Israel
Foreign Book
Reviews

The unusual Hebrew name of the great author Etgar Keret means a lot to Israeli culture. Even though he has written less than 10 books thus far, he holds worldwide prestige for his internationally-translated creations.

"The unusual Hebrew name of the great author Etgar Keret means a lot to Israeli culture."

When someone mentions a book by Etgar, one would probably not talk about a specific book, but about the author’s work as a whole. As a young writer, Etgar has come up with a whole new literary genre: young, fresh, and Israeli. Reading a book by him is a characteristic Israeli experience. His texts are full of stereotypical Israeli figures and modern-day slang, and they impressively describe the Israeli lifestyle: from serving in the army, to the mix of cultures, and the locals’ common way of thinking.

Absurd and humorous, ironic and sharp, the short-story collection Hakaytana Shel Kneller, one of his most famous books, is a great example of Etgar’s unique and very special style. One of its stories begins with death, as a young man tells his experiences in the hereafter. A very absurd situation develops, as the story focuses on an unusual, good-hearted, and graceful person, who is hosting the hero – the dead young man – and other friends as well.

"Absurd and humorous, ironic and sharp, the short-story collection Hakaytana Shel Kneller, one of his most famous books, is a great example of Etgar’s unique and very special style."

Nothing compares to Etgar’s descriptions of people or situations. His voice, surprising and lean, is full of strong awareness. As a young Israeli, I love his language, which uses daily slang and sometimes sounds like youthful speech: large amounts of obscenity and clever word combinations. His books are well-known pieces of young Israeli culture.