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驻转讗讜诐 讚驻讬拽讛 讘讚诇转
"转专讗讛, 讗谞讬 诪谞住讛 诇讛转驻诇诪住. 砖讜诐 转专讗讛, 专讜讟谉 讛诪讝讜拽谉 讜讚讜专讱 讗转 讛讗拽讚讞, 讗讜 住讬驻讜专 讗讜 讻讚讜专 讘专讗砖. 讗谞讬 诪讘讬谉 砖讗讬谉 讘专讬专讛.
砖谞讬 讗谞砖讬诐 讬讜砖讘讬诐 讘讞讚专, 讗谞讬 诪转讞讬诇, 驻转讗讜诐 谞砖诪注转 讚驻讬拽讛 讘讚诇转.
讛诪讝讜拽谉 诪讝讚拽祝. 诇专讙注 谞讚诪讛 诇讬 砖讛住讬驻讜专 转驻住 讗讜转讜, 讗讘诇 讛讜讗 诇讗. 讛讜讗 诪拽砖讬讘 诇诪砖讛讜 讗讞专. 诪讬砖讛讜 讘讗诪转 讚讜驻拽 讘讚诇转."
驻转讗讜诐 讚驻讬拽讛 讘讚诇转 讛讜讗 拽讜讘抓 讛住讬驻讜专讬诐 讛讞诪讬砖讬 砖诇 讗转讙专 拽专转.
砖谞讬 讗谞砖讬诐 讬讜砖讘讬诐 讘讞讚专, 讗谞讬 诪转讞讬诇, 驻转讗讜诐 谞砖诪注转 讚驻讬拽讛 讘讚诇转.
讛诪讝讜拽谉 诪讝讚拽祝. 诇专讙注 谞讚诪讛 诇讬 砖讛住讬驻讜专 转驻住 讗讜转讜, 讗讘诇 讛讜讗 诇讗. 讛讜讗 诪拽砖讬讘 诇诪砖讛讜 讗讞专. 诪讬砖讛讜 讘讗诪转 讚讜驻拽 讘讚诇转."
驻转讗讜诐 讚驻讬拽讛 讘讚诇转 讛讜讗 拽讜讘抓 讛住讬驻讜专讬诐 讛讞诪讬砖讬 砖诇 讗转讙专 拽专转.
181 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
434 people are currently reading
5927 people want to read
About the author
Etgar Keret
139听books2,396听followersBorn in Ramat Gan in 1967, Etgar Keret is a leading voice in Israeli literature and film. His books have been published in over four dozen languages and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Le Monde and The New Yorker, among others. His awards include the Cannes Film Festival's "Cam茅ra d'Or" (2007), the Charles Bronfman Prize (2016) and the prestigious Sapir Prize (2018). Over a hundred short films and several feature films have been based on his stories. Keret teaches creative writing at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Since 2021, he has been publishing the weekly newsletter "Alphabet Soup" on Substack.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 895 reviews
August 2, 2018
I鈥檝e been wanting to read more works by听Etgar Keret ever since I finished . And I was pleasantly surprised to find听that this particular collection had a lot more short stories that resonated with me than the aforementioned one.
Exuding a rare combination of depth and accessibility, Keret's tales overflow with absurdity, humour, longing and compassion, and though their circumstances are often strange and surreal, his characters are defined by a familiar and fierce humanity.
My favorite stories and moments include:
1. Lieland:
鈥淗e made up these lies in a flash, never thinking he鈥檇 have to cross paths with them again.鈥�
A pathological liar discovers one day that all the lies he tells come true. The sheer attention to details paid in here blew me away. Also, any story starting with a dream will have my utter and complete attention.
2. Simyon:
Follows our main character, Orit, going听to a morgue to identify the dead body of her husband, whom she only married to get out of serving in the IDF. Her marriage was听fictitious but nonetheless听interesting to read about in this swift story.
