He is an American citizen–and an Israeli soldier. Now, in a stunning memoir, Adam Harmon recounts his service with one of the most effective and admired fighting forces in the world.

Raised with a strong Jewish identity in New England, Harmon visited Israel as a teenager in 1984. He immediately knew he wanted to live there. Six years later, the Palestinian Intifida was under way and Iraq had invaded Kuwait. Just out of college, Harmon was back in Israel, joining the military. Without family in the country, he was designated a chayal boded, or lonely soldier.

One of the few nonnatives to become an Israeli paratrooper–and already an “old man” in a country where service is compulsory after high school– Harmon describes the tough training and strict standards that define the Israeli combatant. From the very first push-up to ambushes in Lebanon and operations in the West Bank, readers march alongside Harmon and discover the value of having retsach bi’anigh (murder in your eye) and learn why “time is holy.”

The Israeli military culture surprised Harmon. It was very different from the one he expected to find. As within the U.S. military, Israeli soldiers avoid punishment only by being perfectionists, but the Israeli military has an unusually high regard for individualism. Commanders rely more on achieving consensus than on issuing orders; and every soldier is free to disobey an order he finds immoral.

Over the next thirteen years, Harmon was in the ranks of a military that was adapting to ever-changing threats. In 1990 killing was always used as a last resort, but by 2002 targeted assassinations were employed to “decapitate” terrorist gangs. Harmon’s own wish for a separate Palestinian state never wavered, but his dismay at the increasing violence by Palestinians, desperate to achieve independence, mirrors the growing belief in Israel that a true rapprochement is not on the horizon.

Lonely Soldier, completed as Israel was beginning to disengage from Gaza, is a unique and thrilling glimpse into a revered yet misunderstood institution that is integral to Middle East peace.

"Released at a time when soldier memoirs seem to be a dime-a-dozen publishing phenomenon, Harmon's entry should be celebrated as much for what it isn't as what it is. This is an even-paced, detailed, deliberate account of a sincere New Englander's move to Israel in 1990, where he enlists as a paratrooper just before the beginning of the Gulf War. Despite his weak grasp of Hebrew, Harmon graduates from basic training and soon finds himself guarding the country's borders and volunteering for raids against known and suspected terrorists. Throughout his service in the West Bank and Lebanon, he maintains a measured tone sympathetic to the hardships of neighboring Palestinians, even as he's called back from civilian life following an upswing in violence. For such a strictly chronological account-not merely day-to-day but at times moment-to-moment-Harmon's work is surprisingly captivating. Though he isn't always able to distinguish between pertinent and expendable information, Harmon's voice is so consistent and genuine that it's impossible not to identify with his steadfast journey. An illuminating account of a much-covered conflict, this is a memoir for anyone who wants a look behind the daily headlines." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Advance praise for Lonely Soldier

“This book transcends place and nationality to reveal the essence of soldierly virtues–tough, decent, honest, and accepting of continuous hardships and solitary duties at low pay. As a soldier, Harmon would wince at such praise. But it’s true. This is the story of what makes a real soldier.”

–Bing West, author of No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah

Adam Harmon grew up in New Hampshire and received his B.A. at American University’s School of International Service in 1989. Six months later, he moved to Israel. He served with the 202nd Paratrooper Battalion for two years, and was invited to serve with an Israeli Special Operations reserve unit. Now living in the United States, he continues to serve with the Israeli reserves.