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
Avner Mandelman was born in Israel and served in the Israeli Air Force during the Six-Day War. His story collection Talking to the Enemy was chosen by Kirkus as one of the twenty-five best books of 2005, and by the ALA as the first recipient of the Sophie Brody Medal for outstanding achievement in Jewish literature.Several of Avner's stories were anthologized, including the Pushcart Prize, the Best American Short Stories, and the Journey prize.Avner's literary thriller The Debba, the first in the Undertaker trilogy, won the Arthur Ellis Award for best mystery novel, and was listed for the Scotia Giller prize.His latest book, The Undertaker's Daughter, is second in the Trilogy, and a third book is planned.Avner also writes investment books, based on his original approach to sleuthing for physical information-- an approach that also serves him well in writing vivid & emotionally gripping fiction.Avner has a B.Sc. from the Israeli Technion, an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and an MA in English / Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.He lives in Toronto, Canada.
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