3. A Good One:
I'm including this story in my list for听the sheer fact that听the clap-back Gershon gave this lowly New York security guard for mocking his Israeli accent听was phenomenal.听In case you're interested here's the full of it:
鈥淲ell, open it already,鈥� Mustache continued. 鈥淵ou know what open means, sir?鈥� And he quickly spelled the word. 鈥淚 know what open means,鈥� Gershon replied, clutching the attach茅 case to his chest with both hands. 鈥淚 also know what closed means, and nominal yield, and oxymoron. I even know the second law of thermodynamics and what Wittgenstein鈥檚 tractatus is. I know lots of things you鈥檒l never know, you arrogant little nothing. And one of those amazing secrets you鈥檒l never get to host under the very thin skin of your brain is what I have in my attach茅 case. Do you even know who I am? Why I came here today? Do you even know anything about existence? The world? Anything beyond the number of the bus that takes you here and home every day, beyond the names of the neighbors in that dark, crummy building you live in? 鈥淪ir 鈥︹€� Jacket tried to stop the flow with pragmatic politeness, but it was too late. 鈥淚 look at you,鈥� Gershon went on, 鈥渁nd in a second I see your whole life story. Everything鈥檚 written right there, on that receding hairline of yours. Everything.听The best day of your life will be when the basketball team you root for wins the championship. The worst day will be when your fat wife dies of cancer because your medical insurance doesn鈥檛 cover the treatment. And everything that comes between those two moments will pass like a weak fart so that at the end of your life, when you try to look back, you won鈥檛 even be able to remember what it smells like 鈥︹€�
This听one's not to be trifled with.
4. What, of this Goldfish, Would You Wish?:
This following story is set around Yonatan鈥檚 idea for a 鈥�brilliant documentary,鈥�听where it鈥檚 him and his little camera, knocking on people鈥檚 doors to ask a single question: 鈥淚f you found a talking goldfish that granted you three wishes, what would you wish for.鈥�
And one particular response that he got really struck me to the core:
鈥淎 Holocaust survivor with a number on his arm asked very slowly, in a quiet voice鈥攁s if he鈥檇 been waiting for Yoni to come, as if it weren鈥檛 an exercise at all鈥攈e鈥檇 been wondering (if this fish didn鈥檛 mind), would it be possible for all the Nazis left living in the world to be held accountable for their crimes?鈥�
My life goal is to see this go through.
And the story wrapped up quite unexpectedly after that, but that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e come to expect with Etgar听Keret.听From stories without a concise ending to discussing听parallel universes,听Suddenly, a Knock on the Door left me with a lot of听food for thought.
3.5/5 stars
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Suddenly, a Knock on the Door, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
Support creators you love. Buy a Coffee for nat (bookspoils) with
Exuding a rare combination of depth and accessibility, Keret's tales overflow with absurdity, humour, longing and compassion, and though their circumstances are often strange and surreal, his characters are defined by a familiar and fierce humanity.
My favorite stories and moments include:
1. Lieland:
鈥淗e made up these lies in a flash, never thinking he鈥檇 have to cross paths with them again.鈥�
A pathological liar discovers one day that all the lies he tells come true. The sheer attention to details paid in here blew me away. Also, any story starting with a dream will have my utter and complete attention.
2. Simyon:
Follows our main character, Orit, going听to a morgue to identify the dead body of her husband, whom she only married to get out of serving in the IDF. Her marriage was听fictitious but nonetheless听interesting to read about in this swift story.
3. A Good One:
I'm including this story in my list for听the sheer fact that听the clap-back Gershon gave this lowly New York security guard for mocking his Israeli accent听was phenomenal.听In case you're interested here's the full of it:
鈥淲ell, open it already,鈥� Mustache continued. 鈥淵ou know what open means, sir?鈥� And he quickly spelled the word. 鈥淚 know what open means,鈥� Gershon replied, clutching the attach茅 case to his chest with both hands. 鈥淚 also know what closed means, and nominal yield, and oxymoron. I even know the second law of thermodynamics and what Wittgenstein鈥檚 tractatus is. I know lots of things you鈥檒l never know, you arrogant little nothing. And one of those amazing secrets you鈥檒l never get to host under the very thin skin of your brain is what I have in my attach茅 case. Do you even know who I am? Why I came here today? Do you even know anything about existence? The world? Anything beyond the number of the bus that takes you here and home every day, beyond the names of the neighbors in that dark, crummy building you live in? 鈥淪ir 鈥︹€� Jacket tried to stop the flow with pragmatic politeness, but it was too late. 鈥淚 look at you,鈥� Gershon went on, 鈥渁nd in a second I see your whole life story. Everything鈥檚 written right there, on that receding hairline of yours. Everything.听The best day of your life will be when the basketball team you root for wins the championship. The worst day will be when your fat wife dies of cancer because your medical insurance doesn鈥檛 cover the treatment. And everything that comes between those two moments will pass like a weak fart so that at the end of your life, when you try to look back, you won鈥檛 even be able to remember what it smells like 鈥︹€�
This听one's not to be trifled with.
