For those of you who would like to get to know Israel through literature, we suggest picking up a book or two from the following list. 

Alex: Building a Life - Alex Singer
The story of an American who fell defending Israel.  To learn more about Alex and his story, please visit the website of the Alex Singer Project.

Aliya: Three Generations of American-Jewish Immigration to Israel - Liel Leibovitz
"With a keen writer's eye and unfeigned passion for his subject, Leibovitz explores the fears, hopes, and dreams of the American-Jewish immigrants to Israel and the journey they undertook, a journey that lies at the very heart of what it means to be a Jew."

The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Its History in Maps - Martin Gilbert
A visual history with maps.

The Bible
A vast number of translations exist; amongst the most readable and informative is the Jewish Study Bible, featuring the Jewish Publication Society's new Tanakh translation.

Exodus - Leon Uris
A riveting story about Israel's War of Independence in 1948.

From Beirut to Jerusalem - Thomas L. Friedman
The book chronicles Friedman's days as a reporter in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War and his journey in 1984 from Beirut to Jerusalem to cover unfolding events. 

History of Israel - Howard M. Sachar, v.1 1976, v.2
A history of the modern state.

In the Land of Israel - Amoz Oz
Israel's celebrated novelist Amoz Oz traveled throughout his country, recording its history as spoken by its inhabitants.

The Israelis: Founders and Sons - Amos Elon

The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land - Donna Rosenthal
"Interweaving hundreds of personal stories with intriguing new research, The Israelis presents the country the way its own people see it. Lively, irreverent, and always fascinating, it's one of the most original books about Israel in decades."

My Life - Golda Meir
The former Prime Minister's autobiography about her journey to Israel and her ascent through the ranks of the government.

O Jerusalem - Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre
A minute by minute history of the struggle for Jerusalem and the State of Israel.

Poems of Jerusalem - Yehuda Amichai
The treasures and conflicts of Jerusalem as related by the city's poet laureate.

The Source - James Michener
A fictionalized history of Israel from ancient times through the 20th century.

The Zionist Idea - Arthur Hertzberg
A historical narrative and anthology. Hertzberg's introduction is considered to be unsurpassed.

1949, The First Israelis -Tom Segev
Reveals the lofty aspirations that guided the state's leaders as well as the darker side of the Zionist utopia.