Autobiography: historical, political and military Books

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Book SynopsisOne night in the year 411/1021, the powerful ruler of the Fatimid empire, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, rode out of the southern gates of Cairo and was never seen again. Was the caliph murdered, or could he have decided to abandon his royal life, wandering off to live alone and anonymous? Whatever the truth, the fact was that al-Hakim had literally vanished into the desert. Yet al-Hakim, though shrouded in mystery, has never been forgotten. To the Druze, he was (and is) God, and his disappearance merely indicated his reversion to non-human form. For Ismailis, al-Hakim was the sixteenth imam, descended from the Prophet, and infallible. Jews and Christians, by contrast, long remembered him as their persecutor, who ordered the destruction of many of their synagogues and churches. Using all the tools of modern scholarship, Paul Walker offers the most balanced and engaging biography yet to be published of this endlessly fascinating individual.To some, al-Hakim was God incarnate, to others an infallible imam, to still others he was a capricious tyrant. This book examines myth and fact, document and opinion, to present the most complete and detailed history yet written of the life and times of one of the medieval Islamic world’s most controversial figures.Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgementsPart OneWriting the Biography of an EnigmaThe Father, the Dynasty, Childhood, and RegencyPart Twoal-Maqrizi’s Chronicle of the Middle YearsPart ThreeThe Institutions of His RuleFriends and RebelsSocial Reform and LegislationForeign AffairsPart FourThe Final Seven YearsAfterlife and EpilogueNotesBibliographyIndexMaps Mediterranean and Near East at the Time of al-HakimEgyptCairo--Fustat and Vicinity

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1844, these letters are the collected observations of Sophia Poole, who lived in Cairo from 1842 until 1849 with her brother, the well known Orientalist Edward Lane, and her two children. During her residence, Poole learned Arabic and adopted Egyptian clothing that enabled her not only to observe day-to-day life in the streets and markets but also to enter hammams and harems and interact on an intimate level with Egyptian women of different classes. Poole ultimately had access, in fact, to the highest levels of society, including the family of the viceroy Mohamed Ali Pasha, and recorded her experiences there with the same eye for detail and understanding of underlying customs as she brought to bear in the marketplace. She moves effortlessly from situation to situation-the pasha's daughter smoking her jewel-encrusted pipe, the homesick slave-girl, the occupation of ladies of leisure-one scene after another is unfolded in her writing that reveals not only a mind that observes and records but a human being who attempts to feel and understand a different culture.In contrast to her brother's dense works of research, Sophia Poole's was cast in the form of letters to a friend. These letters cover her arrival in Alexandria and trip up the Nile to Cairo, as well as her life in Cairo, with its visits to surrounding villages. The Englishwoman in Egypt is at once entertaining and informative. If Edward Lane kept alive for posterity a post-medieval Cairo that has since disappeared, then his sister in her work no doubt complemented that great achievement by presenting the same world from a feminine perspective that he as a man could not have access to.

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Book SynopsisThe son of a fighter pilot, raised in an air force barracks, Ahmed Aboul Gheit was privy to the confidential meetings, undisclosed memorandums, and battle secrets of Egyptian diplomacy for many decades. After a stint at military college, he began his career at the Egyptian embassy in Cyprus before later going on to become permanent representative to the United Nations and eventually, Egypt's minister of foreign affairs under Hosni Mubarak. In this fascinating memoir, Aboul Gheit looks back on the October War of 1973 and the diplomatic efforts that followed it, revealing the secrets of his long career for the first time. From Anwar Sadat's impassioned address to his cabinet on the eve of the war to delegations ripping out the walls and wiring at their respective hotels, from Jimmy Carter cycling through the bungalows at Camp David to U.S. State Department miscalculations, Aboul Gheit gives a lively and information-packed account of a turbulent time in Middle Eastern history. Specialists and armchair historians alike know that Egyptian state documents are never declassified. Virtually all available coverage of the 1967 and 1973 wars and subsequent diplomatic efforts comes from Israeli sources. To get an Arab perspective-from Nasser's military defeat in 1967, through the armed conflict of 1973, to the Oslo Accords and beyond-eyewitness testimony remains key. The recrimination-filled meeting of Arab League leaders in Cairo on the day of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Yitzhak Shamir's blunt admissions to his Arab counterparts in the 1991 Madrid conference, and more, are offered in the first-person perspective of one who has seen it all.Table of ContentsDedication Foreword Introduction Part One: Witness to War 1 Silent War, Secret War: 1968-73 2 Twenty-Four Decisive Hours in My Life with Hafiz Ismail 3 Egypt and the October Victory 4 American Assessments of the Situation 5 The Battle Approaches 6 The October War: Military and Diplomatic Efforts, Coordinated 7 Accepting the Ceasefire 8 The War's Final Week 9 The Post-Resolution 338 Crisis 10 Attempts to Extricate the Third Army 11 Kissinger and Reaping the Rewards 12 Back to the Decision to Go to War 13 The War's Objectives and Outcomes Part Two: Witness to Peace 14 Sadat's Visit to Jerusalem 15 The Mena House Conference 16 The Ismailiya Summit 17 The Political Committee and the Visit to Jerusalem 18 Israel's Arrogance 19 Attempts to Advance the Negotiations 20 Camp David I 21 Building Political Consensus Toward a Settlement 22 Leeds Castle 23 The Road to Camp David 24 Camp David II 25 The Egyptian and Palestinian Paths 26 The Madrid Conference 27 The Invasion of Kuwait, the Destruction of Iraq, and the Road to Madrid 28 Peace Talks Begin along All Paths 29 Oslo, Camp David, and Resolution 1515 30 Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisEric Rouleau was one of the most celebrated journalists of his generation, a status he owed to his extraordinary career, which began when Hubert Beuve-Méry, director of Le Monde, charged him with covering the Near and Middle East. In 1963, Rouleau was invited by Gamal Abd al-Nasser to interview him in Cairo, a move which was not lost on the young Rouleau—going through him, a young Egyptian Jew who had been exiled from Egypt in late 1951, shortly before the Free Officers coup, was a means to renew diplomatic ties with de Gaulle’s France. This exclusive interview, which immediately made headlines around the world, propelled Rouleau into the center of the region’s conflicts for two decades. Writing between Cairo and Jerusalem, Rouleau was a chief witness to the wars of 1967 and 1973, narrating their events from behind the scenes. He was to meet all the major players, including Nasser, Levi Ashkol, Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Yasser Arafat, Ariel Sharon, and Anwar Sadat, painting striking portraits of each. More than a memoir, his book presents a history, lived from the inside, of the Israel–Palestine conflict.Trade ReviewFor years, Eric Rouleau’s reporting and commentaries on the Middle East were an incomparable source of information, insight, and understanding. The appearance of the autobiography of this remarkable journalist, diplomat—and human being—is an event that many of those concerned with world affairs have been awaiting with eager anticipation. -- Noam ChomskyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Introduction 1. Gamal Abd al-Nasser 2. Egypt to the Egyptians 3. The Indispensable Torah 4. My Brother Ishmael 5. When “Prussians” Won over “Jews” 6. The Six-Hour War 7. The “Liberal Occupation” 8. The Survivor 9. Missing Peace 10. The End of an Era 11. "Denasserization” 12. War and Diplomacy 13. Lost Illusions 14. Update and Renewal 15. The Oslo Deadlock 16. Cassandra