4. What, of this Goldfish, Would You Wish?:
This following story is set around Yonatan鈥檚 idea for a 鈥�brilliant documentary,鈥�听where it鈥檚 him and his little camera, knocking on people鈥檚 doors to ask a single question: 鈥淚f you found a talking goldfish that granted you three wishes, what would you wish for.鈥�
And one particular response that he got really struck me to the core:
鈥淎 Holocaust survivor with a number on his arm asked very slowly, in a quiet voice鈥攁s if he鈥檇 been waiting for Yoni to come, as if it weren鈥檛 an exercise at all鈥攈e鈥檇 been wondering (if this fish didn鈥檛 mind), would it be possible for all the Nazis left living in the world to be held accountable for their crimes?鈥�
My life goal is to see this go through.
And the story wrapped up quite unexpectedly after that, but that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e come to expect with Etgar听Keret.听From stories without a concise ending to discussing听parallel universes,听Suddenly, a Knock on the Door left me with a lot of听food for thought.
3.5/5 stars
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Suddenly, a Knock on the Door, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
Support creators you love. Buy a Coffee for nat (bookspoils) with
June 18, 2019
Heaven and Hell
These are just two examples of Etgar Keret鈥檚 imaginative and playful short stories that are included in this excellent collection of almost 40 short and darkly absurd stories.
Keret鈥檚 stories are never banal or obvious, but they are always comically redemptive, uplifting and optimistic, even in the darkest of situations.
Etgar Keret is an extraordinary talent. He takes you to heaven and to hell with his ingenious stories. And even in hell, he finds humour and hope.
These are just two examples of Etgar Keret鈥檚 imaginative and playful short stories that are included in this excellent collection of almost 40 short and darkly absurd stories.
Keret鈥檚 stories are never banal or obvious, but they are always comically redemptive, uplifting and optimistic, even in the darkest of situations.
Etgar Keret is an extraordinary talent. He takes you to heaven and to hell with his ingenious stories. And even in hell, he finds humour and hope.
August 9, 2016
Etgar Keret became known to me in 2008 when I happened across an excellent interview with him in a 2006 edition of The Believer. I liked what he had to say in that piece, so I picked up a book of his stories (). His style of writing was a marked difference from so many of the MFA graduate story writers that I had come to enjoy and respect - that differentiation was a good thing. Some of his stories are three pages, two pages long. His ability to write a handful of paragraphs that are funny, meaningful and sometimes heartbreaking is nothing shy of miraculous. I enjoyed his first couple of story collections (translated from Hebrew) and was very happy that I had read that Believer piece before tackling that first story. You can really sense Keret working through some serious shit in those first two books of stories - like Vonnegut circling the Dresden bombing dragon in his early novels before slaying it in Slaughterhouse-Five. So I have been looking forward to Keret's next collection to chart his maturity as a writer and to see what new creations his beautiful mind unleashes. This collection was released in 2012, and with all of the other great fiction I have been devouring (thanks to you good people here), Keret fell off my radar until this week.
This collection of 35 stories shows a giant step forward in Keret's writing ability. His dark sense of humor and economical style of writing are very much on display here; there's also a deeper glare into the void that Keret wrestles. More specifically, and from that Believer interview, here's a glimpse into Keret's approach to life:
Yeah, that does sound pretty bleak, now that I re-read it, but you have to trust me that Keret takes that feeling as bedrock given - and then does exactly through his stories what he says in that last sentence. It's just that he isn't willing to sugarcoat any of it. Love or hate these stories, they bang a gong. They will not go quietly, and since Keret has you flipping pages those pages anyway, he'll try to expose that sacred cow of yours and make you ask yourself just why it is so sacred. And then laugh whilst you ponder.
Highly recommended for fans of short stories, and I also suggest reading The Believer interview first if you've not read anything by Keret (available for free in its entirety here:
This collection of 35 stories shows a giant step forward in Keret's writing ability. His dark sense of humor and economical style of writing are very much on display here; there's also a deeper glare into the void that Keret wrestles. More specifically, and from that Believer interview, here's a glimpse into Keret's approach to life:
"I think that any authentic feeling one has of life should be a feeling of defeat. It鈥檚 a losing game. You鈥檙e going to die. Civilization is going to end. Our society is in decline, and we should feel OK about it because Roman society was in decline and before it the Assyrian one was, and they disappeared off this earth and we will disappear too. If you really grasp what is going on, in some sort of way, you should feel some desperation. But that doesn鈥檛 mean that you can鈥檛 love your life or try to improve it."
