Talking To The Enemy (Paperback)

Avner Mandelman

ISBN 10: 1583227296 / ISBN 13: 9781583227299

Published by Seven Stories Press,U.S., New York, 2006

About this Item

Paperback. Winner of the 2006 American Library Association Sophie Brody AwardA Kirkus ReviewsBest Book of 2005The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shaped the consciousness of a generation, but never before has it been brought to life in such vivid and telling prose. Part Tim O'Brien and part Bernard Malamud, Avner Mandelman's Talking to the Enemy ranges from boisterously entertaining tales of domestic squabbles to dark narratives from disillusioned soldiers. Awarded the Jewish Book Award when it was published in Canada and supplemented with recent stories, Talking to the Enemy is the powerful American debut of an international favorite."Pity" draws the reader through the descending layers of horror of an Israeli soldier who is party to an assassination attempt gone terribly wrong. In "Terror" a man recalls a traumatic childhood incident that taught him family comes first-before justice, before fear. On a lighter note, "Mish-Mash" is a comical tornado set off when a winning lottery ticket is discovered in a less-than-conventional family, best described as "Sholem Aleichem writes Peyton Place on speed" (Montreal Gazette). Underneath their often brash exteriors Mandelman's characters search for reconciliation and fulfillment in a land where conflict is a part of everyday life. Mandelman ensnares readers in intense plot-driven narratives that are pierced through with unexpected and ingenious twists. Beneath the surface of the often sparse prose lies evocative, unanswered questions about humanity. Every story delivers a thoroughly engrossing read with an unforgettable ending. Presents a collection of short stories exploring the experience of being alive in the Middle East. This book presents the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ranging from tales of domestic squabbles to dark narratives from disillusioned soldiers. Its characters search for reconciliation and fulfilment in a land where conflict is a part of everyday life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781583227299

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Talking To The Enemy (Paperback)
• Publisher: Seven Stories Press,U.S., New York
• Publication Date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1583227296
• ISBN 13: 9781583227299
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Winner of the 2006 American Library Association Sophie Brody Award

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2005

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shaped the consciousness of a generation, but never before has it been brought to life in such vivid and telling prose. Part Tim O’Brien and part Bernard Malamud, Avner Mandelman’s Talking to the Enemy ranges from boisterously entertaining tales of domestic squabbles to dark narratives from disillusioned soldiers. Awarded the Jewish Book Award when it was published in Canada and supplemented with recent stories, Talking to the Enemy is the powerful American debut of an international favorite.
"Pity" draws the reader through the descending layers of horror of an Israeli soldier who is party to an assassination attempt gone terribly wrong. In "Terror" a man recalls a traumatic childhood incident that taught him family comes first—before justice, before fear. On a lighter note, "Mish-Mash" is a comical tornado set off when a winning lottery ticket is discovered in a less-than-conventional family, best described as "Sholem Aleichem writes Peyton Place on speed" (Montreal Gazette). Underneath their often brash exteriors Mandelman’s characters search for reconciliation and fulfillment in a land where conflict is a part of everyday life. Mandelman ensnares readers in intense plot-driven narratives that are pierced through with unexpected and ingenious twists. Beneath the surface of the often sparse prose lies evocative, unanswered questions about humanity. Every story delivers a thoroughly engrossing read with an unforgettable ending.

About the Author

Born in Israel in 1947, AVNER MANDELMAN served in the Israeli Air Force during the Six-Day War and has for four decades split his time between Paris, California, and Canada. Mandelman’s stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories 1995, The Journey Prize Stories, and The 1996 Pushcart Prize XX.