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, "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, "[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 "Max Blumenthal's new book Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel is remarkable. Well-researched, informed by the author's interviews with dozens of Israelis and Palestinians on the ground, and built upon the foundation of the author's deep knowledge of the region's history and his affection for both peoples." MJ Rosenberg, Special Correspondent for The Washington Spectator "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, "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, "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, "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 "It is about time someone wrote this book. Max Blumenthal has done a scrupulous and gripping job of portraying the reality of occupation, its terrors, its fears and its injustice. Anyone who thinks he knows what is happening in Israel and its occupied territories will think again after reading this great work." Charles Glass "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 especially 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 "Israel defines itself as a Jewish and democratic state; but it is also, and no less definingly, a racist state. In this pioneering work, a blend of tough, contemporary reportages and their explanatory historical background, 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/colonialist making too - from without." David Hirst, "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, "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, "[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