Gal Beckerman

The Quiet Before by Gal Beckerman is a compelling argument for creating space for ideas to develop and grow, especially in today's world of instant reaction and often overreaction. This book is less about slow versus fast than it is about developed versus underdeveloped.

Through recreating the groundswell in several historical movements Beckerman shows the value and importance of having a way for ideas to be debated, modified, and shared. Ideas, even the best, are rarely if ever formed in a show more complete and nuanced manner immediately. It takes input from others, the application of other perspectives, and an understanding of what might make change possible. These can't be done in an openly public forum, particularly when the preferred form of communication is short and hyperbolic. It takes a safe place and form for opinions and ideas to be expressed freely. That is what is missing for many more recent movements which tend to peak quickly and then subside, with little actual long-term change.

This book makes its goal pretty clear in the introduction and stays focused throughout. If a reader loses focus I'd say it has to do with their ability to stay focused rather than the book, or maybe being a passive reader with a short memory span. Either way, the book argues for and offers ideas for creating the space for the thought and debates necessary for movements to succeed and uses the historical examples to illustrate that without that space the movements would either never come to be or would quickly fail. Pretty straightforward purpose and approach.

I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in how to make change. While the examples and the larger purpose is societal, the basic idea of formulating a better theoretical foundation through debate and discussion holds true for small "movements" one might want to generate in their communities or workplaces.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

In The Quiet Before, Gal Beckerman tracks and notes the conditions necessary to birth a radical idea or movement upon the world—from early scientific experiments defying the teachings of the Church, to the zines that gave rise to the Riot grrl movement, to the Arab Spring, BLM, and the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. Much like yeast needs specific conditions to raise up a loaf of bread, according to Beckerman, radical movements need quiet, private spaces to incubate if they are show more to be successful. Beckerman posits that the failure of the Arab Spring to achieve sustainability was due to its spontaneous eruption from Facebook—a decidedly public space with little opportunity (at the time) for private group conversations of deep and lasting importance. In order to maintain momentum, a movement must have a dedicated core of people with a vision for the future that has been thoughtfully vetted by the group's members. It is a fascinating look back through history, a cautionary treatise for our times, and perhaps a recipe for the future. show less

This is a work of incredible depth, great scholarship, and fantastic writing. I usually try not to gush over a book when writing a review because I figure that the reader would usually rather know more about the book and less about what I thought about it, but this one is an exception - I simply loved every page of it. I've read plenty of history books, but I can't remember ever reading one in the past that I would have described as a page turner until now. The cast of characters in this show more book is truly diverse - radical rabbis, activists, middle class housewives, US presidents, Russian dissidents, KGB officers, and Israeli secret agents. It is a testament to Beckerman's skill's as a writer that he can weave a cohesive and compelling narrative through them all, giving them depth and their actions meaning.

The book goes back and forth between the USSR and the rest of the world (mostly the USA), showing the Jewish movements within the USSR and the activities occurring on the outside, all set against the backdrop of the cold war. Mixed in with the story of the soviet Jews are also several larger stories that are revealed, including the role of human rights in foreign relations, Jewsish-American guilt over not doing more during the holocaust, and the Jewish community's ability to become a political force. All of these are themes still playing out today, and this book shows where many of them got their start.

Lastly the depth of scholarship in this book is impressive. A quick look through the sources at the end of the book reveals that Beckerman interviewed countless people for first hand knowledge of the events in the book. It seems that almost everyone he wrote about he talked to personally. When attempting to describe the appropriate cold war era machinations going on in the background of the story, Beckerman draws on a whole host of books, articles, and now declassified documents to give an accurate picture of the activities of the major players (US presidents, the KGB, etc.).

As I said when I started, this is a work of incredible depth, great scholarship, and fantastic writing. I can't recommend it highly enough. show less

Really interesting, detailed history. It's clear, very well written and compelling. Highly recommended.