Yeah, that does sound pretty bleak, now that I re-read it, but you have to trust me that Keret takes that feeling as bedrock given - and then does exactly through his stories what he says in that last sentence. It's just that he isn't willing to sugarcoat any of it. Love or hate these stories, they bang a gong. They will not go quietly, and since Keret has you flipping pages those pages anyway, he'll try to expose that sacred cow of yours and make you ask yourself just why it is so sacred. And then laugh whilst you ponder.
Highly recommended for fans of short stories, and I also suggest reading The Believer interview first if you've not read anything by Keret (available for free in its entirety here:
February 11, 2014
I LOVE this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My very favorite short story is:
"What Do We Have in Our Pockets"
I also wanted to cry in "What Animal are You"?
I had a very challenging time understanding "SHUT". I read it 4 times --- (I 'think' I get it)....lol
"Creative Writing", "Unzipping", "Suddenly A Knock On the Door", "Upgrade".....etc. etc. etc.......
These SHORT stories are funny and sad -playful & mature -loving and insightful -strange -fresh- sweet- unpretentious -and a little like sticky-taffy-candy which requires patience when chewing!
My very favorite short story is:
"What Do We Have in Our Pockets"
I also wanted to cry in "What Animal are You"?
I had a very challenging time understanding "SHUT". I read it 4 times --- (I 'think' I get it)....lol
"Creative Writing", "Unzipping", "Suddenly A Knock On the Door", "Upgrade".....etc. etc. etc.......
These SHORT stories are funny and sad -playful & mature -loving and insightful -strange -fresh- sweet- unpretentious -and a little like sticky-taffy-candy which requires patience when chewing!
January 15, 2015
Wow, what a ride! Loved it.
Wildly inventive. It's like literary Silly Putty that's been smushed up against color comics, peeled off and then stretched and pulled. It kind of looks the same as the real thing but is weirdly distorted. In a way that is more interesting and alive than the original.
And then it makes you smile.
Wildly inventive. It's like literary Silly Putty that's been smushed up against color comics, peeled off and then stretched and pulled. It kind of looks the same as the real thing but is weirdly distorted. In a way that is more interesting and alive than the original.
And then it makes you smile.
February 18, 2025
The story is really dying. The more it makes sense to appreciate the good ones when you meet them. Keret has good ones. And in an excellent translation, which for me became an additional argument in favor of the book, if it were only about the author, I would hardly be interested. The vicious circle of reader snobbery is not to read without recommendations. In Keret's case, Linor Goralik turned out to be a necessary and sufficient condition, and only now I found out that there is an audiobook read by Kirill Radzig - if I had known in advance, I would have taken it in this format.
"Suddenly there's a Knock on the door" includes three dozen things. Given the small volume of the book, the stories are short and very short. You won't get bored in time, that's for sure. My favorite is "Semyon", from which I took the epigraph. About a Russian repatriate, fictitiously married to a colleague's girlfriend, who did not say two words to him during the entire acquaintance, and when he died, it turned out that there was no one to identify except her, the legitimate wife. It's interesting that when I read the book, this piece made me laugh, but taken out of context it turned out to be sad.
There are a lot of good ones, "Goldfish" is still great, "Guava", "Prick", That is, I think they are all good in their own way, but this time these got into my mood, and another time, maybe there would have been others. Oh, and there's a great "False Land" about lies. And "The winning Story." "Ilan." Good stories, excellent translation. Hurry up to see, the story is still alive.
小褌褉邪薪薪褘泄 褔邪泄. 袧械 褋泻褍褔邪泄.
袨薪邪 胁褋锌芯屑薪懈谢邪 锌褉芯 邪斜芯褉褌 懈 锌褉芯 褌芯, 泻邪泻 屑邪屑邪, 胁械褉懈胁褕邪褟 胁 锌械褉械褋械谢械薪懈械 写褍褕, 薪邪褋褌邪懈胁邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 写褍褕邪 屑谢邪写械薪褑邪 锌械褉械褋械谢懈谢邪褋褜 胁 械械 芯褖懈锌邪薪薪芯谐芯 泻芯褌邪.
- 袩芯褋谢褍褕邪泄, 泻邪泻 芯薪 锌谢邪褔械褌, - 谐芯胁芯褉懈谢邪 芯薪邪 袨褉懈褌, - 锌芯褋谢褍褕邪泄, 泻邪泻芯泄 谐芯谢芯褋 - 泻邪泻 褍 屑谢邪写械薪褑邪. 袨薪 褍 褌械斜褟 褔械褌褘褉械 谐芯写邪 懈 薪懈泻芯谐写邪 褌邪泻 薪械 锌谢邪泻邪谢.
