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Arik: The Life of Ariel Sharon
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 forty 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 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.
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 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.
656 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 23, 2016
Great thorough research, fascinating material, but strangely empty in the accounts of his early life and the wars in which he served in as a soldier. Filled to the brim with every political machination and strategy or possible political interpretation once Sharon's political career begins. There is not enough information on him as a person. Maybe Landau assumes that the reader has already read "Warrior" Sharon's autobiography.
August 31, 2025
As far as I can tell a fairly balanced biography. Though very much focused on his later life than earlier.
December 9, 2017
I always had a very negative view of Arik Sharon, whose politics was very far from my own. This fascinating biography by someone who also deeply opposes Arik’s right wing ideology, provides a far more nuanced and rich view of the man and his legacy.
Very well written and engrossing portrayal of an engrossing man. Two small caveats: Landau does a bit too much editorializing - he should leave at least some of the analysis to the reader, instead of hitting you over the head with his own political views. Also, the book ends in a strange place. It seems to be missing a concluding chapter that sums up all that came before.
Bottom line: well worth the read, both for people already familiar with Israeli politics and newcomers who want a perspective on one of Israel’s most controversial founding fathers. A great complement to Landau’s biography of Ben Gurion (read that first).
Very well written and engrossing portrayal of an engrossing man. Two small caveats: Landau does a bit too much editorializing - he should leave at least some of the analysis to the reader, instead of hitting you over the head with his own political views. Also, the book ends in a strange place. It seems to be missing a concluding chapter that sums up all that came before.
Bottom line: well worth the read, both for people already familiar with Israeli politics and newcomers who want a perspective on one of Israel’s most controversial founding fathers. A great complement to Landau’s biography of Ben Gurion (read that first).
May 30, 2021
For a political review, this will be informal.
I had never heard of Ariel (Arik) Sharon until I picked up this book. As a biography of the military general and later Prime Minister who impacted on Israel so profoundly, I couldn't put it down.
Arik's politics shaped the Israel of today. Is it for the good or the worse? Only history will tell.
I had never heard of Ariel (Arik) Sharon until I picked up this book. As a biography of the military general and later Prime Minister who impacted on Israel so profoundly, I couldn't put it down.
Arik's politics shaped the Israel of today. Is it for the good or the worse? Only history will tell.
May 5, 2025
Ariel Sharon was and remains a controversial figure generating all sorts of strong contradictory feelings in Israel and around the world. He is kind of like a Douglas MacArthur figure in Israel: military hero of the Yom Kippur War using "win at all cost" and controversial methods, disregarding authority, etc. Unlike MacArthur, Sharon obviously also had a successful political career generating further such contradictory feelings. The "Butcher of Lebanon" in the 1982 War later completely disengaged from Gaza. Unfortunately, the author notes he did not work enough with the Palestinians at the time and Hamas took over just as Sharon suffered his career ending stroke. This also scuttled possible plans to withdraw as well from the West Bank. What the Middle East might have looked like had Sharon lived we can only speculate but the author does just that in an interesting manner. The author also explores the possibility the whole disengagement from Gaza in the first place may have been connected to Sharon trying to turn the headlines away from growing alleged corruption scandals surrounding him. The alleged shady dealings of his son and cronies and the extent of Sharon's involvement is explored (good thing we don't have alleged shady dealings by unqualified political offspring here in the US...oh wait).
The author, a journalist by trade, clearly knows how to tell an engaging story and this book reached "can't put it down" status for me relatively quickly. He quickly goes through Sharon's childhood (perhaps too quickly as some reviews have noted) and then gets right to the action. He was able to also interview all the major players that were available and would talk to him (Netanyahu, Peres, Sharon's kids etc etc) so you get first hand perspectives on important events. The author clearly disagrees with Sharon politically, but like a great biographer, approaches the subject with a relatively objective lens. This is not a hit job, nor is it hagiography.
All in all, given Sharon's involvement from the founding of Israel all the way up to his stroke in 2006 and given the implications of how the pull out from Gaza occurred, which we are still dealing with today, I cannot recommend this book enough to learn the story and history of Israel and the Middle East Peace Process.
The author, a journalist by trade, clearly knows how to tell an engaging story and this book reached "can't put it down" status for me relatively quickly. He quickly goes through Sharon's childhood (perhaps too quickly as some reviews have noted) and then gets right to the action. He was able to also interview all the major players that were available and would talk to him (Netanyahu, Peres, Sharon's kids etc etc) so you get first hand perspectives on important events. The author clearly disagrees with Sharon politically, but like a great biographer, approaches the subject with a relatively objective lens. This is not a hit job, nor is it hagiography.
All in all, given Sharon's involvement from the founding of Israel all the way up to his stroke in 2006 and given the implications of how the pull out from Gaza occurred, which we are still dealing with today, I cannot recommend this book enough to learn the story and history of Israel and the Middle East Peace Process.
February 17, 2017
Whether you love or hate Ariel Sharon (and there seem to be few in the middle), you can't help being struck by his resilience and his ability to place himself in the middle of so many pivotal moments in the history of Israel and the Middle East more broadly. I thought Landau did a nice job of writing about Sharon's life in a balanced way.
