The Volunteer: The Incredible True Story of an Israeli Spy on the Trail of International Terrorists

by Michael Ross, Jonathan Kay

"Provides a glimpse into a shadowy world not many of us will ever see."— Toronto Globe and Mail When Michael Ross decided to go backpacking across Europe, he had no inkling that his vacation would lead to a life tracking down the world's most dangerous terrorists. In Israel, out of money and alone, Ross began working on a Kibbutz—and fell in love with both the country and an Israeli woman. After converting to Judaism, Ross was recruited by the country's secret service—the Mossad—as an undercover agent. In the years that followed, he played a significant role in capturing al-Qaeda members responsible for the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, and worked jointly with the FBI and CIA to uncover a senior Hezbollah terrorist living in the United States. His never before revealed story makes an action-packed biography.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Espionage, History

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Jen Surname]

I was hoping for more from this book. It got off to a good start, then started to slow and by the end I was really struggling to maintain any interest.

I think I expected excitement and high stakes undercover missions. What I actually got was really quite boring and I was glad when it was over.

I wonder if some of this is down to me and my own politics, and how they differ so much from the writer’s. The whole Israel-as-the-poor-victim standpoint just doesn’t fly with me, and I was fed up of hearing about it by the end when my interest had waned considerably.

Overall, disappointing.

[Karen]

Interesting story of a Mossad agent. You have to wonder why he is spilling the beans. And since he is obviously using a pseudonym, you don't really know whether any of his personal background is true. Also the Mossad poo poo's many of his exploits (Of course) But, I liked it.

[F.J. Akkerman]

A storm is coming, and it would appear that those of us who cherish life, liberty and the goodness in our way of life will have no choice but to endure it. I decided not to wait for the inevitable. I volunteered.

A highly informative look into the modern world of counter-terrorism and international intelligence, especially in the Middle East, this memoir details the author’s twelve years of experience serving as an undercover agent in the Mossad.

Michael Ross left his native Canada with not much and his travels soon led him to Israel, where, after serving in the IDF for a time, he was eventually recruited by the Mossad. So began his career as an undercover agent in the fascinating world of secret intelligence.

Although the narrative dragged at times and wasn't very action-packed (the blurb didn't use the best adjective, there; I would say "compelling" is a more fitting word), I appreciated the honesty with which Ross portrays not the glamour and excitement of Hollywood's world of spies but the very real one of slow, at times painstaking and frustrating, everyday work within the intelligence community, both in the field and in the office; much of the book deals with nothing more than ordinary people working hard to slot little pieces into a giant jigsaw which, for the most part, they can't see in its entirety. Mistakes are made, leads are lost and constant pressure takes its toll mentally, but there are also quiet moments of triumph, a few astounding breakthroughs, some satisfying conclusions and almost completely unheard-of successes...all right under the nose of the public, and greatly under-appreciated (or unappreciated) by them. Sometimes I found myself exclaiming, "Why did we never read about that in the news?!"

Ross is also frank about the effects his career had on his family and his own psyche, as well as other Mossad operatives.

I loved the various quotes chosen as an introduction to each chapter, and my favourite parts were Ross's information about training, joint operations and the touchy relationship between different intelligence agencies, such as the Mossad and the CIA.

Having converted to Judaism and committed so much of his life to Israel, Ross is understandably a little biased, but for the most part this didn't interfere with the accuracy of his account. I think this book is especially relevant today, considering recent events in the Middle East and the anti-Israel sentiment being stirred up by the media as a result. There are two sides to every coin.

You'll learn a lot about the Mossad without really learning much. Which, I am sure, is exactly how it's intended to be.

It's a good story and I liked its modern context (published 2007), but if you want a broader and more intense book about the Mossad, I recommend Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad as a better alternative.

But for anyone seeking more than just an overview and willing to dig deeper, The Volunteer: The Incredible True Story of an Israeli Spy on the Trail of International Terrorists is a great inside perspective of the Mossad.

