"Grandfather, you were the pillar of fire in front of the camp and now we are left in the camp alone, in the dark . . . . Grandfather, you were and still are our hero." When Noa Ben Artzi-Pelossof spoke at the funeral of her grandfather Yitzhak Rabin, she touched the world's heart. She does so again, in this deeply moving memoir and plea for peace. A stirring voice from yet another Israeli generation living in turmoil and in danger, Noa, at age 19, reflects on her life to date: a childhood scarred by tragedy and rescued by her family's love; a constant fear--fed by random bombings- for the lives of relatives and friends; the chaotic impact of war--Lebanon, the Intifada, the Gulf War; the hate from outside, and now from within, Israel. Noa talks of her grandfather's assassin and the extremists who nourished his violence. She shares her precious memories of her grandfather, with whom she lived until the age of six and to whom she remained close for the rest of his life. She offers insights into his transformation from soldier to leader to peacemaker, his courageous determination to change the course of the Middle East conflict, and the steps he took in search of a lasting peace for future generations of Israelis. Noa speaks to him, and to the world. A book that is pure, passionate, and unfailingly honest -- and goes straight to the heart. Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Although she is only 19, Noa Ben Artzi-Pelossof's memoir covers a wealth of stirring and tragic experience. From the chaotic impact of war to the comfort of her family and community, she writes about her youth in a country torn from within and without, culminating in the assassination of her grandfather, Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel. From Publishers Weekly When Yitzhak Rabin's granddaughter, 18, wept as she eulogized the slain Israeli leader under a hot, clear desert sky last Nov. 6th, millions cried with her, reminded by her simple, wrenching words of the personal price of martyrdom. In this memoir of her grandfather and of the political climate that shaped his life and death, Ben Artzi-Pelossof shows that her funerary eloquence was no fluke; that she is, as much for her passion as for her lineage, a natural spokesperson for the sorrow and hope of a young generation of Israelis. The author presents family lore about Rabin, and her own memories-loving but not hagiographic-of the man, and speaks of the difficulty of growing up in a celebrated family. She also pays tribute to her grandfather's political legacy. She traces the growth of her own consciousness (molded greatly by a harrowing visit to Auschwitz) as Jew dedicated to peace, pleads for the furtherance of the peace process and directs strong words toward the militant Israeli religious right. What above all makes this book so moving, however, is its honesty of emotion; despite the author's disavowal of hate, she admits that "it makes my blood boil to see the murderer in court, looking relaxed, chewing gum, even laughing...." Only six months have passed since Rabin's death, but this is no quickie exploitation book. Instead, it's a reflective, stirring work filled with the beautiful anguish and sincerity of youth. 200,000 first printing; simultaneous audio and large print editions. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.