A State at Any Cost

By Tom Segev, Haim Watzman (translator),

Book cover of A State at Any Cost: The Life of David Ben-Gurion

Book description

The definitive biography of Israel's founder by one of Israel's most celebrated historians.

As the founder of Israel, David Ben-Gurion long ago secured his reputation as a leading figure of the twentieth century. Determined from an early age to create a Jewish state, he took control of the Zionist movement,…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked A State at Any Cost as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Every nationalist struggle requires effective leaders. Zionism, in particular, faced such long odds and such peculiar circumstances, that success depended not only on effective, but ruthless and single-minded leadership. In this monumental biography of David Ben-Gurion, the single most dominant individual within the Zionist movement and in the first two decades of Israel’s existence, Tom Segev shows that Zionism did have such a leader. Contrary to official hagiography, Ben-Gurion offered no brilliant or innovative ideas about politics, history, or the human condition. What he contributed was a shrewd, consuming, and merciless dedication to wresting as much of Palestine, or the…

Want books like A State at Any Cost?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like A State at Any Cost.

Browse books like A State at Any Cost

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in prime ministers, politics, and Israel?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about prime ministers, politics, and Israel.

Prime Ministers Explore 9 books about prime ministers
Politics Explore 704 books about politics
Israel Explore 107 books about Israel