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Book SynopsisThis book is a poignant story of a small-town boy, who stumbled into a lifelong flying career spanning 38 years as a pilot. Now at 99, Captain Ho Weng Toh, one of the last few remaining Flying Tigers, recalls the many events that shaped his life. It takes the readers through his journey of good and bad years, the trials and tribulations encountered, his journey from being a refugee student to becoming a Chinese Air Force B-25 bomber pilot, his will to live, the burning desire to contribute towards the WWII effort and his endurance of all the trials and hardships all alone and often in silent solitude.Captain Ho shares memories of his childhood days and his growing-up years in Ipoh, his family and important values imparted by his father, his wonderful friendship with his buddy of eight decades, Meng Seng and his romantic encounters.In 1941, while being a student in Hong Kong, Captain Ho witnessed bombs dropped by Japanese bombers which signalled the start of WWII — a war which not only altered the course of history but was a major turning point in his life. Its impact consequently shaped the course of his life.He encountered many trials and uncertainties during the war years. But beyond the dark clouds and thunder storms, there was new hope and adventure. He encountered new adventures in Singapore, where he used his flying experience to carve out an illustrious career. In 1951, he started flying for Malayan Airways, the predecessor of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Through his 30 years of flying career with SIA, he saw the Airline grow from a fledgling Airline of three DC-3s to a modern international Airline.His strong passion for people, sports and travel were hallmarks of his life which enabled him to live a long and fulfilling life. Having a deep appreciation of the importance of friendship, he values his friends dearly and often travels the globe to reconnect. Being keenly interested in people and world affairs, he is extremely aware of human needs and is ever concerned for people that comes his way, fighting for the underdogs, offering guidance and a little helping hand to those in need. Such qualities together with his flying experience has helped him successfully train and groom several generations of young local pilots who eventually had successful careers at SIA.Related Link(s)

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Book SynopsisThis book by a pioneer generation civil servant is a fascinating and an engaging account of Singapore's spectacular development from a sleepy backwater village to a first world State within a single generation and defying, in the process, all odds against its survival. This story is unique in many ways and starts right at the beginning when Singapore became a self-governing State in 1959, the same year the author entered the civil service. The author's involvement and participation in the detailed planning of pioneering policies, the strategies adopted and their implementation at the ground level by many front line ministries and institutions, in which he has served for more than four decades, have given him a unique hands-on experience and observations derived in working from the inside — in areas ranging from slum clearance to representing the State overseas. The story also details how the cooperation between an honest and visionary leadership and the citizenry created an effective professional, proactive and productive public administration, which excelled in service delivery at home, and enabled the State to punch above its weight globally, overcoming at the same time many political, economic and security challenges, amongst others, and always ever mindful that nothing in the scheme of things can be taken for granted. The success achieved and the many lessons learnt therefrom have universal application and had attracted global interest.The story is very well illustrated with compelling and illuminating insights and richly complemented by the author's anecdotal observations throughout.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a poignant story of a small-town boy, who stumbled into a lifelong flying career spanning 38 years as a pilot. Now at 99, Captain Ho Weng Toh, one of the last few remaining Flying Tigers, recalls the many events that shaped his life. It takes the readers through his journey of good and bad years, the trials and tribulations encountered, his journey from being a refugee student to becoming a Chinese Air Force B-25 bomber pilot, his will to live, the burning desire to contribute towards the WWII effort and his endurance of all the trials and hardships all alone and often in silent solitude.Captain Ho shares memories of his childhood days and his growing-up years in Ipoh, his family and important values imparted by his father, his wonderful friendship with his buddy of eight decades, Meng Seng and his romantic encounters.In 1941, while being a student in Hong Kong, Captain Ho witnessed bombs dropped by Japanese bombers which signalled the start of WWII — a war which not only altered the course of history but was a major turning point in his life. Its impact consequently shaped the course of his life.He encountered many trials and uncertainties during the war years. But beyond the dark clouds and thunder storms, there was new hope and adventure. He encountered new adventures in Singapore, where he used his flying experience to carve out an illustrious career. In 1951, he started flying for Malayan Airways, the predecessor of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Through his 30 years of flying career with SIA, he saw the Airline grow from a fledgling Airline of three DC-3s to a modern international Airline.His strong passion for people, sports and travel were hallmarks of his life which enabled him to live a long and fulfilling life. Having a deep appreciation of the importance of friendship, he values his friends dearly and often travels the globe to reconnect. Being keenly interested in people and world affairs, he is extremely aware of human needs and is ever concerned for people that comes his way, fighting for the underdogs, offering guidance and a little helping hand to those in need. Such qualities together with his flying experience has helped him successfully train and groom several generations of young local pilots who eventually had successful careers at SIA.Related Link(s)

