Theodor Herzl

Biography, that traces Herzl's tortuous route in Vienna, Paris and the major capitals of turn-of-the-century Europe. We see Herzl evolve from a dueling student, an aspiring playwright and a sophisticated journalist to the man who decides. in the summer of 1895, to sethimself at the head of a movement forthe Jews. Although indifferent to religion for most of his life, his Europeanexperience made him bitterly aware ofbow Jews were suffering from anti-Semitism. A blend of concern for whathe now saw as his people and exaltedambition inspired him to devote himself to the Zionist movement-which,forty-four years after his death, led tothe proclamation, under his portrait, ofa Jewish state in Palestine.Through Herzl's own journalsand letters, Desmond SteWart' revealsfor the first time intimate details ofhis private life which played decisiveroles in his career: constant ill health;lack of the artistic success he sought;his wretched marriage to a wealthywoman whose values he despised. Theevents of Herzl's life have been chronicled before. But for the first time Mr. Stewart tells the intensely personalstory of this political figure and revealshim in the round as a believable andsuffering human being.