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S'està carregant… Matchesde Alan Kaufman
Best Israeli Reading (18) S'està carregant…
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Distincions
' "Matches" is the IDF code term for a soldier. Among the troops, it has come to mean someone who strikes, burns and dies.' Nathan Falk is an American Jew who leaves the relative comforts of New York City to serve in the Israel Defence Force. But unlike most Jewish Americans who serve in Israel, Falk fights in the Gaza Strip, where soldiers would rather commit suicide that fall into the clutches of their enemies. Patrolling the streets of Gaza in the dead of night, playing a high-stakes off-duty game of Risk with his fellow soldiers, making passionate love to the wife of his best friend, Nathan Falk lives each moment with an increasing awareness of the arbitrary boundary between life and death. Poet Alan Kaufman writes as only a former soldier could about life in the dark heart of one of the most controversial and unremitting conflicts in the world. In this short, brilliant novel he offers an intensely revealing portrait of the damage war does to the soul of a man. No s'han trobat descripcions de biblioteca. |
Debats actualsCap
Google Books — S'està carregant… GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:
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IDF troops serve reserve duty yearly even after they finish their mandatory tour of duty following high school. Their duties as soldiers are so different from their joyous and carefree lives as civilians. This book takes a look at that darker side of their lives. It’s a side, even with all my trips to Israel, I haven’t entered before.
Nathan Falk, the narrator of this story, is an American member of the IDF. He is assigned to various operations along the perimeter of Israel and across the “Green Line” (pre-1967 Israel borders) in order to prevent terrorists from gaining entrance into Israel proper and to avenge deaths already caused to Israeli civilians by terrorists. There is a disclaimer at the front of this book emphasizing that this is a work of fiction. However, the events that happen just jump off of the pages and make them seem all too real. Along with human suffering are two events of animal suffering which had me squirming with unease.
Not quite a novel because of its divisions and subdivisions and not quite a book of short stories because there is a common thread throughout all of the chapters, I’m not sure how to classify this book. Never mind this, though, as the detailed and precise writing of this talented author flows well. Subsequent to reading this story, I’ve learned that the author is also a poet and was impressed by his poetry as well.
This is not an easy read, but the author is amazing at how he brings his main character to life. I highly recommend this book for its look at the personal life of one IDF soldier as he tries to faithfully serve his adopted country. ( )