1948
Nov 2012 · New York Review of Books
star
1 review
Ebook
190
Pages
Tools
info
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
Sixty years after fighting in Israel's War of Independence, Yoram Kaniuk tries to remember what exactly did—and did not—happen in his time as a teenage soldier in the Palmach. The result is a touchingly poignant and hauntingly beautiful memoir that the author himself considers a work of fiction, for what is memory but one's own story about the past?
Eschewing self-righteousness in favor of self-criticism, Kaniuk's book, winner of the 2010 Sapir Prize for Literature, is the tale of a younger man told by his older, wiser self—the self who realizes that wars are pointless, and that he and his friends, young men from good homes forming an offbeat band of brothers, were senseless to see glory in the prospect of dying young. But it is also a painful, shocking, and tragically relevant homage to the importance of bearing witness to the follies of the past, even—or especially—when they are one's own.
Eschewing self-righteousness in favor of self-criticism, Kaniuk's book, winner of the 2010 Sapir Prize for Literature, is the tale of a younger man told by his older, wiser self—the self who realizes that wars are pointless, and that he and his friends, young men from good homes forming an offbeat band of brothers, were senseless to see glory in the prospect of dying young. But it is also a painful, shocking, and tragically relevant homage to the importance of bearing witness to the follies of the past, even—or especially—when they are one's own.
Sixty years after fighting in Israel's War of Independence, Yoram Kaniuk tries to remember what exactly did—and did not—happen in his time as a teenage soldier in the Palmach. The result is a touchingly poignant and hauntingly beautiful memoir that the author himself considers a work of fiction, ...
Discover more
Ratings and reviews
1 review
About the author
Yoram Kaniuk (1930-2013) was one of Israel’s leading writers. After being wounded in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, he moved to New York for 10 years. A novelist, painter, and journalist, Kaniuk published novels, memoirs, short stories, nonfiction, and books for children and young adults. Named an Officer in France's Order of Arts and Letters in 2012, Kaniuk was also the recipient of the Méditerranée Étranger (2000), the Newman Prize (2006), the Kugel Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2008), the France-Israel Foundation Award (2010), and the Sapir Prize (2010). In 2011, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Tel Aviv University. Kaniuk’s books have been published in 20 languages.
Anthony Berris was born in the UK and has lived in Israel for most of his life, working as a teacher and freelance translator.
Anthony Berris was born in the UK and has lived in Israel for most of his life, working as a teacher and freelance translator.
Yoram Kaniuk (1930-2013) was one of Israel’s leading writers. After being wounded in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, he moved to New York for 10 years. A novelist, painter, and journalist, Kaniuk published novels, memoirs, short stories, nonfiction, and books for children and young adults. Nam...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
