Douglas MurrayOn Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization

An essential read for anyone who seeks the truth. This is not the random emotional rant we see so often, but rather a precise, rational and nuanced explanation from someone who has been on the ground and understands the situation clearly. Eye opening, engrossing and very much needed.

This is a very powerful book, written with detail, knowledge and experience. Read it with tissues as it is very emotional.

Murray delivers another intellectual tour de force, challenging prevailing orthodoxies with clarity and precision. His analysis cuts through ideological noise to expose uncomfortable truths about our cultural moment. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the state of public discourse, regardless of political leaning.

Sharp, fearless, and deeply thought-provoking. Murray tackles complex moral questions with clarity and conviction. The book confronts the horrors of October 7, exposes the war waged by Iran and its radical proxies on Israel and Western civilization, honors acts of extraordinary heroism, and dissects the dangerous rise of protests that seek to excuse terror. Highly recommend.

Required reading. Murray is the voice of reason. Murray able to spark optimism as he lays out the truth of Israel and October 7th.My children are adolescents and Murray provides guidance for raising them with knowledge, meaning and responsibility. Thank you from the bottom of my heart D. Murray.

This isn’t a dry political analysis; it’s a wake-up call. Murray argues convincingly that the clash isn’t simply about land or power, but a deeper struggle between a thriving democracy rooted in life-affirming values and a death-obsessed ideology bent on destruction. His on-the-ground reporting—meeting survivors, soldiers, and even captured terrorists—brings a raw humanity to the page that’s impossible to ignore. Yet, he never loses sight of the bigger picture: what’s at stake isn’t just Israel, but the very principles of Western civilization.What I admire most is Murray’s refusal to pander. He challenges the lazy narratives of the campus left and international elites head-on, exposing their contradictions with precision and wit. You might not agree with every word—I didn’t—but you can’t walk away without rethinking your assumptions. His prose is as elegant as ever, blending urgency with a deep sense of purpose that makes this a book you feel as much as you read.

For those who have not been able to zoom in on all the events that happened shortly before and after October 7 this is a great read, it glues the many events together from different perspectives and gives a lot of food for thought.However, I live in Israel, I have listened for hours to news and updates and debates on october 7 and afterwards all day long, and read whatever news article I could read.Through the book I relived all the horror of this war and the madness of all the protests and the support for Hamas and Jihad by queers, LBGTQ and young people, from all layers of society. While I believe anti semitism is one of the motivations, and the usual anti-Israel bias and the empathy for the victim regardless of its root cause , I was hoping for a more in depth analysis on this phenomena.Overall, a great read, and Douglas is certainly one of my favorite reporters and authors. This book is a mirror to our society, it shows Israel not as a monster, it doesn't sugarcoat either. My recommendation as complementary read to this book is Ghosts of a Holy War by Yardena Schwartz.

A brilliant and important documentary story of the horrors of October 7. Anyone who wants to know in detail what was there, with all the difficulty involved, can get it in the book. Interviews with a large number of survivors, and details about the planning and the shortcomings that occurred there. A must-read.