"A perfect way of looking into a country, inside its houses and apartment buildings, at its weddings and feuds and even wars."
--Na'amat Woman"The stories themselves are strong, eloquent and penned by the very best Israeli writers."
--Publishers Weekly"The 16 pieces here, which are arranged by geographical area (for those who may want to carry a copy of the work along while visiting the country) and theme, include work of the 1980s and '90s (much of it previously untranslated) from such celebrated figures as Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, Shulamith Hareven, and David Grossman--and most memorably, two terrific offerings by lesser-knowns: Yehudit Katzir´s crisp, haunting 'Closing the Sea' and Yosl Birstein’s elegiac 'The Writer A.M. Fuchs Was Already Old.' This is a good idea, done well."
--Bruce Allen, Kirkus Reviews"The pieces reveal a cross section of people in situations tender, sad, angry, and funny. Collectively, the pieces present a view of Israeli life seldom encountered by tourists or other outsiders, as well as suggesting the rich state of creative writing in the country today."
--Library Journal
There may be no place more densely blessed — or burdened — with narrative than Israel, where story and place are inextricable. From stories set in the historical, holy city of Jerusalem to those that take place in the modern, secular city of Tel Aviv, from writing that addresses the current “situation” to tales inspired by the timeless desert — these sixteen short stories reflect contemporary Israel, a place very different from that described by writers of generations past. This volume of new Hebrew writing gathers Israel’s finest new writers along with some of its best-loved ones to capture one of the world’s most fascinating travel destinations.
Contributors: Gafi Amir, Yossi Avni, Yosl Birstein, Orly Castel-Bloom, David Ehrlich, David Grossman, Shulamith Hareven, Etgar Kerrett, Yoram Kolerstein, Yitzchak Laor, Amos Oz, Ofra Riesenfeld, Gadi Taub, and A. B. Yehoshua
ISRAEL, edited by Michael Gluzman and Naomi Seidman, $14.95, ISBN # 1-883513-03-0
