| Abba Eban: An Autobiography |  | Author: Abba Eban
Publisher: Littlehampton Book Services (LBS)
Category: Book
Buy Used: $5.00
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Seller: worldofbooksusa
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 1566846
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 628
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.5
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 2
ISBN: 0297772708
EAN: 9780297772705
ASIN: 0297772708
Publication Date: February 2, 1978
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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 A Fascinating Autobiography of an Israeli Statesman September 9, 2009
Suchos
Abba Eban was Israel's first ambassador to the UN, and he played a major role in the debates and diplomacy that resulted in the formal creation of the modern state of Israel. His autobiography presents a fascinating eye-witness account of Israel's first appearance on the world stage, including wrangling with other diplomats, meetings with European and American leaders, and ultimate triumph in 1948. In the course of his career he returned to Israel and served prominently as Foreign Minister, Minister of Education, and other government roles. He discusses Israeli history through the Six Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
I strongly recommend this book, as Mr. Eban's voice is an iconic and brilliant contribution to early Israeli understanding early Israel's notions of nationhood and its identity in the world community. It is one thing to read a history book and get the names of presidents and the dates of wars and treaties; it is something else entirely to read such an impassioned and articulate account of events and justification for one of the world's most controversial states.
The book is not without its drawbacks, however. First, because it is an eyewitness account, it does not address matters of historical interest that Eban did not see. For example, Eban was in Washington and New York throughout the 1948 war, and so the reader gets very little detail about the battles that led to de facto independence. After Eban resigned from his ambassadorship and returned to Israel, he has relatively little to say about world opinion or international relations. In other words, while this book is an excellent supplement to a history book, it is not history book per se.
Second, while I appreciate Eban's passion for his people and his country, he is certainly not an objective witness. For example, the reader can come away from the book with the assumption that the Yom Kippur War was an unmitigated success for Israel, and a crushing defeat for the Arab armies. But in Cairo, President Anwar Sadat was seen as a national hero for restoring Arab honor.
This book is accessible to students, useful for scholars, and entertaining for the casual reader who has at least a bare minimum knowledge of the Middle East between the end of World War II and the mid-1970s.
 very detailed book by a great statesman January 17, 2005
R. Martin (Mauldin, sc United States)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I acquired this book from someone, and decided to read it because of my interest in the nation of Israel. Abba Eban is a brilliant man who was at the center of most of the events leading to the re-birth of Israel. The formation of modern day Israel was really miraculous, and I wanted to read more details of it.
However, this is a very long and detailed book - over 600 pages. I was only able to read about 30% of the book and stopped reading...The writing is just VERY detailed. (And I mean VERY!) Although what I did read of the book did have some interesting parts and stories, I just couldn't keep reading it. The writing style just was not for me. I felt like I was "trudging" through it. I almost felt like I was reading an encyclopedia instead of a personal story.
This autobiography is, however, an exhaustive first-hand record of the formation of Israel and I will keep it on my shelf as a good reference source...But, I doubt I'll ever finish reading it.
 The first diplomat of Israel tells his story October 14, 2004
Shalom Freedman (Jerusalem,Israel)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Abba Eban was an enormously brilliant ,and thoughtful person. He was also the ardent champion of Israel in the international arena as it strove towards statehood and recognition. This book is a record of his life and struggle, and it is told with great insightfulness and a certain restrained humor of the kind he was known for. I found most moving the childhood story of his grandfather's educating him in Jewish learning, and how he orphaned from his father made his way by his own abilities as a student through Cambridge . His decision to forego what would have certainly been a great academic career and devote himself to the service of the Jewish people, marks the major decision of his life. The book becomes truly exciting when he tells the story of how Israel in the pre- state and early state period made its way forward.
Eban's story and the story of Israel taken together make this work an especially interesting one. But there is an additional element. Eban was not only a first- rate diplomat he was in a sense as his later books would show a ' philospher of diplomacy' And there are numerous invaluable insights in this regard, as well as vivid portraits of many of the significant personalities Eban encounters on his way.
A truly great autobiography.
Fascinating insights into the craft of diplomacy July 24, 2000
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I bought this book on a whim because it was very cheap, and then, although I wasn't very excited about it, I thought I should read it so as not to waste my money. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be one of the most fascinating books on the craft, one could even say the art, of diplomacy that I've ever read. Eban was at the center of most of the events that led to the creation of the state of Israel and participated in its early years as a Jewish state and homeland. Eban gives an exciting picture of those times. He shows that diplomacy is a game of give and take with high stakes, the negotiations of which depend as much on the personalities of the leaders and their diplomats as the political events themselves. After reading this book, I have a much greater appreciation for the courage of diplomats who have to know when to issue an ultimatum, when to stand firm, when to compromise, and when to leave the table altogether. The work of these individuals can literally make the difference between war and peace and affects the security of us all. The book is extremely well-written and reads almost like an adventure story. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of Israel or the workings of government and diplomacy.
Abba Eban: An Autobiography ... and much much more. April 16, 2000
olaf flugenflaggen (Cambridge, MA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
Abba Eban is a fascinating person and his autobiography is the most enjoyable autobiography I've ever read. Although the book may seem rather long and Abba Eban may seem like not the most prominent 20th century figure, I can propose three reasons to read this book:First, this book is about much more than just the life of Abba Eban. Abba Eban embodies a significant portion of Israeli history. In his autobiography he relates this history in first person. The book is less abstractly intellectual than his book _My People: The Story of the Jews_. Instead, Eban's autobiography focusses largely on the personalities who helped create Israel as Mr. Eban knew them. This means that one of the most sweeping and dramatic events of the 20th century comes alive through the eyes of one of its central figures. Second, aside from being at the heart of the establishment and nurturing of Israeli statehood, Mr. Eban is one of this centuries foremost diplomats. Anyone with an interest in diplomacy or international relations will be thrilled with the inside view and personal analysis Mr. Eban gives. Eban discusses how he dealt with the down to earth Harry Truman, the volatile David Ben Gurion, the stubborn Golda Meir, and many more. Third, Abba Eban writes in an engaging and insightful manner. Eban is a great story teller, using stunning descriptive writing, clever analogies, and plenty of dry wit. This may sound like an excessively strong endorsement, but I think the point is that Mr. Eban's command of language makes the stories he relates, fascinating in their own right, all the more powerful. In conclusion, if you would enjoy a well written book with unique insights into the establishment and development of the State of Israel from the perspective of Israel's foremost statesman, then I believe you won't be dissapointed by Mr. Eban's splendid autobiography.
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