
A State at Any Cost
The Life of David Ben-Gurion
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Narrated by:
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Paul Boehmer
In this definitive biography, Israel's leading journalist-historian, Tom Segev, uses large amounts of previously unreleased archival material to give an original, nuanced account, transcending the myths and legends that have accreted around Ben-Gurion. Segev's probing biography ranges from the villages of Poland to Manhattan libraries, London hotels, and the hills of Palestine, and shows us Ben-Gurion's relentless activity across six decades. Along the way, Segev reveals for the first time Ben-Gurion's secret negotiations with the British on the eve of Israel's independence, his willingness to countenance the forced transfer of Arab neighbors, his relative indifference to Jerusalem, and his occasional "nutty moments". Segev also reveals that Ben-Gurion first heard about the Holocaust from a Palestinian Arab acquaintance and explores his tempestuous private life, including the testimony of four former lovers.
The result is a full and startling portrait of a man who sought a state "at any cost" - at times through risk-taking, violence, and unpredictability, and at other times through compromise, moderation, and reason. Segev's Ben-Gurion is neither a saint nor a villain but rather a historical actor who belongs in the company of Lenin or Churchill.
©2019 Tom Segev; translation copyright 2019 by Haim Watzman (P)2019 TantorListeners also enjoyed...




















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Tedious
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Lots of detail good and bad. The book wad about six hours too long
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The author's pronunciation of "Gurion" sounds like "Gullion," though, which is distracting.
Good profile of a great man
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Terrible narration
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Bad narration
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The reader of the book is dreadful. He butchers any nonEnglish word, including the name Ben Gurion, by pronouncing it in a language of his own devising, never close to correct. He decided that any Jew, regardless of whether they were male or female, or born in Israel, Poland, Germany, or the USA, talks like Count Dracula. As a large potion of the book is foreign names, places, or quotations, this parody is constantly jarring. He would have done much better by sticking to his American accent. I am left knowing much more about Ben Gurion and his central role in Israel, but disliking him and not understanding why Israelis so wanted him to remain their leader.
Ben Gurion’s life in detail
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Superb!
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Good Topic - Poor Story
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Paul Boehmer is great with accents. He does the best he can. This one is tough one. And no doubt there is great information in it, as this was a very transitory time. Maybe will try another author's take on Ben-Guiron.
Need A More Balanced, Unbiased View
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unnecessary AI or accent is offensive, Book cannot be used.
Fake accent makes it a torture
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