[Benjamin]

This was such an interesting book. I have never known to much, or been that interested in, the middle east but this seemed interesting. Before starting it I read a lot of reviews that said it dragged towards the end but I found the opposite. I couldn't wait to see how this guy's career turned out. There seems to be a lot more to each of these stories but I was glad to read what he was able to tell us. I recommend it.

[Marvin Breshears]

Valuable life lessons

A candid narrative of one man's life in an agency often shrouded in secrecy and mystique. The lessons and observations that he presents here are important for all of us to consider. Wish our leaders would read this.

[Cat]

People should ignore their prejudices for once and actually read this. It is a very in-depth book about the history in many countries, and information behind of a lot of terrible places and incidents that many people shamefully do not even know about to this day yet have existed for decades - some people only know the propaganda and are gaslit, denying that it even exists. There’s some good info about how terrible a dictatorship Zimbabwe was at the time seizing land from farmers; Iran’s shift to the Islamic Regime - another dictatorship; etc. Everything is explained by reading history. I knew most of this already, but sadly, many aplenty people do not know what happened/is still happening in these countries. When terrorist victims (actual victims) get mocked and vilified, that’s something I will never put up with. A very good ending chapter.

[Nadine Byrne]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
True story of the life of a Canadian man that was recruited and joined into the Israeli Mossad. I was very interested in learning more about his life and experiences as an intelligence agent in the 1980s-90s leading up to 9/11. I found the beginning of the book to be eye opening and interesting but each chapter covered different places/events in such detail that it became repetitive and tiresome that I started to skim through the chapters. I also wondered what would compel someone in this position to write a memoire, naming players and secrets activities as he did. Sort of an odd outcome given the secrecy of his work.

[Campbell J. Brice]

It’s perhaps inevitable that this fast-paced account of a Mossad footsoldier leaves the reader an exercise in reading between the lines. Told with a convert’s certainty in the righteousness of their cause, the book invites the reader into the secret world of Israeli intelligence, while revealing little of major significance about that world, the wider geopolitical games play, or himself.

3.5 stars

[GRAHAM MARTIN]

Factual Spy Account

Love non fiction books that often read like fiction. Getting a bit outdated but interesting account of Hezbollah, 9-11 and the FBI. Not a lot of spy craft but remember certain information has to be left out because it's the Mossad

[Sriram Venugopal]

Author worked as a spy in Mossad and this is his story. Its a good read to understand what goes inside Mossad and their ways of working. Not your usual thrilling spy story but it gives an interesting view on the Mossad-CIA/FBI relations and the complex relations and enmities in the middle east.

[Donald K. Ulsh]

Excellent read.

This is a really interesting story as it describes what it was like to be part of the Moss ad. Too bad the U.S. didn't listen to their warning.

[Ronald Miller]

Very interesting

A little slow in parts, but interesting a cursory look at something not known by most people. Unsung heroes as most intelligent agencies.

[Matthew Sawasy]

Interesting read

[Katie]

An interesting book written by a Canadian born Mossad agent. As a young man, Michael Ross travelled to Israel on vacation and ended up falling in love with the country, converting to Judaism and marrying an Israeli woman. After serving in the Israeli army he was recruited by Mossad and carried out missions for them for years, as well as liasing with the US. Details regarding Israeli intelligence were omitted for obvious reasons but it's still an interesting read. It also serves as a reminder of why we are at war with militant Islam... seeing as Israel embodies everything that the Western world idealises, and has been targetted by extremist states for those values.

[Paul]

I really enoyed this. I tore through the first 80% in a few hours over the weekend...then I had to do things like 'go to work' and it took a few days longer to polish it off. Entertaining, well written (just the odd occasion of slight repetition), dramatic, and a fascinating subject.

[Charissa]

Seemed to drag a bit.

[Foxglove]

A perfect, brilliant, incredible and well written book, I enjoyed it so much. Very useful for a spy story research.

[Clyde]

This is a true story as I was interviewed by the same people.....but did not join up.