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Book SynopsisSome did not expect him to last long as Prime Minister. Few predicted he would succeed in the footsteps of Lee Kuan Yew. When Goh Chok Tong took over as the second Prime Minister of Singapore in 1990, many - from within and without the country - wondered aloud if the young country would survive Lee Kuan Yew.But Goh would confound the naysayers, leading Singapore for 14 years through recessions, terrorist attacks, electoral setbacks and even a mysterious virus. Standing Tall captures the transformation of a political leader, evolving from a Prime Minister with a touch of naivety to a hard-nosed strategist. He would introduce some of the country's most controversial policies, including the foreign talent scheme and formula for ministerial salaries, while advancing a kinder and gentler Singapore with the likes of MediFund and Edusave.The unchartered post-Cold War world which Goh stepped into posed challenges to the new leader, yet he not only cemented but also expanded Singapore's global space and stature. Along the way, he overcame hurdles from Bill Clinton's administration, exchanged quips with Nelson Mandela, and even saved Li Peng from a possibly severe heart attack.This sequel is written by author and journalist Peh Shing Huei, who also penned . Through interviews and access to People's Action Party documents and Goh's notes, this authorised biography uncovers rare insights into Singapore politics. Standing Tall tells the untold story of the Goh Chok Tong years, as he continues with Singapore's transformation into a global city.

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Book SynopsisMore Than The Eye Can See tells the story of Gopinath Pillai, a Singaporean businessman and diplomat who served as Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to Iran (1989-2008) and High Commissioner to Pakistan (1994-2001). Alongside working with prominent members of Singapore's pioneering generation to strengthen the country's manufacturing profile and international trade during the Cold War, he broke into liberalising India as a trailblazing entrepreneur and contributed to the nation's public life as the first Chairman of NTUC Fairprice and Founder Chairman of the Institute of South Asian Studies.A self-described 'Jack of All Trades', Gopi's memoirs frame episodes of personal struggle against milestones in the progress of the nation. Born in Singapore to Malayalee parents in 1937, Gopi spent his early childhood in India throughout the Japanese Occupation, where he witnessed the Communist Movement in Kerala first-hand. When he returned to Singapore in 1946, Gopi grew up in a multi-racial society taking its fledgling steps as a democracy. His career took him all over — to Thailand and Malaysia as an economist and journalist and the Middle East and America as a manager — reflecting Singapore's early industrialisation and the pursuit of its values and interests abroad and at home.Co-written with John Vater, More Than The Eye Can See offers a panorama of a man and his century.

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Book SynopsisMore Than The Eye Can See tells the story of Gopinath Pillai, a Singaporean businessman and diplomat who served as Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to Iran (1989-2008) and High Commissioner to Pakistan (1994-2001). Alongside working with prominent members of Singapore's pioneering generation to strengthen the country's manufacturing profile and international trade during the Cold War, he broke into liberalising India as a trailblazing entrepreneur and contributed to the nation's public life as the first Chairman of NTUC Fairprice and Founder Chairman of the Institute of South Asian Studies.A self-described 'Jack of All Trades', Gopi's memoirs frame episodes of personal struggle against milestones in the progress of the nation. Born in Singapore to Malayalee parents in 1937, Gopi spent his early childhood in India throughout the Japanese Occupation, where he witnessed the Communist Movement in Kerala first-hand. When he returned to Singapore in 1946, Gopi grew up in a multi-racial society taking its fledgling steps as a democracy. His career took him all over — to Thailand and Malaysia as an economist and journalist and the Middle East and America as a manager — reflecting Singapore's early industrialisation and the pursuit of its values and interests abroad and at home.Co-written with John Vater, More Than The Eye Can See offers a panorama of a man and his century.

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword written by G *#x0027;t HooftIn the 1960s, Leipzig was the center of resistance in East Germany. Harald Fritzsch, then a physics student, contemplated escape. But before he left, he wanted to demonstrate to the government that they had gone too far when they destroyed St. Paul's Church in May 1968. He accomplished that by unrolling a protest transparency in spectacular fashion. Despite the great efforts of the secret police, the STASI, the government was unable to find out who was responsible for this act. Soon after, together with a friend, Fritzsch began his journey to Bulgaria in order to escape into Turkey by traversing the Black Sea in a folding canoe. This was a daredevil endeavor, never done before.In this book, Harald Fritzsch — now a world-renowned physicist — portrays in captivating detail an authentic picture of the East German regime and the events of the late 1960s. Today, 40 years later, he critically takes stock of the events since German reunification.Trade Review"This book is of historical importance. It describes the tensions created by a ruthless regime in a defenseless community, the feelings of helplessness as well as the resourcefulness of those who wanted to make a difference, and then had to escape under life-threatening conditions. No one at the time knew whether the tiny pinpricks of the protesters would help at all to bring about any change in a seemingly perpetual situation and whether the monolithic autocrats could maintain their communist rule forever. Indeed, only few could surmise that less than two decades would be needed to bring the cold war to an end. What happened should not be forgotten. Personal accounts such as the one here are real jewels."from the foreword by Gerard 't Hooft, Nobel laureate"Rarely if ever does a world-famous scientist write a page-turning thriller every word of which is true! ... This wonderful book is both a heartwarming tale and a historical testament."Sheldon GlashowNobel laureate"This book, written by my collaborator Harald Fritzsch, describes his escape from East Germany in 1968 and the events in Leipzig that forced him to leave. He had organized a protest movement against the destruction of the 700-year-old Pauliner church in Leipzig. ... Fritzsch's story is fascinating, significant, and well told."Murray Gell-MannNobel laureate"Fritzsch's book on his life in Leipzig and his escape to the West should be read by everybody, who is interested in the history of Germany in the twentieth century. The book looks like a criminal story, but it is a true story, written down after the fall of the Berlin wall."Helmut Kohlex-chancellor of GermanyTable of ContentsAutumn 1967; Rheinsberg; In the Bay of Danzig ? Summer of 1967; As a Scout in Bulgaria ? November of 1967; Spring in Prague; Destruction of the Church ? May 1967; Preparations and a Visit by the Secret Police; The Transparency; The Following Days; Farewell to Leipzig; At the Golden Beach; The Escape; Going Ashore at Igneada; Istanbul; The Years Thereafter; Back in East Germany; After the Fall of the Wall; Reflections in the Year 2004; The Leipzig Pauliner Society.