袨褉懈褌 蟹薪邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 屑邪屑邪 薪械褋械褌 褔褍褕褜 懈 褔褌芯 泻芯褌 胁褋械谐芯 谢懈褕褜 褍薪褞褏邪谢 械写褍 懈谢懈 泻邪泻褍褞-薪懈斜褍写褜 泻芯褕泻褍 蟹邪 芯泻薪芯屑. 袧芯 胁芯锌谢懈 械谐芯 懈 锌褉邪胁写邪 蟹胁褍褔邪谢懈 薪械屑薪芯卸泻芯 泻邪泻 写械褌褋泻懈泄 锌谢邪褔, 懈 芯薪 薪械 蟹邪屑芯谢泻邪谢 胁褋褞 薪芯褔褜.
袩邪褉褍 写薪械泄 薪邪蟹邪写 薪邪褌泻薪褍谢邪褋褜 薪邪 褎械泄褋斜褍褔薪褘泄 锌芯褋褌 芯 褌芯屑, 褔褌芯 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 褍屑械褉, 懈 锌芯 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈泻械 褌械锌械褉褜 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹芯胁 薪械 褔懈褌邪褞褌, 邪 谢褞写懈 锌褉褟屑芯 写邪卸械 芯谐芯胁邪褉懈胁邪褞褌, 泻芯谐写邪 锌褉芯褋褟褌 褋芯胁械褌邪, 褔褌芯 锌芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 - 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹芯胁 薪械 锌褉械写谢邪谐邪褌褜! 校写懈胁懈谢邪褋褜, 褋邪屑邪 褉邪蟹谢懈褔懈泄 屑械卸写褍 褎芯褉屑邪屑懈 薪械 写械谢邪褞, 泻褉褍锌薪芯泄 褔懈褌邪褞 斜芯谢褜褕械 懈褋泻谢褞褔懈褌械谢褜薪芯 锌芯褌芯屑褍, 褔褌芯 屑邪谢芯泄 褋械泄褔邪褋 锌芯褟胁谢褟械褌褋褟 薪械屑薪芯谐芯. 袨写薪邪泻芯 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 懈蟹褉邪懈谢褜褋泻芯谐芯 锌懈褋邪褌械谢褟 协褌谐邪褉邪 袣械褉械褌邪 褌褉械褌懈泄 蟹邪 屑械褋褟褑, 薪械 褌邪泻 褍卸 屑邪谢芯.
啸芯褌褟 写邪, 褝褌芯 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褟 芯褔械薪褜 屑薪芯谐芯 褔懈褌邪褞, 邪 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 胁 褋邪屑芯屑 写械谢械 褍屑懈褉邪械褌. 孝械屑 斜芯谢褜褕械 懈屑械械褌 褋屑褘褋谢 褑械薪懈褌褜, 褏芯褉芯褕懈械, 泻芯谐写邪 胁褋褌褉械褔邪械褕褜褋褟 褋 薪懈屑懈. 校 袣械褉械褌邪 褏芯褉芯褕懈械. 袠 胁 芯褌谢懈褔薪芯屑 锌械褉械胁芯写械 褔褌芯 写谢褟 屑械薪褟 褋褌邪谢芯 写芯锌芯谢薪懈褌械谢褜薪褘屑 邪褉谐褍屑械薪褌芯屑 胁 锌芯谢褜蟹褍 泻薪懈谐懈, 械褋谢懈 斜褘 褉械褔褜 褕谢邪 褌芯谢褜泻芯 芯斜 邪胁褌芯褉械, 胁褉褟写 谢懈 蟹邪懈薪褌械褉械褋芯胁邪谢邪褋褜 斜褘. 袟邪屑泻薪褍褌褘泄 泻褉褍谐 褔懈褌邪褌械谢褜褋泻芯谐芯 褋薪芯斜懈蟹屑邪 - 薪械 褔懈褌邪褌褜 斜械蟹 褉械泻芯屑械薪写邪褑懈泄. 袙 褋谢褍褔邪械 袣械褉械褌邪 袥懈薪芯褉 袚芯褉邪谢懈泻 芯泻邪蟹邪谢邪褋褜 薪械芯斜褏芯写懈屑褘屑 懈 写芯褋褌邪褌芯褔薪褘屑 褍褋谢芯胁懈械屑, 懈 褌芯谢褜泻芯 褋械泄褔邪褋 褍蟹薪邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 械褋褌褜 邪褍写懈芯泻薪懈谐邪, 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪薪薪邪褟 袣懈褉懈谢谢芯屑 袪邪写褑懈谐芯屑 - 蟹薪邪泄 褟 蟹邪褉邪薪械械, 薪械锌械褉械屑械薪薪芯 胁蟹褟谢邪 斜褘 胁 褝褌芯屑 褎芯褉屑邪褌械.
