the exact same feeling."
Corey Robin, associate professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center

"A rich, roiling examination of 'the State of Israel during a period of deepening political and societal crisis' ... Blumenthal is an enterprising reporter."
Kirkus Reviews

"[A] bold and shocking book, presenting persuasively a major theoretical and polemical argument about Israel almost completely at odds with the image most Americans have of it... Even those generally well-informed about Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories will have their views challenged by Blumenthal's sharp eye and deadpan factual presentations."
The American Conservative

"[A] scathing critique of the Jewish State... Supporters of Israel should be encouraged to read this book...As Israel's greatest supporters, American Jews who care at all about the future of the country need to understand what's happening within the borders."
The New York Observer

"I would like to send a copy [of Goliath] to every Jew I know...This is the sort of book that even if you want to diss it, you can't dismiss it."
Charles H. Manekin, Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Center of Jewish Studies at the University of Maryland

"Blumenthal's new book offers an unflinching look at the racist reality of Israel that America's establishment media simply does not have the guts to confront."
Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada

Book Description

"Goliath is a particular kind of exposé-minded, documentary-broadside journalism whose place we generally recognize and respect... Blumenthal has made a sobering prima facie case that there are extreme forces [within Israel's current political-social dynamics] to be aware of, and reckoned with more fully that American discourse usually does." James Fallows, The Atlantic

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackstone Pub
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1470885395
• ISBN 13: 9781470885397
• Binding: Audio CD