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Book SynopsisMy Journey in Politics: Practical Lessons in Leadership shares the author's journey in Singapore politics from 1991 to 2011. Tracing what he and different groups of people he worked with across the government ministries and agencies, grassroots organisations and charitable groups — both volunteers and staff — did together to make Singapore a better and safer place, it also shares his leadership style in action.

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Book SynopsisMy Journey in Politics: Practical Lessons in Leadership shares the author's journey in Singapore politics from 1991 to 2011. Tracing what he and different groups of people he worked with across the government ministries and agencies, grassroots organisations and charitable groups — both volunteers and staff — did together to make Singapore a better and safer place, it also shares his leadership style in action.

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Book SynopsisGoh Chok Tong was an improbable Prime Minister for an unlikely country. He had neither the connections nor the cunning to rise to the top, and was even once famously derided by his mentor Lee Kuan Yew for being 'wooden' in his communication skills. Except for an imposing height most unusual in this part of the world, he was an ordinary man. He lost his father at a young age, lived in a two-bedroom public flat with his mother and four siblings and needed a government bursary to complete university.Yet somehow he succeeded. Tall Order tells the extraordinary story of his life and career over half a century, revealing how Singapore's second Prime Minister rose through a combination of strength, wit and a political nous which many, including himself, did not know he had. In this first of two volumes, Goh navigated years of a challenging apprenticeship to Lee, scoring numerous policy successes but also suffering political blows and humiliation.He was the man who first made Neptune Orient Lines, Singapore's national carrier, profitable, before entering politics. The stellar corporate stint was followed by his many novel policies and institutions that have since become household names in the country: Medisave, Total Defence, Residents' Committee and Nominated Member of Parliament. But the highlights were counterposed by setbacks, including overseeing the People's Action Party's first electoral defeat after independence at the Anson by-election.In the hands of acclaimed author and journalist Peh Shing Huei, this authorised biography reveals the private deliberations and negotiations between Goh and Lee before the maiden leadership transfer of independent Singapore. Tall Order is the first biography of Goh. This riveting book offers rare insights into Singapore's biggest and most important political and economic stories. .Related Link(s)

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Book Synopsis“For the life of a diplomat is often a variation of routine boredom and exhilarating crises.”Maurice Baker is an academic and one of Singapore's pioneer diplomats. Growing up in colonial-governed Malaya and Singapore, his profound love for great literature works inspired him to obtain an honors in English from King's college, London in 1948 despite the cruelties faced during and after the Second World War. Baker's humble beginnings and political consciousness earned him the friendship and respect of many diplomats during his missions to India in 1967, Malaysia in 1969, Philippines in 1977 and back to Malaysia in 1980 before retiring from his career as a diplomat in 1988. Between his diplomatic missions, Baker returned to Singapore in 1972 to head the Department of English at the University of Singapore for five years.This is Baker's story of how he came to be The Accidental Diplomat. With occasional poems and a sense of humor, he candidly recounts the colourful romances of his life to his enriching encounters of diplomatic relations. His portrayals of admiration for great leaders and men paint a vivid picture of the qualities that guided his beliefs, proving that he was by no means an “Accidental Diplomat” in the eyes of others.Table of ContentsForeword by S R Nathan; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I: Cameron Highlands, Malaya; University College, Leicester and King's College, University of London; Return to Singapore; Part II: High Commissioner to India; High Commissioner to Malaysia and Return to Academia; Ambassador to the Republic of Philippines; Return to Malaysia; Retirement in Singapore;

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Book Synopsis“For the life of a diplomat is often a variation of routine boredom and exhilarating crises.”Maurice Baker is an academic and one of Singapore's pioneer diplomats. Growing up in colonial-governed Malaya and Singapore, his profound love for great literature works inspired him to obtain an honors in English from King's college, London in 1948 despite the cruelties faced during and after the Second World War. Baker's humble beginnings and political consciousness earned him the friendship and respect of many diplomats during his missions to India in 1967, Malaysia in 1969, Philippines in 1977 and back to Malaysia in 1980 before retiring from his career as a diplomat in 1988. Between his diplomatic missions, Baker returned to Singapore in 1972 to head the Department of English at the University of Singapore for five years.This is Baker's story of how he came to be The Accidental Diplomat. With occasional poems and a sense of humor, he candidly recounts the colourful romances of his life to his enriching encounters of diplomatic relations. His portrayals of admiration for great leaders and men paint a vivid picture of the qualities that guided his beliefs, proving that he was by no means an “Accidental Diplomat” in the eyes of others.Table of ContentsForeword by S R Nathan; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I: Cameron Highlands, Malaya; University College, Leicester and King's College, University of London; Return to Singapore; Part II: High Commissioner to India; High Commissioner to Malaysia and Return to Academia; Ambassador to the Republic of Philippines; Return to Malaysia; Retirement in Singapore;

