The Life and Times of Menachem Begin

Documented by in-depth research into Begin's family origins in Poland, his Holocaust experiences and his years as a guerrilla leader in Palestine, this biography draws together the threads of Begin's life and career in Israeli politics

Perlmutter (Israel: The Partitioned State, etc.) has written a tedious, repetitious, political biography of the controversial former Israeli prime minister. Despite a strong, self-admitted ideological bias against his subject, he takes a sympathetic approach to demythologize Begin: "He over the years, has been labeled a Fascist, a threat to Israeli democracy and a militarist, but in fact he was a democrat, a liberal and a parliamentary politician . . . a man of high moral standards . . . committed to justice." Perlmutter also maintains that Begin was, repeatedly, a victim of passivity during crises, and that as a young man, he "was a classic . . . party apparatchik . . . with few original ideas of his own." The author makes some sound points, but they are imbedded in a confusing history of political intrigue and often are accompanied by speculation (for example, on Begin's feelings toward his mentor Vladimir Jabotinsky and rival Ben-Gurion, he writes: "Deep in his heart, Begin believed he never quite measured up to either man"). Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The last few years have seen a flood of personal and "official" assessments of Begin's life and times. No wonder, since Begin has done everything to cloak his own past in mysterious and vague terms. Perlmutter ( Israel: the partitioned state ), a political scientist who knows well the history of Zionism and Israel, has written the first serious biography of Begin. He relies on documentation and evidence, though he also makes full use of oral history. The book traces Begin from his early days in Poland to his last days as prime minister of Israel. It explores the complexity of the man and tries to uncover what lies behind the public facade. Perlmutter obviously has a good grasp on how to write biography. The subtitle of Temko's book indicates that it is a "personal" portrait, and indeed that is so in both meanings of the term. The book concentrates on Begin's personal life, and it is written from a personal point of view, as Temko tries to unravel Begin as a human man and political actor. The author is less familiar with the larger story of Zionism and Israel. The book is based on published sources and many interviews, quite a few of them with Begin's friends and even some with members of his family. Like Perlmutter's book it is well written, but Perlmutter's should be the first choice for most libraries.Jehuda Reinharz, Near Eastern & Judaic Studies Dept., Brandeis Univ., Waltham, Mass.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.