Adapted from articles, interviews, and lectures from the 1960s and
'70s, this is a provocative collection on Israeli society by one of
the country's foremost novelists. In his lyrical prose, Oz (Fima,
1993, etc.) ponders such issues as Jewish identity, the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the concept of a Zionist
homeland. In his lengthy 1967 piece on "the meaning of homeland,"
Oz defines a Jew as anyone who publicly acknowledges his or her
Jewishness. Religious law alone, Oz contends, should not be the
defining factor. A Jew, he argues, is someone who relates to the
Jewish past and shares the fate of the Jewish present - whether
voluntarily or by force. Oz perceives the annihilation of European
Jewry as "the logical outcome of the ancient status of the Jew in
Western civilization." For thousands of years, he writes, the
Diaspora Jew was "an archetype in the dungeons of the Christian
soul," making Auschwitz, not assimilation, the Jew's inevitable
destiny. Zionism, Oz argues, is the sole option for a Jew who does
not wish to exist merely as a "symbol in the consciousness" of
strangers. And since the ancestral homeland of Israel has remained
in the hearts and prayers of Jews for millennia, it was the logical
locus of their quest for normalcy. Since Oz is not religious,
however, his Zionism is more complex. He writes, "I am a Zionist in
all that concerns the redemption of the Jews, but not when it comes
to the 'redemption of the Holy Land.' " He sees the Palestinian
conflict as a struggle of "right and right" between two peoples
with valid historical claims and grievances. He abhors the tendency
of the Israeli right wing to deny the Palestinians' legitimacy, and
he provides insights into Arab fears of the "Satanic power of
Zionism." Whether these musings touch upon the kibbutz, Israeli
literature, or his early years in Jerusalem, Oz captivates the
reader with his elegantly poetic voice. (Kirkus Reviews)
This collection - published here in English for the first time -
brings together a number of political, personal, and literary
pieces by Israel's most celebrated modern novelist. Lively,
questioning, and undogmatic, the author's compelling literary
insights make for consistently stimulating reading, while his
perceptive commentary on Israel's political and cultural situation
seems more relevant then ever in the light of current developments
in the Middle East. Topics covered include: an examination of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a dispute between 'right and
right'; reflections on the character of Zionism, on the concept of
'homeland', and on the nature of the kibbutz; the meaning of
socialism in the Israeli context; and portraits of several Jewish
writers and thinkers whose ideas and themes have proved influential
or determinative for Amos Oz himself. These essays, which put a
unique perspective on the author's own experiences and development,
reveal a complex and humane figure of practical political influence
as well as of significant literary stature. Their refreshing blend
of scepticism and idealism are sure to win for Oz new readers,
while delighting those already familiar with his writings, who will
recognise here the many qualities which have generated
international critical acclaim.
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