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Book SynopsisGrowing Up in British Malaya and Singapore: A Time of Fireflies and Wild Guavas is an autobiography of Maurice Baker's life in Malaya and Singapore from the 1920s to the 1940s. His memoir extends from the earliest of childhood memories with his family and friends up to the defeat of the British during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore.Baker's recounts are often humorous and detailed with the help of rare photographs, preserved since his childhood. His love for poetry also seeps through the lines of vivid prose, sending the reader back to a simpler time where tigers still used to roam the jungles of Malaya and Singapore; where fireflies were as abundant as starlight, and wild guava trees stood tall.Table of ContentsForeword; Preface; Beginnings; School; The Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh; Boarding School; Lessons; School; Activities; Raffles College 1938-1941; Raffles College Teaching Staff; College Life; War in Europe; The Japanese Invasion; The Fall of Singapore; Homeward Bound; Glossary;

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Book SynopsisGrowing Up in British Malaya and Singapore: A Time of Fireflies and Wild Guavas is an autobiography of Maurice Baker's life in Malaya and Singapore from the 1920s to the 1940s. His memoir extends from the earliest of childhood memories with his family and friends up to the defeat of the British during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore.Baker's recounts are often humorous and detailed with the help of rare photographs, preserved since his childhood. His love for poetry also seeps through the lines of vivid prose, sending the reader back to a simpler time where tigers still used to roam the jungles of Malaya and Singapore; where fireflies were as abundant as starlight, and wild guava trees stood tall.Table of ContentsForeword; Preface; Beginnings; School; The Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh; Boarding School; Lessons; School; Activities; Raffles College 1938-1941; Raffles College Teaching Staff; College Life; War in Europe; The Japanese Invasion; The Fall of Singapore; Homeward Bound; Glossary;

