Shut Up, I'm Talking: And Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government--A Memoir

I'm quite sure that Levey exaggerates the lunacy of the UN delegations for humorous purposes, but if even part of his story describes day-to-day functions at the UN, I'm quite scared on behalf of the world. Granted, Levey didn’t attend really high level meetings and wasn’t familiar with Israeli culture, so obviously his descriptions are grass-roots, and for what it is, it's a hoot. He obviously refers to his actual work in very loose terms, so if you're after an in-depth look into the workings of the UN or Israeli government life, then this isn't it. It's more a quasi-Picaresque with some serious stuff thrown in. It is, however, very funny and if you keep in mind that it's written for humor rather than any political commentary, show more it'll be a very enjoyable read. show less

This was a quick read, but more because it was almost impossible to put down, rather than because it was too simple. The story of a Canadian working at the Israeli mission in New York who gets hired to be Ariel Sharon's speechwriter in Jerusalem. Engaging and well written, it helps that Levey is writing at a tumultuous time in history for Israel. Recommended.

An amusing read. Well written and difficult to put down. Though some of the things he wrote about its culture i did not agree with.