Dr. Michael J. Cooper’s life and work embody a unique synthesis of medicine, history, and cultural reconciliation. A retired pediatric cardiologist turned author, his journey spans continents and conflicts, rooted deeply in his early experiences in the Holy Land. Born in Berkeley, California into a Jewish family with a strong Zionist narrative, he emigrated to Israel in 1966 following high school graduation. During that pivotal year, he lived in Jerusalem as the city remained divided between Israel and Jordan, an experience that shaped his worldview and future endeavors.
Over the course of eleven formative years in Israel, Dr. Cooper studied biology at Hebrew University and graduated from Tel Aviv University Medical School. His time in the region extended beyond academics. He engaged with Israeli society as a teacher and musician with Israel Educational TV and the West Jerusalem YMCA, while also forging personal connections with Israeli and Palestinian peers. These relationships fostered a nuanced understanding of the complex identities and deep attachments that both Israelis and Palestinians hold toward the land. Returning to the United States for specialty medical training, Dr. Cooper maintained enduring ties to Israel and to friends and colleagues on both sides of the “green line.”
Dr. Cooper’s medical career spanned four decades as a pediatric cardiologist in Northern California. Parallel to his clinical work, he dedicated two decades to volunteering on 26 medical missions serving Palestinian children lacking adequate healthcare access. This ongoing commitment to healing extended beyond medicine to encompass a broader vision of reconciliation and compassion in a region marked by division.
With the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Rabin and the death of the peace process in 1995, Dr. Cooper channeled his shock and grief into writing historical fiction, using narrative to explore themes of identity, conflict, and coexistence. His debut novel, Foxes in the Vineyard, set during the 1948 founding of Israel, received the grand prize in the 2011 Indie Publishing Contest. The story follows archeologist Evan Sinclair as he navigates that turbulent birth time, blending historical fact with a compelling fictional construct infused with action, romance, betrayal, and intrigue. This novel, now being revised, will be the coda in a series currently comprising four novels.
After Foxes in the Vineyard, Cooper authored Wages of Empire, a coming-of-age novel set during World War I across Europe and the Middle East. Wages of Empire won the CIBA 2022 Grand Prize for YA Fiction, first place honors in the CIBA 2022 Hemingway Prize for Wartime Fiction, and the 2025 Pacific Book Award for Best Historical Fiction. Its sequel, Crossroads of Empire, continues the narrative, weaving the history and mystery of Jerusalem into its wartime tale. This novel earned first place in the CIBA 2023 Hemingway Award for Wartime Historical Fiction as well the 2025 International Impact Award for Historical War & Military Fiction.
Cooper’s most recent novel, The Rabbi’s Knight, released in September 2025 is set in the Holy Land in 1290, at the end of the last Crusade. Having already won the Bookfest First Place Award for Historical Fiction, The Rabbi’s Knight explores the boundaries of shared faiths amid medieval conflict. Early critical reception reflects praise for its suspenseful storytelling and unifying message. The Historical Novel Society described the work as “a masterful job of building suspense and telling a riveting story,” emphasizing the novel’s core theme that “all people of good faith can work together to find solutions.” Kirkus’ Review stated that “Cooper brings to life an array of real-life figures, displaying a rich knowledge of history and culture and a deep understanding of the religious conflicts of the time. This page-turner always maintains forward momentum, and detail-oriented fans of historical fiction will find much to enjoy in these pages.”
In writing The Rabbi’s Knight, Cooper was determined to highlight a central and strong woman character, Zahirah. As he puts it, “I wanted to write a story that challenges the patriarchy, which is so common in historical fiction set in a time and place where women were at best under- represented if not completely ignored. I also wanted to portray the tension and complications in an unlikely but magnificent relationship between a celibate Knight Templar and a beautiful and independent Muslim woman, and to push back against conventional portrayals of romance in historical fiction. In this and my other books, I don’t just place women in history; I center them. Zahirah, like many of the heroines in my books, is not defined by the men around her. She defines them—through her courage, clarity, and the power of her own voice. This is the emotional depth I endeavor to bring to female characters—they are healers, rebels, mystics, leaders, and lovers. They are the heartbeat of the historical landscape.”
Each of Cooper’s novels stand independently, yet they share interconnected motifs: Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the Sinclair bloodline, and a subtle message of coexistence. His writing reflects a deep personal engagement with the region’s past and present, shaped by firsthand experience and a lifelong commitment to understanding.
Now residing in Northern California with his wife and two pets, Dr. Cooper continues to visit Israel and the West Bank regularly to support medical and humanitarian efforts. His writing serves not only as literary achievement but also as a bridge toward greater understanding in a region too often defined by division.
Dr. Cooper’s online presence offers further insight into his work and mission. His official website and social media platforms provide access to his novels and ongoing projects:
Michael J Cooper Official Website
Facebook
Instagram
For an immersive look into his world, watch the book trailer here: Watch the Book Trailer
Dr. Michael J. Cooper’s life and literature exemplify a commitment to healing—both of individuals and of broader cultural rifts. His work stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in illuminating history, fostering empathy, and inspiring dialogue toward coexistence.
