While everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts? Tishby creates an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, she chronicles her homeland's evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel's creation to the real disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, she offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel. -- adapted from jacket.