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Book SynopsisA LA Times Bestseller“…[A] compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders. …” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen BassThis is the story of Zev Yaroslavsky, the son of Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States in the early 1920s. His memoir charts the journey of a young social activist who battled to free Soviet Jews before becoming one of the most consequential elected officials in Southern California. Fiercely independent, he combined an activist’s passion with a seasoned politician’s skill to challenge the region’s power brokers. He fought the Los Angeles Police Department’s excessive force and political spying policies, led the effort to ban local taxes from funding the 1984 Olympics, teamed with President Clinton to avert a catastrophic county bankruptcy, helped develop L.A.’s modern transit system, won a bruising battle with real estate interests to save the Santa Monica Mountains from rapacious development, and was pivotal in the development of Walt Disney Concert Hall and the modernization of the iconic Hollywood Bowl. “I may be part of the establishment,” he said on the day he was first sworn into office, “but the establishment is not part of me.” Trade Review“Zev’s Los Angeles is a compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders.Zev Yaroslavsky’s career in public service spanned Los Angeles’ emergence as a global city and some of its most trying times. His personal story is essential to understanding where our city is today, and where L.A. and the nation's cities are headed in the future. A must read for anyone curious about leadership and governing in changing and challenging times.” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass“In his upcoming memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky takes readers on an uplifting and inspiring journey of personal faith, public service, and the shaping of Los Angeles. The son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, his story is a quintessentially American one. From modest beginnings, Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark through his work on expanding health care, implementing innovative housing programs, and growing our city’s public transportation network. Zev gives readers an inside look into the life of one of the most empathic and effective leaders I’ve known, as well as insight into the challenges he overcame along the way. This memoir is for any reader looking for inspiration about their own ability to effect change in their community.”— U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)“Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power, the autobiography of, well, Zev, revisits the period in which Los Angeles became what we know today: big and complex, multiracial, exciting, divided and far deeper than what meets the eye. Zev Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark on L.A. over decades on the City Council and the Board of Supervisors, and his thoughtful reflections earn his memoir an honored place in the history he helped make and now helps to understand. … Aided by former Los Angeles Times writer Josh Getlin, Yaroslavsky manages the dual tales of his own life and the broader L.A. story. The result is satisfying at every level: a solid history, an insightful analysis of power and a sincere reflection on a life of service.”— Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times“In Yaroslavsky’s book… you surely learn a lot about local politics… But there’s another set of lessons embedded in this memoir, about what it looks like to animate one’s values and honor one’s heritage while engaged in the deeply transactional and often cynical day-to-day of politics. … The long arc of his career combines idealism, ethical behavior — in four decades, not a whiff of scandal — and service to the greater good, the community. … That is to say, Yaroslasvky, who retired in 2014, left the city far better than he found it. God knows there’s still a lot left for a new generation of politicians to do. They have a fine example to follow.”— Rob Eshman, The Forward“Los Angeles can be harder to understand than most big cities. … Move to Boston or New York, and those cities will teach you how to be a Bostonian or a New Yorker. Move to Los Angeles, and the metropolis will more or less lie there, unfurled and opaque, awaiting instructions. … The place doesn’t tend to define its people. The people, in the aggregate, define the place. How that works is the subject of a new book by Zev Yaroslavsky, who has been a Los Angeles civic leader for the last five decades. … The book… is billed as a political memoir, but it is also a history of the people and policies that have shaped the city.”— Shawn Hubler, New York Times (California Today)“Yaroslavsky—former City Councilman, now retired from the County Board of Supervisors—has written, with Josh Getlin, an account of his years in government that will impress the most jaded critic. … Yaroslavsky writes that he intended his book to be ‘a history as much as a memoir,’ and the result is a studied account, written with an evident eye on posterity. … Yaroslavsky has provided an engrossing account of a tumultuous era and the often-subterranean battles that have shaped the city of Los Angeles. He may even give the reader a new appreciation for the work of a politician.”— Kathleen Hayes, The Jewish Journal“Zev Yaroslavsky led a long and highly productive political career that deserves proper ink. His history is our history… I highly recommend Zev’s Los Angeles to anyone who cares about the future of Los Angeles, especially those considering getting into politics or public service. … Zev’s book gives the reader an insider’s look at all Zev helped get done while in office. It’s a rather remarkable list, really. While reading this book, you will feel like you are right there in the meetings with him as he dashed about, pulling every lever of power he could in pursuit of a good cause. … Public policy can be dry, boring, and wonky. This book is anything but.”— Jeff Hall, Brentwood News“The son of Ukrainian immigrants turned one of the most important politicians in post-World War II Los Angeles walks readers through his life and career with anecdotes and asides in a style that’s just like him — plain-spoken, insightful, confident and crusading.”— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times (California Column)“Zev's Los Angeles is a peerless guide to the history, politics, and culture of the City of Angels. No one knows L.A. better. And no one conveys it in precisely this way—spellbinding, unvarnished, and yet elegant. It reads as if Zev were doing what he does best--holding court with that mix of photographic recall, a penchant for the piquant, the unmistakable no-nonsense style, and the staggering command of policy. This book is, at once, the story of one man's undying commitment to his city, a brilliant and revealing biography of LA, and a first-class primer on how to forge good governance at the local level. It should be of interest to all who are interested in how a city works—and how it should work.”— David Myers, Distinguished Professor and Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, University of California, Los Angeles“Politicians often avoid risk until they are forced to do the right thing. Not Zev. With little political upside, he aggressively stood up for all civil rights, stared down LAPD bullies, and championed women’s rights. Throughout his 40-year career, he wielded political power not for himself, but to right wrongs. He passionately lived up to his oath of office—to faithfully protect and defend the Constitution. He has earned my respect and my friendship.”— Connie Rice, Civil Rights Lawyer, Author of Power Concedes Nothing“Zev Yaroslavsky will be remembered as one of L.A.’s most consequential public officials. He played a central role in nearly every major public policy from his upset 1975 council election in 1975 to his retirement as a county supervisor in 2014. This remarkable political autobiography offers one person’s journey through L.A.’s modern history. With acute perceptions, deep feeling, and detailed insider recollections of the key players and dramas, Yaroslavsky takes the reader from his family roots in the Russia empire to the swirling multiethnic and radical politics of Boyle Heights, to his efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry, to navigating the changing L.A. political scene through massive crises. In so doing, Yaroslavsky links his own story to the larger L.A. narrative. The book stands as an invaluable resource for students of public service in troubled times, and for those who hope to understand this complicated, ever-hopeful, and diverse region.”— Raphael J. Sonenshein, Executive Director, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, California State University, Los Angeles “Zev’s Los Angeles… works precisely because, like Zev, the tone is earnest. Over a long career of working through the endless bureaucracy that characterizes local politics, not to mention having to weather complaints from all sides of the Jewish community, Zev never lost sight of his dedication to serve the public good. … In this sea of cynicism, Zev has offered us a testament to the power of earnestness, a power rooted in one of our most precious resources: trust. … The key lesson I gleaned from Zev’s book is that you can be hip and cool and the world’s greatest schmoozer, but if you really want to accomplish good stuff in life, it’s best to be earnest. … It may even get people to like you.” — David Suissa, Jewish Journal (Editor's Note)“In this compelling memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky chronicles Los Angeles’ evolution into one of the world’s great cultural capitals and his role in that transformation. From Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, to the L.A. Opera, to the region’s museums and more—his influence in expanding L.A.’s cultural footprint is a remarkable legacy. I have been privileged to share many of the challenges and exciting moments in that history.”— James Conlon, Music Director, Los Angeles Opera, International Conductor“At a time of highly polarized, partisan politics, Zev Yaroslavsky’s memoir offers an insightful and very personal view of an era when Los Angeles leaders came together to tackle the most difficult issues facing the region, from police accountability and preserving green space, to protecting the region’s fragile safety net and expanding accessibility to the arts. Zev's Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power is required reading for students of leadership and government, and aspiring policymakers on what it takes to be an effective, issue-oriented leader.”— Miguel Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation“[This] book is an informative recollection that anyone familiar with the local political scene for the past fifty years will find fascinating reading that reminds [readers] of the evolution of [the] city and takes [them] behind the scenes in City Hall, the County Hall of Administration and other seats of power. In Yaroslavsky’s case, he consistently used his increasing power for the public good.” — John Welborne, Larchmont Chronicle“Zev’s Los Angeles… is a fascinating book covering the extraordinary public service of an unlikely young activist whose unlikely election to the Los Angeles City Council in 1975 coincided with the transformation of Los Angeles into [a] major metropolis.So much has changed in the city over the past four decades, it’s hard to appreciate what it was like. Fortunately, Yaroslavsky invites you in, sits you down, and gives you the whole story.” — Patricia Lombard, Larchmont Buzz“Political memoirs generally fall into at least one of two categories, boasting or tattling—the first motivated by vanity, the second by revenge.Zev’s Los Angeles, subtitled ‘From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,’ falls into a third category: teaching, motivated instead by the desire to impart knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Also, maybe ‘inspiring,’ as in encouraging young people to consider politics and elective office as an admirable and productive career choice.” — Joel Bellman, The Canyon Chronicle“I have watched Zev work but until I read this memoir, I had no idea of the scope of his activism and the impact he has had on so many areas… [I]t is a fabulous and exciting read… personal, political in the best sense of its meaning, and a veritable history of the city over the past 100 years. … Zev’s intellect and curiosity are contagious, and his passion for everything decent and good is the mark of the man. Those virtues are revealed on every page of this memoir. I urge you to read it.”— John L. Rosove, The Times of Israel (Blog)Table of Contents“I Will Love You Forever, if You Let Me”: A Dedication to Barbara Edelston Yaroslavsky (1947-2018)Introduction1. Roots of a Legacy: Shimon Soloveichik2. My Parents: Minna and David3. The Sandman Awakens4. Coming of Age5. The Walls Have Ears6. “Why Zev?”7. Be Indispensable to Your Constituents8. The Taxpayer and Renter Revolt9. The Untold Story of the 1984 Olympics10. Taking on the LAPD11. Big Money and the Battle to Preserve Neighborhoods 12. The Mayor’s Race That Never Was13. Sudden Change14. Designed Not to Govern15. The Crisis That Nearly Bankrupted the County16. The Transit Revolution17. Arts and Culture: Los Angeles’ Golden Age18. God Isn’t Making Mountains Anymore19. Confronting the Homeless Crisis20. Tragedy and Resurrection at MLK Hospital21. Every Cause Needs a Champion22. Witness to History 23. Who Could Have Imagined? Epilogue Index

