Rating: 
Summary: enjoyable but unfulfilling
Review: This book is a quick, fun read. My main reservation about the book is that it is too journalistic in its approach, not analytical enough. That is, the book tells you a bunch of interesting stuff that happened without offering much help at making sense of it all. How should we explain, for example, the Israeli failure to see war coming? There are social-psychological theories that try to describe why government officials put on blinders and rationalize away information contrary to their beliefs. Would any of these theories illuminate what happened in Israel? And what about the decision making on the Arab side? What lead them to overreach? What went into Sadat's decision making? I wouldn't have minded some "what if" exploration of the Israeli defenses and the Arab offense. In retrospect, what do military experts think Israel might have done to avoid the losses it took? And what if the Egyptians had stuck with General Shazly's original plan? The account of Ariel Sharon's activities is another area in which I found the book wanting. I came away not understanding how he avoided getting sacked. Blum mentions something about political influence. I understand how Sharon has political influence today, but what about 30 years ago? What allowed him to keep his job, despite his recklessness and insubordination? And what about the US airlift? I would have preferred to learn whether the goods arrived in time to make a difference, rather than reading about details like Nati Ben Hanan's stuffed monkey. Finally, the narrative ends rather abruptly, just as the fighting is about to stop. You'll have to go elsewhere to learn how a cease-fire was negotiated, and what happened to captured territory. I recently began reading Abraham Rabinovich's "The Yom Kippur War." I'm only a few chapters in, but this promises to be a much more thorough and satisfying treatment.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great New Take on the Yom Kippur War
Review: This is simply a wonderful book, very readable and enlightening on the subject of the War of Atonement. It being the 30 year anniverary of the war it is a prescient work of important proportions. Having just succeeded in his wonderful book 'the Brigade' Mr. Blum now tackles this great subject. The Yom Kippur war was a truly traumatic event for Israel. A war that almost launched the 'Sampson option' and one that brought the great powers to the brink of world war. it witnessed a great airlift ot israel from america and setbeacks, the worst in history, for the ISraelis in the first 72 hours. Stunning defeats of ISraels Tanks in the Sinai and her air force forced a rethinking of ISraeli military abilities. Blum bring this epic struggle to light in a humaness not seen in most military/political books. A wonderful account!!! Very human, very much accesible which brings one right to the sinai to face the Egyptian onslaught, then whicks you up to Mount Harmon in the Golan and then back to the stench of the smoke filled Pit where great minds like Mr. Dayan plotted the fate of the Jewish state, watching as counterattack after counterattack failed to dislodge to Egyptians. We learn more insight into the 'Sampson Option' when Golda contemplated launching the weapans that would have ended a million lives in Egypt and Syria, in order to save the remnant of Jewry from genocide at the hands of viscious arabs. A great compendium that showcases two future Prime miniters, 'Arik' Sharon and Netanyaho. A must have for any collection on the arab-israeli conflict. A neccesary work. Far superior to 'Two O' Clock War' which is weaker. Also look into 'The Brigade' also by Blum and a stunning account of the Jewish Brigade in WWII.
Rating:
Summary: The Untold Story About the Eve of Destruction
Review: What this book does well is highlight some of the military strategy in the Yom Kippur War in easy to understand terms.
But it is not a good book for learning about what actually happened in the war, wartime diplimatic manuevers, or how or why the war ended. The book skips these topics. If you want to learn about those things, you will have to read another book.
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