ISRAEL'S EDGE: The Story of the IDF's Most Elite Unit – Talpiot

By Jason Gewirtz

Gefen Publishing House. Paperback. 214 pages. $18

Reviewed by Pnina Moed Kass

Book reviewers do not usually apologize for the preconceived thought they had when looking at a book cover, a title, a back cover blurb. Mea culpa – I was sure this book would be a bore. How wrong could I be! From its opening chapter until its last page, I was engrossed, enthralled and amazed by the history, the personal vignettes, the profiles of projects and the inventions of the Talpiot unit. There are many moments in this book that have all the tension and excitement of a thriller. Gewirtz places us directly in the tight moments of uncertainty when the nation needs to grapple with a problem of survival, and the brilliant out-of-the-box thinking of the young men and women in the elite Talpiot military come up with a solution. The unit's history, its acceptance of eccentric approaches to problem-solving, its unique methods of recruitment and teaching make for fascinating reading. Highly recommended.