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Book SynopsisA LA Times Bestseller“…[A] compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders. …”— Los Angeles Mayor Karen BassThis is the story of Zev Yaroslavsky, the son of Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States in the early 1920s. His memoir charts the journey of a young social activist who battled to free Soviet Jews before becoming one of the most consequential elected officials in Southern California. Fiercely independent, he combined an activist’s passion with a seasoned politician’s skill to challenge the region’s power brokers. He fought the Los Angeles Police Department’s excessive force and political spying policies, led the effort to ban local taxes from funding the 1984 Olympics, teamed with President Clinton to avert a catastrophic county bankruptcy, helped develop L.A.’s modern transit system, won a bruising battle with real estate interests to save the Santa Monica Mountains from rapacious development, and was pivotal in the development of Walt Disney Concert Hall and the modernization of the iconic Hollywood Bowl. “I may be part of the establishment,” he said on the day he was first sworn into office, “but the establishment is not part of me.” Trade Review“In his upcoming memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky takes readers on an uplifting and inspiring journey of personal faith, public service, and the shaping of Los Angeles. The son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, his story is a quintessentially American one. From modest beginnings, Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark through his work on expanding health care, implementing innovative housing programs, and growing our city’s public transportation network. Zev gives readers an inside look into the life of one of the most empathic and effective leaders I’ve known, as well as insight into the challenges he overcame along the way. This memoir is for any reader looking for inspiration about their own ability to effect change in their community.”— U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)“Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power, the autobiography of, well, Zev, revisits the period in which Los Angeles became what we know today: big and complex, multiracial, exciting, divided and far deeper than what meets the eye. Zev Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark on L.A. over decades on the City Council and the Board of Supervisors, and his thoughtful reflections earn his memoir an honored place in the history he helped make and now helps to understand. … Aided by former Los Angeles Times writer Josh Getlin, Yaroslavsky manages the dual tales of his own life and the broader L.A. story. The result is satisfying at every level: a solid history, an insightful analysis of power and a sincere reflection on a life of service.”— Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times“In Yaroslavsky’s book… you surely learn a lot about local politics… But there’s another set of lessons embedded in this memoir, about what it looks like to animate one’s values and honor one’s heritage while engaged in the deeply transactional and often cynical day-to-day of politics. … The long arc of his career combines idealism, ethical behavior — in four decades, not a whiff of scandal — and service to the greater good, the community. … That is to say, Yaroslasvky, who retired in 2014, left the city far better than he found it. God knows there’s still a lot left for a new generation of politicians to do. They have a fine example to follow.”— Rob Eshman, The Forward“Los Angeles can be harder to understand than most big cities. … Move to Boston or New York, and those cities will teach you how to be a Bostonian or a New Yorker. Move to Los Angeles, and the metropolis will more or less lie there, unfurled and opaque, awaiting instructions. … The place doesn’t tend to define its people. The people, in the aggregate, define the place. How that works is the subject of a new book by Zev Yaroslavsky, who has been a Los Angeles civic leader for the last five decades. … The book… is billed as a political memoir, but it is also a history of the people and policies that have shaped the city.”— Shawn Hubler, New York Times (California Today)“Yaroslavsky—former City Councilman, now retired from the County Board of Supervisors—has written, with Josh Getlin, an account of his years in government that will impress the most jaded critic. … Yaroslavsky writes that he intended his book to be ‘a history as much as a memoir,’ and the result is a studied account, written with an evident eye on posterity. … Yaroslavsky has provided an engrossing account of a tumultuous era and the often-subterranean battles that have shaped the city of Los Angeles. He may even give the reader a new appreciation for the work of a politician.”— Kathleen Hayes, The Jewish Journal“Zev Yaroslavsky led a long and highly productive political career that deserves proper ink. His history is our history… I highly recommend Zev’s Los Angeles to anyone who cares about the future of Los Angeles, especially those considering getting into politics or public service. … Zev’s book gives the reader an insider’s look at all Zev helped get done while in office. It’s a rather remarkable list, really. While reading this book, you will feel like you are right there in the meetings with him as he dashed about, pulling every lever of power he could in pursuit of a good cause. … Public policy can be dry, boring, and wonky. This book is anything but.”— Jeff Hall, Brentwood News“The son of Ukrainian immigrants turned one of the most important politicians in post-World War II Los Angeles walks readers through his life and career with anecdotes and asides in a style that’s just like him — plain-spoken, insightful, confident and crusading.”— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times (California Column)“In this compelling memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky chronicles Los Angeles’ evolution into one of the world’s great cultural capitals and his role in that transformation. From Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, to the L.A. Opera, to the region’s museums and more—his influence in expanding L.A.’s cultural footprint is a remarkable legacy. I have been privileged to share many of the challenges and exciting moments in that history.”— James Conlon, Music Director, Los Angeles Opera, International Conductor“Zev’s Los Angeles is a compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders.Zev Yaroslavsky’s career in public service spanned Los Angeles’ emergence as a global city and some of its most trying times. His personal story is essential to understanding where our city is today, and where L.A. and the nation's cities are headed in the future. A must read for anyone curious about leadership and governing in changing and challenging times.” