Days of Lead

by Moshe Rashkes

1948. As the Arab-Israeli war begins and the fledgling state fights for its right to exist, the 18-year-old son of Eastern European immigrants finds himself in a training camp outside Tel Aviv. With enemies closing in on all sides, focused on erasing the Israelis from the face of the planet, he demands to be transferred to the center of the fighting and is sent to the Jerusalem front. But when his convoy is attacked on the road to Jerusalem, he suddenly finds himself in a fight for survival against a brutal and determined enemy that holds no guarantees for his survival. From sniper fire that claims one man after another, to being the last man left of his platoon, this young man's heroic struggle to halt the enemy at Sha'ar Hagai, while seriously injured himself, stands as an example of courage which is tinged with fear and despair. This true story is told from the point of view of one who desperately wants to defend his country and family but also carries an empathy for those on the enemy side.

Genres: Israel, Nonfiction

ebook

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Fred Bouwman]

The book has too many metaphors (eg. "My eyes were fixed on the heavy machine gun lying on the floor like a faithful watchdog"). There is a metaphor on most pages of the book. There are also long sequences on dreams, which are also full of metaphors. There is very little actual battles.

[BookLover]

This book puts you on the battlefield during Israel's War of Independence. I wanted to know more about how Israel became a state and you see through this book the sacrifices that were made; everyone on the author's platoon besides him was killed. This is a vivid, true page turner. I read it in a week. I've gifted it to a number of people, and everyone has been moved by it.

[Sara Goldenberg]

Sticks with you for a while!!!