"袙薪械蟹邪锌薪芯 胁 写胁械褉褜 褋褌褍褔邪褌" 胁泻谢褞褔邪械褌 褌褉懈 写褞卸懈薪褘 胁械褖械泄. 校褔懈褌褘胁邪褟 薪械斜芯谢褜褕芯泄 芯斜褗械屑 泻薪懈谐懈, 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘 泻芯褉芯褌泻懈械 懈 褋芯胁褋械屑 泻芯褉芯褌泻懈械. 袟邪褋泻褍褔邪褌褜 薪械 褍褋锌械械褌械, 褌芯褔薪芯. 袦芯泄 谢褞斜懈屑褘泄 "小械屑械薪", 懈蟹 泻芯褌芯褉芯谐芯 胁蟹褟谢邪 褝锌懈谐褉邪褎. 袨 褉褍褋褋泻芯屑 褉械锌邪褌褉懈邪薪褌械, 褎懈泻褌懈胁薪芯 卸械薪邪褌芯屑 薪邪 写械胁褍褕泻械 褋芯褋谢褍卸懈胁褑邪, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 写胁褍褏 褋谢芯胁 褋 薪懈屑 薪械 褋泻邪蟹邪谢邪 胁芯 胁褋械 胁褉械屑褟 蟹薪邪泻芯屑褋褌胁邪, 邪 泻芯谐写邪 锌芯谐懈斜, 芯泻邪蟹邪谢芯褋褜, 褔褌芯 懈 芯锌芯蟹薪邪褌褜, 泻褉芯屑械 薪械械, 蟹邪泻芯薪薪芯泄 卸械薪褘, 薪械泻芯屑褍. 袟邪薪褟褌薪芯, 褔褌芯 泻芯谐写邪 褔懈褌邪谢邪 泻薪懈谐褍, 褝褌芯褌 泻褍褋芯褔械泻 褉邪褋褋屑械褕懈谢, 邪 胁褘褉胁邪薪薪褘屑 懈蟹 泻芯薪褌械泻褋褌邪 芯泻邪蟹邪谢褋褟 谐褉褍褋褌薪褘屑.
孝邪屑 屑薪芯谐芯 褏芯褉芯褕懈褏, "袟芯谢芯褌邪褟 褉褘斜泻邪" 械褖械 芯褌谢懈褔薪邪褟, "袚褍邪泄褟胁邪", "校泻芯谢" 孝芯 械褋褌褜, 写褍屑邪褞, 褔褌芯 胁褋械 芯薪懈 锌芯-褋胁芯械屑褍 褏芯褉芯褕懈, 薪芯 胁 褝褌芯褌 褉邪蟹 胁 屑芯械 薪邪褋褌褉芯械薪懈械 锌芯锌邪谢懈 褝褌懈, 邪 胁 写褉褍谐芯泄, 屑芯卸械褌 - 写褉褍谐懈械 斜褘谢懈 斜褘. 袗褏, 械褖械 胁芯褌 锌褉芯 谢芯卸褜 芯褌谢懈褔薪褘泄 "袥芯卸薪芯谢褝薪写". 袠 "袪邪褋褋泻邪蟹-锌芯斜械写懈褌械谢褜". "袠谢邪薪". 啸芯褉芯褕懈械 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘, 芯褌屑械薪薪褘泄 锌械褉械胁芯写. 小锌械褕懈褌械 胁懈写械褌褜, 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 械褖械 卸懈胁.
"Suddenly there's a Knock on the door" includes three dozen things. Given the small volume of the book, the stories are short and very short. You won't get bored in time, that's for sure. My favorite is "Semyon", from which I took the epigraph. About a Russian repatriate, fictitiously married to a colleague's girlfriend, who did not say two words to him during the entire acquaintance, and when he died, it turned out that there was no one to identify except her, the legitimate wife. It's interesting that when I read the book, this piece made me laugh, but taken out of context it turned out to be sad.
