[.uk] Imagining Zion: Dreams, Designs, and Realities in a ...

Superb. A sweeping study of Zionist settlement of Palestine:
This is a superb book. A sweeping study of the Zionist settlement of Palestine from the late nineteenth century to our own time, it analyzes the ideological, pragmatic, and ultimately strategic concerns that shaped the nature of Jewish communities in the State of Israel as well as the pre-state period. It succeeds in integrating the story of the building of Israel--from the kibbutz to Tel Aviv to development towns--within the context of urban and rural development in the modern western world.

One of the finest books on Zionist ideology:
"Among all the books on the subject of Zionist economic/security ideology, this is one of the finest I have ever read. Its research is vast, its approach is fresh and original, its conclusions are sound."--Howard M. Sachar, author of A History of Israel "Prof. Troen confronts questions that stand at the heart of Israel's self-understanding. His answers will surely arouse controversy, but the questions he poses must be faced."--David Engel, New York University "This is the only comprehensive history of Zionist and Israeli settlement available in English. Troen's focus on Zionism's developmental ethos and its realization yields an important contribution to a field dominated by high politics and military affairs."--Derek J. Penslar, Zacks Professor of History; Director, Jewish Studies Program, University of Toronto "This is a superb book. A sweeping study of the Zionist settlement of Palestine from the late nineteenth century to our own time, it analyzes the ideological, pragmatic, and ultimately strategic concerns that shaped the nature of Jewish communities in the State of Israel as well as the pre-state period. It succeeds in integrating the story of the building of Israel--from the kibbutz to Tel Aviv to development towns--within the context of urban and rural development in the modern western world."--Paula Hyman, Yale University "Ilan Troen's Imagining Zion may well be the very most important book to appear in many years on patterns of Jewish settlement in Palestine/Israel. At a time when much discussion is devoted to Jewish settlement and, related to that, the very legitimacy of the Zionist enterprise in the Land of Israel, Troen's balanced and highly informative book is a must read. Thoroughly researched, lucidly written, and informed by an intimate familiarity with comparative materials (the author was an urban historian of the United States before switching to the history of the Yishuv), this book serves as a much needed corrective to the spate of essays that have recently appeared lining the modern state of Israel in most superficial ways to so-called settler states such as French Algeria and South Africa. In telling the compelling story of Zionist achievement, the author never loses sight of how the Jewish community in the Land of Israel envisioned the master plan of Zionist development and also took into consideration its impact on the indigenous Arab population. This highly nuanced and extremely informative book should attract audiences drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines. It is not only very timely, it has the virtue of being written in very accessible prose."--Jacob Lassner, Northwestern University (author of The Middle East Remembered: Forged Identities, Competing Narratives, Contested Spaces)

An important contribution to a field dominated by politics.:
This is the only comprehensive history of Zionist and Israeli settlement available in English. Troen's focus on Zionism's developmental ethos and its realization yields an important contribution to a field dominated by high politics and military affairs.

The questions posed must be faced...:
Prof. Troen confronts questions that stand at the heart of Israel's self-understanding. His answers will surely arouse controversy, but the questions he poses must be faced.

Essential reading on Jewish settlement in Palestine/Israel:
Ilan Troen's Imagining Zion may well be the very most important book to appear in many years on patterns of Jewish settlement in Palestine/Israel. At a time when much discussion is devoted to Jewish settlement and, related to that, the very legitimacy of the Zionist enterprise in the Land of Israel, Troen's balanced and highly informative book is a must read. Thoroughly researched, lucidly written, and informed by an intimate familiarity with comparative materials (the author was an urban historian of the United States before switching to the history of the Yishuv), this book serves as a much needed corrective to the spate of essays that have recently appeared lining the modern state of Israel in most superficial ways to so-called settler states such as French Algeria and South Africa. In telling the compelling story of Zionist achievement, the author never loses sight of how the Jewish community in the Land of Israel envisioned the master plan of Zionist development and also took into consideration its impact on the indigenous Arab population. This highly nuanced and extremely informative book should attract audiences drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines. It is not only very timely, it has the virtue of being written in very accessible prose.