Arik Audiobook By David Landau cover art

Arik

The Life of Ariel Sharon

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Arik

By: David Landau
Narrated by: Waler Dixon
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $38.68

Buy for $38.68

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

From the former editor in chief of Haaretz, the first in-depth, comprehensive biography of Ariel Sharon, the most dramatic and imposing Israeli political and military leader of the last 40 years.

The life of Ariel Sharon spans much of modern Israel’s history. A commander in the Israeli Army from its inception in 1948, Sharon participated in the 1948 War of Independence, played decisive roles in the 1956 Suez War and the Six-Day War of 1967, and is credited here with the shift in the outcome of the Yom Kippur War of 1973. After leaving the professional army, Sharon became a political leader and served in numerous governments, most prominently as the defense minister during the 1982 Lebanon War in which he bore "personal responsibility", according to the state’s commission of inquiry, for massacres of Palestinian civilians by Lebanese militia. As a general and as a politician, he championed the construction of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. But as prime minister, he performed a dramatic reversal: Orchestrating Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Landau brilliantly chronicles Sharon’s surprising about-face, combining the immediacy of firsthand reportage with the analysis and independent insight of a historian’s perspective. Sharon suffered a stroke in January 2006 and remains in a persistent vegetative state. This biography recounts the life of the man who is considered by many to be Israel’s greatest military leader and political statesman, illustrating how Sharon’s leadership transformed Israel, and how his views were shaped by the changing nature of Israeli society.

©2014 David Landau (P)2014 Gildan Media LLC
Historical Israel & Palestine Politicians Israeli-Palestinian conflict Military Royalty War Holocaust King
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"A thorough, extremely candid description and assessment of the military and political lives of the controversial Sharon, who has been in a vegetative state since a massive stroke in 2006. The author...displays a deep familiarity with the details and contexts of Sharon’s career...[and] is also adept in the descriptions of the labyrinthine political world of Israel during Sharon’s era. Splendid reporting, comprehensive research, and probing analysis inform this unblinking view of a complicated man and a sanguinary geography." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"[Landau’s] thorough, balanced, and scrupulously fair biography makes clear why Sharon was capable of winning respect and admiration, even from his staunch political opponents….This is an outstanding, warts-and-all portrait of an arguably great, if not a particularly likable, Israeli leader." ( Booklist)
"Landau, who previously collaborated with Israeli president Shimon Peres on his memoir, succeeds dutifully in bringing this multifaceted life to the page. With great research and noticeable interest, Landau depicts Ariel Sharon as a man who is more complex than any one of his multitude of titles..." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Arik

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    25
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    17
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1

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

Excellent!

An in depth study of Israel's re-creation is impossible without an in depth study of Ariel Sharon. This analysis of his complicated life is essential to Israel's complicated c
history. Great job!

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
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Arik the Great

If you could sum up Arik in three words, what would they be?

The Last Giant

What was one of the most memorable moments of Arik?

Several. One of the most memorable had to be the description of the young general Arik running across the desert firing his pistol during the Sinai tank battle.

Which character – as performed by Waler Dixon – was your favorite?

Arik obviously. With so many honorable mentions: Moshe Dayan and Menachem Begin to name two.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Arik the Conqueror.

Any additional comments?

The last of the bigger than life figures in Israel. Sharon is a highly interesting man.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Larger than Life Hero

A fascinating look at the controversial, larger-than-life war hero. You either love him or hate him.
Nonetheless, a man of character and strength. I did enjoy listening to the audio book.

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 Bio

Greatest biography of Israel's greatest military and civilian leader. This book really does justice to Ariel Sharon. It gives a personal view of the man with all his virtues and faults.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Slow Start and Fast Reading

Performance was poor - reading was performed too quickly. Overall quality of book improved with later chapters.

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
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting life story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it is a great story of a very great man.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Arik?

How many failures he had before he figured out how to be successful.

What aspect of Waler Dixon’s performance would you have changed?

I would have added other narrators to add character to the narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nah.

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

Very informative and complete

This book was very informative from beginning to end and went into great detail I thought it was read a little fast so I had to slow it down to .9x but it told you a lot of great info

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Boring recital of facts

Would you try another book from David Landau and/or Waler Dixon?

No

What was most disappointing about David Landau’s story?

It was little more than a series of facts. There was no attempt to really understand the man, the events in Israel, etc. Facts are fine but I was hoping for something more, like insight.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!