human detail, this book begins where its predecessor left off: in the 1973 aftermath of the costliest war in Israel's history. It is a fascinating saga and Sachar tells it with the lucidity and incisiveness that have been the hallmark of his earlier writing. Here in full richness of texture is the story of the ethnic "revolution" that brought Menachem Begin to power; the secret diplomacy underlying Anwar al-Sadat's dazzling visit to Jerusalem; the social upheaval convulsing the Arab population of the West Bank; the growth of Palestinian terrorism and of incipient Jewish vigilantism; the longstanding clandestine dialogue between Israel's and Lebanon's political leaders that culminated in Ariel Sharon's ill-starred 1982 invasion. Israel's history since the Yom Kippur War presents stark contrasts: dramatic military strikes abroad--Entebbe, Baghdad, Tunis among them--amid confusion, even violent confrontations at home over such issues as the settlement of the occuppied Arab territories and religious extremism. Approaching its fortieth year of sovereignty, Israel has rarely been at such cross-purposes in its quest for security and identity. Rarely too has the fate of the Jewish nation been as intimately entwined with the foreign and economic strategies of the Great Powers. This book is at once a compelling story and a penetrating analysis of Israel's current difficulties and achievements. It is virtually certain to win recognition alongside its predecessor as the definitive work in its field. About the Author: Howard M. Sachar is Professor of History at George Washington University and the author of nine earlier books on Jewish and Middle Eastern History.

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