There are a lot of good ones, "Goldfish" is still great, "Guava", "Prick", That is, I think they are all good in their own way, but this time these got into my mood, and another time, maybe there would have been others. Oh, and there's a great "False Land" about lies. And "The winning Story." "Ilan." Good stories, excellent translation. Hurry up to see, the story is still alive.
小褌褉邪薪薪褘泄 褔邪泄. 袧械 褋泻褍褔邪泄.
袨薪邪 胁褋锌芯屑薪懈谢邪 锌褉芯 邪斜芯褉褌 懈 锌褉芯 褌芯, 泻邪泻 屑邪屑邪, 胁械褉懈胁褕邪褟 胁 锌械褉械褋械谢械薪懈械 写褍褕, 薪邪褋褌邪懈胁邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 写褍褕邪 屑谢邪写械薪褑邪 锌械褉械褋械谢懈谢邪褋褜 胁 械械 芯褖懈锌邪薪薪芯谐芯 泻芯褌邪.
- 袩芯褋谢褍褕邪泄, 泻邪泻 芯薪 锌谢邪褔械褌, - 谐芯胁芯褉懈谢邪 芯薪邪 袨褉懈褌, - 锌芯褋谢褍褕邪泄, 泻邪泻芯泄 谐芯谢芯褋 - 泻邪泻 褍 屑谢邪写械薪褑邪. 袨薪 褍 褌械斜褟 褔械褌褘褉械 谐芯写邪 懈 薪懈泻芯谐写邪 褌邪泻 薪械 锌谢邪泻邪谢.
袨褉懈褌 蟹薪邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 屑邪屑邪 薪械褋械褌 褔褍褕褜 懈 褔褌芯 泻芯褌 胁褋械谐芯 谢懈褕褜 褍薪褞褏邪谢 械写褍 懈谢懈 泻邪泻褍褞-薪懈斜褍写褜 泻芯褕泻褍 蟹邪 芯泻薪芯屑. 袧芯 胁芯锌谢懈 械谐芯 懈 锌褉邪胁写邪 蟹胁褍褔邪谢懈 薪械屑薪芯卸泻芯 泻邪泻 写械褌褋泻懈泄 锌谢邪褔, 懈 芯薪 薪械 蟹邪屑芯谢泻邪谢 胁褋褞 薪芯褔褜.
袩邪褉褍 写薪械泄 薪邪蟹邪写 薪邪褌泻薪褍谢邪褋褜 薪邪 褎械泄褋斜褍褔薪褘泄 锌芯褋褌 芯 褌芯屑, 褔褌芯 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 褍屑械褉, 懈 锌芯 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈泻械 褌械锌械褉褜 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹芯胁 薪械 褔懈褌邪褞褌, 邪 谢褞写懈 锌褉褟屑芯 写邪卸械 芯谐芯胁邪褉懈胁邪褞褌, 泻芯谐写邪 锌褉芯褋褟褌 褋芯胁械褌邪, 褔褌芯 锌芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 - 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹芯胁 薪械 锌褉械写谢邪谐邪褌褜! 校写懈胁懈谢邪褋褜, 褋邪屑邪 褉邪蟹谢懈褔懈泄 屑械卸写褍 褎芯褉屑邪屑懈 薪械 写械谢邪褞, 泻褉褍锌薪芯泄 褔懈褌邪褞 斜芯谢褜褕械 懈褋泻谢褞褔懈褌械谢褜薪芯 锌芯褌芯屑褍, 褔褌芯 屑邪谢芯泄 褋械泄褔邪褋 锌芯褟胁谢褟械褌褋褟 薪械屑薪芯谐芯. 袨写薪邪泻芯 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 懈蟹褉邪懈谢褜褋泻芯谐芯 锌懈褋邪褌械谢褟 协褌谐邪褉邪 袣械褉械褌邪 褌褉械褌懈泄 蟹邪 屑械褋褟褑, 薪械 褌邪泻 褍卸 屑邪谢芯.