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass“At a time of highly polarized, partisan politics, Zev Yaroslavsky’s memoir offers an insightful and very personal view of an era when Los Angeles leaders came together to tackle the most difficult issues facing the region, from police accountability and preserving green space, to protecting the region’s fragile safety net and expanding accessibility to the arts. Zev's Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power is required reading for students of leadership and government, and aspiring policymakers on what it takes to be an effective, issue-oriented leader.”— Miguel Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation“Politicians often avoid risk until they are forced to do the right thing. Not Zev. With little political upside, he aggressively stood up for all civil rights, stared down LAPD bullies, and championed women’s rights. Throughout his 40-year career, he wielded political power not for himself, but to right wrongs. He passionately lived up to his oath of office—to faithfully protect and defend the Constitution. He has earned my respect and my friendship.”— Connie Rice, Civil Rights Lawyer, Author of Power Concedes Nothing“Zev's Los Angeles is a peerless guide to the history, politics, and culture of the City of Angels. No one knows L.A. better. And no one conveys it in precisely this way—spellbinding, unvarnished, and yet elegant. It reads as if Zev were doing what he does best--holding court with that mix of photographic recall, a penchant for the piquant, the unmistakable no-nonsense style, and the staggering command of policy. This book is, at once, the story of one man's undying commitment to his city, a brilliant and revealing biography of L.A., and a first-class primer on how to forge good governance at the local level. It should be of interest to all who are interested in how a city works—and how it should work.”— David Myers, Distinguished Professor and Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, University of California, Los Angeles“Zev Yaroslavsky will be remembered as one of L.A.’s most consequential public officials. He played a central role in nearly every major public policy from his upset 1975 council election in 1975 to his retirement as a county supervisor in 2014. This remarkable political autobiography offers one person’s journey through L.A.’s modern history. With acute perceptions, deep feeling, and detailed insider recollections of the key players and dramas, Yaroslavsky takes the reader from his family roots in the Russia empire to the swirling multiethnic and radical politics of Boyle Heights, to his efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry, to navigating the changing L.A. political scene through massive crises. In so doing, Yaroslavsky links his own story to the larger L.A. narrative. The book stands as an invaluable resource for students of public service in troubled times, and for those who hope to understand this complicated, ever-hopeful, and diverse region.”— Raphael J. Sonenshein, Executive Director, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, California State University, Los Angeles “Zev’s Los Angeles… works precisely because, like Zev, the tone is earnest. Over a long career of working through the endless bureaucracy that characterizes local politics, not to mention having to weather complaints from all sides of the Jewish community, Zev never lost sight of his dedication to serve the public good. … In this sea of cynicism, Zev has offered us a testament to the power of earnestness, a power rooted in one of our most precious resources: trust. … The key lesson I gleaned from Zev’s book is that you can be hip and cool and the world’s greatest schmoozer, but if you really want to accomplish good stuff in life, it’s best to be earnest. … It may even get people to like you.” — David Suissa, Jewish Journal (Editor's Note)“[This] book is an informative recollection that anyone familiar with the local political scene for the past fifty years will find fascinating reading that reminds [readers] of the evolution of [the] city and takes [them] behind the scenes in City Hall, the County Hall of Administration and other seats of power. In Yaroslavsky’s case, he consistently used his increasing power for the public good.” — John Welborne, Larchmont Chronicle“Zev’s Los Angeles… is a fascinating book covering the extraordinary public service of an unlikely young activist whose unlikely election to the Los Angeles City Council in 1975 coincided with the transformation of Los Angeles into [a] major metropolis.So much has changed in the city over the past four decades, it’s hard to appreciate what it was like. Fortunately, Yaroslavsky invites you in, sits you down, and gives you the whole story.” — Patricia Lombard, Larchmont Buzz“Political memoirs generally fall into at least one of two categories, boasting or tattling—the first motivated by vanity, the second by revenge.Zev’s Los Angeles, subtitled ‘From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,’ falls into a third category: teaching, motivated instead by the desire to impart knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Also, maybe ‘inspiring,’ as in encouraging young people to consider politics and elective office as an admirable and productive career choice.” — Joel Bellman, The Canyon Chronicle“I have watched Zev work but until I read this memoir, I had no idea of the scope of his activism and the impact he has had on so many areas… [I]t is a fabulous and exciting read… personal, political in the best sense of its meaning, and a veritable history of the city over the past 100 years. … Zev’s intellect and curiosity are contagious, and his passion for everything decent and good is the mark of the man. Those virtues are revealed on every page of this memoir. I urge you to read it.”— John L. Rosove, The Times of Israel (Blog)Table of Contents“I Will Love You Forever, if You Let Me”: A Dedication to Barbara Edelston Yaroslavsky (1947-2018)Introduction1. Roots of a Legacy: Shimon Soloveichik2. My Parents: Minna and David3. The Sandman Awakens4. Coming of Age5. The Walls Have Ears6. “Why Zev?”7. Be Indispensable to Your Constituents8. The Taxpayer and Renter Revolt9. The Untold Story of the 1984 Olympics10. Taking on the LAPD11. Big Money and the Battle to Preserve Neighborhoods 12. The Mayor’s Race That Never Was13. Sudden Change14. Designed Not to Govern15. The Crisis That Nearly Bankrupted the County16. The Transit Revolution17. Arts and Culture: Los Angeles’ Golden Age18. God Isn’t Making Mountains Anymore19. Confronting the Homeless Crisis20. Tragedy and Resurrection at MLK Hospital21. Every Cause Needs a Champion22. Witness to History 23. Who Could Have Imagined? Epilogue Index

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