As Figs in Autumn a memoir

""A lyrical and elegaic portrait of a young man coming-of-age as he learns the art of war.""—Publishers Weekly ""A memoir worthy of recommending to fans of personal, coming-of-age stories with universal themes."" —Library Journal "". . .this glimpse into this alternate universe is what makes the book most compelling. . . a chronicle of character, trust, patriotism, and unity. It exudes love of the land, of the Jewish state, of the Jewish people, and of humanity. All of that makes As Figs in Autumn a timeless celebration of Zionism and Israeliness at their best."" —Jewish Journal ""Of my many trips to Israel, my travels through Ben Bastomski’s deeply personal memoir, As Figs in Autumn, took me to places that I have never visited Ba’aretz; accompanied by grief, service, authentic choice and the growth that they inevitably both offer and force."" —Marra B. Gad, Award-winning author of The Color of Love: A Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl ""As Figs in Autumn is a loving portrait on the unique experiences of a chayal boded, a lone soldier without immediate family in Israel. Ben Bastomski depicts the struggles, the achievements, the moral ambiguities and the friendships that make one year in an endless war bearable, dare one say laudable. His focus is not on politics or ideology but on the real life of a lone soldier in a foreign land, yet one that is so much his own.” —Michael Berenbaum, distinguished professor of Jewish Studies, Director of Sigi Ziering Institute, American Jewish University, Los Angeles, CA