Some of the more interesting points:
- Sharon threatened to resign if Begin did not order the strike on Iraq's nuclear facility in 1981.
- Sharon advocated for Jordan as the true Palestinian homeland
- Because the Israelis did not allow the press to accompany them into Lebanon, the reporting came from PLO sources
- Begin and Sharon wanted the Lebanese Christian militias to clear the PLO out of the refugee camps in Lebanon. Unclear if they ordered, or would have tolerated, the massacres that resulted.
- At some point Sharon realized that Jordan would not become the Palestinian homeland, which meant that Eretz (Greater) Israel must have boundaries, which led him to conclude that some of the occupied territories must be given back - "Better a model democracy on part of Eretz Yisrael than the whole of Eretz Yisrael without a majority, without democracy."
Some of the more interesting points:
- Sharon threatened to resign if Begin did not order the strike on Iraq's nuclear facility in 1981.
- Sharon advocated for Jordan as the true Palestinian homeland
- Because the Israelis did not allow the press to accompany them into Lebanon, the reporting came from PLO sources
- Begin and Sharon wanted the Lebanese Christian militias to clear the PLO out of the refugee camps in Lebanon. Unclear if they ordered, or would have tolerated, the massacres that resulted.
- At some point Sharon realized that Jordan would not become the Palestinian homeland, which meant that Eretz (Greater) Israel must have boundaries, which led him to conclude that some of the occupied territories must be given back - "Better a model democracy on part of Eretz Yisrael than the whole of Eretz Yisrael without a majority, without democracy."
April 24, 2018
There can be no denying that this is a thoroughly researched, well-written biography. I found that in the early part, describing Sharon's military career, Landau was able to keep his personal bias out of his text. During the second part of the book, focusing on Sharon's political career, I felt that Landau's bias was affecting the way he presented events and Sharon's actions.
April 24, 2024
“Sharon spent long years building the settlements and abetting the settlers in their drive to impose a Jewish state … [t]hen, very late, he understood what this hubristic policy endangered : the very survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state … the impact of his last, audacious act may yet prove irreversible. And if it does, Zionism will have been saved.” p.530
September 19, 2018
Gripping read and successfully manages to outline the contradictions that Sharon embodied; both the appalling and the admirable. Would have enjoyed slightly more on Sharon's earlier life, but it's made up through excellent coverage of his sweeping political career.
September 3, 2022
I have not done much reading on the politics of Israel. This was a great introduction to that world and Ariel Sharon. I am sure various supporters/detractors of Sharon will say that the book is wrong in places- but I liked the fact it at least framed the issues, and this will allow further reading.
August 31, 2021
Masterful writing. Essential reading for anyone interested in Israel.
May 6, 2022
To say that Ariel Sharon was controversial would be an understatement yet this biography skillfully detaches the man from the myth. David Landau does a great job of handling his larger than life subject. The author is not in awe of nor does he denigrate his subject. Arik is not hagiography nor is it a takedown but an excellent warts and all biography. The book discusses Sharon’s achievements and virtues and his flaws and failures. Arik moves well with a fluid style and well written. This biography does not get bogged down with excess facts and focuses like a novel on Ariel Sharon. David Landau does an excellent job of providing everyone’s point of view about Sharon and lets the reader decide on his or her viewpoint. This is an engrossing narrative about a leader moving with the times and at points in his career, moving the times himself.
July 12, 2014
This book was much more a history of modern Israel as seen through the events that Ariel Sharon helped shape, or even just participated in, and less a biography of Sharon himself. Besed primarily on interviews and newspaper accounts of events, there were no revelations nor was there much analysis of why - why did Sharon change his views over the years, why was he so driven, etc. Also, no conclusions were reached - the author left us hanging on "what if" Sharon hadn't had the stroke as well as how cupable he was in the various investigations against him. The discussion stopped at the last newspaper account. All in all, although well written, a bit of a disappointment to anyone who wants to understand Sharon.
February 2, 2016
An interesting book because it is not simply a biography of Ariel Sharon but it really is a history of the modern state of Israel as well. Reading this book, you find out not only Sharon's history but information about important battles, political intrigue, the creation of political parties and more. A great read for anyone interested in the politics and history of Israel.
February 10, 2015
The author is a correspondent for The Economist and therefore an excellent writer. The war-and-battle period was more interesting for me than the political part, but the whole thing is a great read if you enjoy larger-than-life biography or Israeli history.
September 15, 2015
Ariel Sharon was a fascinating man and leader. The author does an excellent job of showing us both Sharon the soldier and patriot and Sharon the narcissist who engaged in political manipulation and shady deals.
January 17, 2016
This was a good biography, pretty objective and well-written.
It successfully conveyed all the aspects of his personality and how they drove his actions, as well as the deep transformations he underwent, especially in his last years.
It successfully conveyed all the aspects of his personality and how they drove his actions, as well as the deep transformations he underwent, especially in his last years.
January 3, 2020
Juicy subject, dry read. Quite about half way through. On to other reads.
September 20, 2014
Dry but compelling story of Sharon and Israel.
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September 15, 2014Review by Jane Wallerstein for the Jewish Book Council.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews