The International Bestselling memoir from award-winning author Amos Oz, "one of Isreal's most prolific writers and respected intellectuals" (The New York Times), about his turbulent upbringing in the city of Jerusalem in the era of the dissolution of Mandatory Palestine and the beginning of the State of Israel. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award "[An] ingenious work that circles around the rise of a state, the tragic destiny of a mother, a boy’s creation of a new self."—The New Yorker A family saga and a magical self-portrait of a writer who witnessed the birth of a nation and lived through its turbulent history. A Tale of Love and Darkness is the story of a boy who grows up in war-torn Jerusalem, in a small apartment crowded with books in twelve languages and relatives speaking nearly as many. The story of an adolescent whose life has been changed forever by his mother’s suicide. The story of a man who leaves the constraints of his family and community to join a kibbutz, change his name, marry, have children. The story of a writer who becomes an active participant in the political life of his nation. "One of the most enchanting and deeply satisfying books that I have read in many years."—New Republic

A snapshot of Israel and the West Bank in the 1980s, through the voices of its inhabitants, from the National Jewish Book Award–winning author of Judas. Notebook in hand, renowned author and onetime kibbutznik Amos Oz traveled throughout his homeland to talk with people—workers, soldiers, religious zealots, aging pioneers, desperate Arabs, visionaries—asking them questions about Israel’s past, present, and future. Observant or secular, rich or poor, native-born or new immigrant, they shared their points of view, memories, hopes, and fears, and Oz recorded them. What emerges is a distinctive portrait of a changing nation and a complex society, supplemented by Oz’s own observations and reflections, that reflects an insider’s view of a country still forming its own identity. In the Land of Israel is “an exemplary instance of a writer using his craft to come to grips with what is happening politically and to illuminate certain aspects of Israeli society that have generally been concealed by polemical formulas” (The New York Times).

This novel is at once a haunting love story and a reflective portrait of place."--Jacket.

Author's account of his long night." "He spends the rest of the night wandering, smoking, inventing, regretting and thinking till dawn, when he learns, by chance, of the death of a once famous poet, now barely remembered." --Book Jacket.

"A delicate contemporary tale about the quiddities of love and the perpetual mysteries of human motivations" from the bestselling Israeli author of Judas ( Los Angeles Times). A New York Times Notable Book of the Year At Tel-Kedar, a settlement in the Negev desert, the longtime love affair between Theo, a sixty-year-old civil engineer, and Noa, a young schoolteacher, is slowly disintegrating. When a pupil dies under difficult circumstances, the couple and the entire town are thrown into turmoil. Amos Oz explores with brilliant insight the possibilities—and limits—of love and tolerance. "A rich symphony of humanity . . . If Oz's eye for detail is enviable, it is his magnanimity which raises him to the first rank of world authors." — Sunday Telegraph (UK) "Vivid, convincing, and haunting." — The New York Times Book Review "A vividly and affectionately detailed picture of Israeli village life—and of what might be called a JulyOctober relationship—by acclaimed essayist and novelist Oz . . . A perfectly pitched comedy, expertly translated, and one of Oz's most attractive and accomplished books." — Kirkus Reviews "This novel, his 10th (after Fima), is set in Tel Kedar, a quiet desert town in the Negev that is both a microcosm of Israeli society and a vividly evoked setting whose atmosphere and residents are palpable . . . his story carries thought-provoking implications." — Publishers Weekly "Skillfully alternating point of view between his two main characters, Oz shows us the painful process by which a couple uncouples, one sinew at a time." — Booklist

Seven years after their divorce, Ilana breaks the bitter silence with a letter to Alex, a world-renowned authority on fanaticism, begging for help with their rebellious adolescent son, Boaz. One letter leads to another, and so evolves a correspondence between Ilana and Alex, Alex and Michel (Ilana's Moroccan husband), Alex and his Mephistophelian Jerusalem lawyer—a correspondence between mother and father, stepfather and stepson, father and son, each pleading his or her own case. The grasping, lyrical, manipulative, loving Ilana has stirred things up. Now, her former husband and her present husband have become rivals not only for her loyalty but for her son's as well.

Fima muses about the human condition in the squalid confines of his bachelor flat, he is a man who dreams noble dreams but cannot master reality.

In the grand theatre of human civilization, where the curtain rises and falls amidst the clamor of centuries, we find ourselves seated among the audience of history, living amidst a spectacle that transcends time. The famous Roman adage "bread and circuses" encapsulates the essence of our society’s complex relationship with entertainment—a duality that serves our primordial instincts while simultaneously distracting us from the deeper truths of our existence. As we progress into the year 2024, it becomes increasingly evident that we are modern savages navigating a jungle of screens and social interactions, some knowingly embracing our animalistic desires, others blissfully unaware of the intricate dance between spectacle and the realities of our shared humanity. We are compelled to reflect upon the profound words from the film *Gladiator*: “The beating heart of Rome is not toward the marble of the Senate but the sand of the Colosseum.” Here lies the crux of our exploration—an acknowledgment that beneath our developed intellect and polished facade lies a relentless pulse of desire, power, and instinct that drives us. Each day, we engage with narratives of triumph, tragedy, and the absurd, all while wrestling with the inherent hypocrisy of the human species. Our propensity for violence, our insatiable hunger for spectacle, and our unyielding search for validation continue to shape our world in ways both remarkable and troubling. In this book, we will traverse historical spectacles, from the elegant brutality of ancient arenas to the multi-faceted dimensions of modern media. We will examine how these influences mold our perceptions, our beliefs, and ultimately, our identities. As we uncover the layers of entertainment and morality, we shall challenge ourselves to confront questions about authenticity, empathy, and the narratives we choose to uplift in our fast-paced society. As we embrace this journey through time and reflection, we will discover that, despite the chaotic signals we receive from our digital landscapes, there remains an unwavering light of hope. We can reclaim our agency, shift the focus from mere spectacle to substantive engagement, and construct a future where our narratives resonate with depth and authenticity. Join me as we embark on this exploration, shining a light on the timeless interplay between spectacle and existence, and reaffirming our commitment to a richer understanding of human nature.

“Powerful” essays from a founder of the Peace Now movement and advocate for a two-state solution (Library Journal). The haunting poetry of [Oz's] prose and the stunning logic of his testimony make a potent mixture." —Washington Post Book World Amos Oz was one of the first voices of conscience to advocate for a two-state solution. As a founding member of the Peace Now movement, Oz has spent over thirty-five years speaking out on this issue, and these powerful essays and speeches span an important and formative period for understanding today's tension and crises. Whether he is discoursing on the role of writers in society or recalling his grandmother's death in the context of the language's veracity; examining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a tragicomedy or questioning the Zionist dream, Oz remains trenchant and unflinching in this moving portrait of a divided land. "[Oz is] the modern prophet of Israel." —Sunday Telegraph (UK)

Three stories of “sensuous prose and indelible imagery” that re-create the world of Jerusalem during the last days of the British Mandate (The New York Times). Refugees drawn to Jerusalem in search of safety are confronted by activists relentlessly preparing for an uprising, oblivious to the risks. Meanwhile, a wife abandons her husband, and a dying man longs for his departed lover. Among these characters lives a boy named Uri, a friend and confidant of several conspirators who love and humor him as he weaves in and out of all three stories. The Hill of Evil Counsel is “as complex, vivid, and uncompromising as Jerusalem itself” (The Nation). “Oz evokes Israeli life with the same sly precision with which Chekhov evoked pre-Revolutionary Russian life.” —Los Angeles Times