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2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Aaronsohn's maps by Patricia Goldstone Dec 30, 2007
It is rare to have the pleasure of reading a serious work of scholarship which excites the imagination as well as informing the intellect. Patricia Goldstone has done an enormous amount of work in digging out the facts about a little-known figure who in the early part of the 20th century set out to map the water resources of Palestine and neighboring territories. The subtitle of her book: "The untold story of the man who might have created peace in the Middle East" makes her thesis clear: if Aaron Aaronsohn's advice had been accepted the continuing Israeli/Palestinian conflict might have been averted.
In documenting Aaronsohn's life and work Ms. Goldstone has dug deep in archives, which have also revealed the story of Aaronsohn's unbelievably brave sister Sarah, who before her early tragic death after torture at the hands of the Turks, may have been the lover of another much discussed player in the Middle East, T. E. Lawrence.
Without ever over-pressing her case for her new interpretation of their intertwined lives and with scrupulous attention to the surviving documents, Ms Goldstone vividly transports us into a world of spies, betrayals, and heartfelt devotion to a cause that holds our attention, while raising new questions about a much-disputed series of events in Middle East history.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
pearls Oct 31, 2007
Pearls don't live in shallow waters and this author really dove deep to get the historical story to the surface. It really is a necklace of creative and powerful events... a treasure trove of adventure and political manipulation. Goldstone smartly sets the fiery events up on page two, stating that Aaaronsohn was the product of big events and big changes. And...WHAM!...the adventure begins. "If we fail", Aaronsohn states "we alone shall suffer". And that's exactly what happens...and we are now living with the results. Of course we have the war which exposes all kinds of political foolishness as well as deft triumphs by the power players of the era. I especially enjoyed the fact that Aaronsohn really got Churchills guts in an uproar. I'm sure some of the basic truths are going to really upset a few...but...so what...the truth is often hard to swallow. I guess that's what I really enjoyed the most. See for yourself. When you're finished think about what the middle east might be now if only half of Aaronsohn's work and vision became reality. Adios. Enjoy.
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Historical look at one man's life Oct 15, 2007
Goldstone chronicles the life of Aaron Aaronsohn, who carved careers in science, diplomacy and espionage. Furthermore, Aaronsohn does not conform to the standard "Jewish molds" of his era. His numerous and disparate accomplishments and his unique world perspective make his biographer's task all the more challenging. Goldstone says that some of the information was denied to her as it is still classified - complicating her task.
Goldstone's Aaronsohn was a refugee whose parents moved from Romania to Palestine (which was then under Ottoman rule) when he was six. While he was spiritual, he was not particularly religious. He was more liberal - and certainly more tolerant - than most of his fellow Jews. His vision of Palestine was a Jewish state in which Jews and Arabs co-existed. His Palestine would be a Jewish state with adequate civic and political spaces for other groups. Hence, citizens (Jewish or others) would strive for common secular goals. His vision of a state has striking similarities to the Ottoman model of governance.
As a surveyor, agronomist, and hydrologist, he discovered a new variety of wheat, understood farming and compiled detailed maps of water sources in the Middle East. He then used his knowledge to map the boundaries of Palestine based on geographical realities and economic needs. However representatives of Britain and France, who ultimately drew political boundaries, had other considerations. His political career was less spectacular than his scientific one. His religious views fueled his nationalistic passion, and for this cause he sacrificed his life and more.
One may question Goldstone's version of Aaronsohn's life, its historical importance, and its influence on Israeli-Palestinian politics today. However, Goldstone writes a compelling story and should be credited for writing about a less known (but important) figure like Aaronsohn. In the coming years more about Aaronsohn will enter the public domain as it becomes declassified. As additional historical evidence becomes available, and as other interpretations of Aaronsohn's life appear, a different Aaronsohn may emerge. As there is precious little about him outside the specialized literature, it is hoped that Goldstone's contribution will help spur additional work on Aaronshon and Middle Eastern history.
Armchair Interviews says: Unique look at one important man.
19 of 21 found the following review helpful:
 Aaronsohn's memory besmirched Sep 07, 2007
Aaronson's Maps" is a misleading and confusing book. It claims to be a biography of an unsung hero of the Zionist revolution in the Land of Israel - Aaron Aaronsohn. A brilliant and versatile man, he won worldwide fame as a discoverer of wild wheat. During WWI, convinced that the British victory over the Turkish army was vital for the Jewish future in Palestine, Aaronsohn organized the NILI group, a spy ring which provided the British army with important information facilitating British victory over the Turks. In 1919 Aaronson joined the Zionist delegation to the Paris Peace Conference where the case for Jewish independence in Palestine was presented to "The Big Four". He died in a plane crash on his way to Paris to present maps of the future Jewish state. His arguments, used by the Zionist delegation, convinced the world that Palestine had enough water resources to sustain large Jewish and Arabs communities. Unfortunately, "Aaronsohn's maps" fails the memory of Aaronsohn and lets down many in Israel who sincerely cooperated with Patricia Goldstone providing her with documents about Aaronsohn and the NILI group. The author, not being a professional historian, displays a cavalier attitude toward historical facts. She reshuffles them with dexterity of a gossip columnist ill-prepared to deal with complex historical situations. The heroic image of Aaronsohn is besmirched by unfounded conclusions. His dreams and ideas of the Jewish revival in the Land of Israel are corrupted by insinuations of Zionist intrigues which allegedly precipitated WWI in Europe and, later, the intervention of the USA in that war. Goldstone fails to present her main claim that Aaronsohn is "a man who might have created peace in the Middle East". Instead she is rehashing the current events in the Middle East trying to prove that the wars between Arabs and Jews are about sharing water resources, not about the attempts of Islam to eliminate the state of Israel. The reader who is interested in an intellectually honest book on Aaronsohn and his times should read "Lawrence and Aaronsohn" - a compelling account written by professional historian Ronald Florence.
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