May 15, 2016
A detailed biography of Ashraf Marwan (1944-2007), an Egyptian national and Israel's most vital informant. According to Bar-Joseph (Political Science/Univ. of Haifa; The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise of Yom Kippur and Its Sources, 2005, etc.), Marwan was an ordinary man with grand ambitions. His frustration with Egyptian politics led him to contact Mossad, Israel's intelligence network. What is surprising is how early this occurs in the book. In the first chapter, the author covers his parentage, youth, marriage to President Gamal Abdel Nasser's daughter, and daring decision to betray his own government. Equally surprising is how difficult this process was, given the complex Cold War landscape; at first, his plea was ignored. In order to explain this landscape to his readers, Bar-Joseph dedicates much of the book to the bellicose relationship between Egypt and Israel, spotlighting the importance of Marwan's espionage. As Mossad director Zvi Zamir once put it, Marwan was "the greatest source we ever had." The most intriguing part of the book is the third act, when Marwan is slowly unmasked. Without a doubt, he helped save innumerable Israeli lives, but he is also described as an egotist and thrill-seeker, and he was clearly paid well for his services. Early on, Bar-Joseph addresses the big question: why he would do something so dangerous and unpatriotic. "His behavior included a need for stimulus, which often drives people to take risks, whether physical or emotional," he writes. "Some people take up rock climbing, skydiving, or bungee jumping. But Marwan was not drawn to the sporting life; instead he indulged in both gambling and, later, in unsavory business deals; or in taking needless risks in his contacts with the Israelis." The author writes from an Israeli perspective, but he shows great empathy for a man who was in turn respected, reviled, and almost certainly murdered. Well-researched and candidly told, this book deserves shelf space next to volumes on Vladimir Vetrov and Kim Philby.

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June 1, 2016

Israeli University of Haifa political science professor, author (The Watchman Fell Asleep), and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence analyst Bar-Joseph presents the history of the rise, clandestine exploits, immense success, and eventual fall (from the balcony of his fifth floor London apartment in 2007) of Ashraf Marwan. Marwan was the son-in-law to former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, adviser to Anwar Sadat, and agent for the Israeli Mossad in the critical era of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. This book, one of several written about Marwan in the past dozen years, establishes beyond doubt that Marwan was the spy who most benefitted Israel in the 1970s and 1980s, and not a double agent, as contended by his family and Egyptian defenders. Bar-Joseph also demonstrates that the Israeli military was caught by surprise on Yom Kippur in 1973 owing to their inability to believe and act effectively on what Marwan clearly reported to them, and that Eli Zeira, the then-head of IDF military intelligence, was responsible both for that intelligence failure and the much later exposure of Marwan as a spy. VERDICT This work will be of great interest to readers trying to understand the byzantine world of international intelligence as it affects Israel.--Joel Neuberg, Santa Rosa Junior Coll. Lib., CA

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Trenchant, serpentine.... Packed with jaw-dropping and intimate details.... Bar-Joseph has done a laudable job of synthesizing the voluminous Israeli government information about Marwan, always keeping his eye for some of the outrageous—even absurd—turns of events in a high stakes drama." — New York Times Book Review

"A trenchant account of the career of a master spy." — New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

"A trenchant, serpentine account of the career of the Yom Kippur mole." — New York Times Book Review, "9 Thrillers (One True) That Times Editors Think You Should Read This Summer"

"Uri Bar-Joseph, a political science professor at the University of Haifa and an expert on Israeli intelligence, has written a fast-paced narrative that rivals the best spy fiction. The critical difference is that the story is real." — San Francisco Gate

"This is the best spy story I've ever read—and it's all true. Uri Bar-Joseph weaves a suspenseful tale of the dangerous life—and mysterious death—of a spy who did nothing less than change the course of history in the Middle East. You won't be able to put it down." — Howard Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Goodnight and Dark Invasion

"Eye-opening.... A lucid and compelling glimpse into the world of espionage and the functioning—or malfunctioning—of leaders." — Wall Street Journal

"This is a remarkable story of Israel's greatest spy ever, and an intelligence disaster that almost doomed the state. Deeply reported and powerfully told, The Angel is a must-read espionage saga." — David Hoffman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Dead Hand and The Billion Dollar Spy

"This remarkable book reveals to us a hidden history, showing how little we actually know of events we thought we understood. One of the most exciting—and surprising—books on Israel I've read." — Yossi Klein Halevi, author of National Jewish Book Award winner Like Dreamers

"Remarkable.... Partly a spy thriller, The Angel is also an invaluable account of major historical figures." — The Weekly Standard online

"A fascinating read into the wilderness of mirrors of espionage, with a laser focus on one of Israel's greatest spies.... A tremendous case study for any student of intelligence, geo-politics, or history. The book should be required reading for any special agent or intelligence officer." — Fred Burton, New York Times bestselling author and VP Intelligence, Stratfor

"Ashraf Marwan was the most valuable source the Mossad had ever recruited.... Bar-Joseph's fascinating book is an accurate and reliable account of the career of one of the 20th century's most important spies." — Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Zvi Zamir, Former Mossad Director (1968-1974)

"Makes a convincing case that Marwan not only never misled the Israelis, but was actually astoundingly valuable to them.... Highly detailed.... Rewarding to anyone interested in Middle East intrigue.... Fascinating." — Dan Raviv, Moment Magazine

"Intriguing.... The author...shows great empathy for a man who was in turn respected, reviled, and almost certainly murdered. Well-researched and candidly told, this book deserves shelf space next to volumes on Vladimir Vetrov and Kim Philby." — Kirkus Reviews

"Establishes beyond doubt that Marwan was the spy who most benefitted Israel in the 1970s and 1980s.......