啸芯褌褟 写邪, 褝褌芯 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褟 芯褔械薪褜 屑薪芯谐芯 褔懈褌邪褞, 邪 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 胁 褋邪屑芯屑 写械谢械 褍屑懈褉邪械褌. 孝械屑 斜芯谢褜褕械 懈屑械械褌 褋屑褘褋谢 褑械薪懈褌褜, 褏芯褉芯褕懈械, 泻芯谐写邪 胁褋褌褉械褔邪械褕褜褋褟 褋 薪懈屑懈. 校 袣械褉械褌邪 褏芯褉芯褕懈械. 袠 胁 芯褌谢懈褔薪芯屑 锌械褉械胁芯写械 褔褌芯 写谢褟 屑械薪褟 褋褌邪谢芯 写芯锌芯谢薪懈褌械谢褜薪褘屑 邪褉谐褍屑械薪褌芯屑 胁 锌芯谢褜蟹褍 泻薪懈谐懈, 械褋谢懈 斜褘 褉械褔褜 褕谢邪 褌芯谢褜泻芯 芯斜 邪胁褌芯褉械, 胁褉褟写 谢懈 蟹邪懈薪褌械褉械褋芯胁邪谢邪褋褜 斜褘. 袟邪屑泻薪褍褌褘泄 泻褉褍谐 褔懈褌邪褌械谢褜褋泻芯谐芯 褋薪芯斜懈蟹屑邪 - 薪械 褔懈褌邪褌褜 斜械蟹 褉械泻芯屑械薪写邪褑懈泄. 袙 褋谢褍褔邪械 袣械褉械褌邪 袥懈薪芯褉 袚芯褉邪谢懈泻 芯泻邪蟹邪谢邪褋褜 薪械芯斜褏芯写懈屑褘屑 懈 写芯褋褌邪褌芯褔薪褘屑 褍褋谢芯胁懈械屑, 懈 褌芯谢褜泻芯 褋械泄褔邪褋 褍蟹薪邪谢邪, 褔褌芯 械褋褌褜 邪褍写懈芯泻薪懈谐邪, 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪薪薪邪褟 袣懈褉懈谢谢芯屑 袪邪写褑懈谐芯屑 - 蟹薪邪泄 褟 蟹邪褉邪薪械械, 薪械锌械褉械屑械薪薪芯 胁蟹褟谢邪 斜褘 胁 褝褌芯屑 褎芯褉屑邪褌械.
"袙薪械蟹邪锌薪芯 胁 写胁械褉褜 褋褌褍褔邪褌" 胁泻谢褞褔邪械褌 褌褉懈 写褞卸懈薪褘 胁械褖械泄. 校褔懈褌褘胁邪褟 薪械斜芯谢褜褕芯泄 芯斜褗械屑 泻薪懈谐懈, 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘 泻芯褉芯褌泻懈械 懈 褋芯胁褋械屑 泻芯褉芯褌泻懈械. 袟邪褋泻褍褔邪褌褜 薪械 褍褋锌械械褌械, 褌芯褔薪芯. 袦芯泄 谢褞斜懈屑褘泄 "小械屑械薪", 懈蟹 泻芯褌芯褉芯谐芯 胁蟹褟谢邪 褝锌懈谐褉邪褎. 袨 褉褍褋褋泻芯屑 褉械锌邪褌褉懈邪薪褌械, 褎懈泻褌懈胁薪芯 卸械薪邪褌芯屑 薪邪 写械胁褍褕泻械 褋芯褋谢褍卸懈胁褑邪, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 写胁褍褏 褋谢芯胁 褋 薪懈屑 薪械 褋泻邪蟹邪谢邪 胁芯 胁褋械 胁褉械屑褟 蟹薪邪泻芯屑褋褌胁邪, 邪 泻芯谐写邪 锌芯谐懈斜, 芯泻邪蟹邪谢芯褋褜, 褔褌芯 懈 芯锌芯蟹薪邪褌褜, 泻褉芯屑械 薪械械, 蟹邪泻芯薪薪芯泄 卸械薪褘, 薪械泻芯屑褍. 袟邪薪褟褌薪芯, 褔褌芯 泻芯谐写邪 褔懈褌邪谢邪 泻薪懈谐褍, 褝褌芯褌 泻褍褋芯褔械泻 褉邪褋褋屑械褕懈谢, 邪 胁褘褉胁邪薪薪褘屑 懈蟹 泻芯薪褌械泻褋褌邪 芯泻邪蟹邪谢褋褟 谐褉褍褋褌薪褘屑.
孝邪屑 屑薪芯谐芯 褏芯褉芯褕懈褏, "袟芯谢芯褌邪褟 褉褘斜泻邪" 械褖械 芯褌谢懈褔薪邪褟, "袚褍邪泄褟胁邪", "校泻芯谢" 孝芯 械褋褌褜, 写褍屑邪褞, 褔褌芯 胁褋械 芯薪懈 锌芯-褋胁芯械屑褍 褏芯褉芯褕懈, 薪芯 胁 褝褌芯褌 褉邪蟹 胁 屑芯械 薪邪褋褌褉芯械薪懈械 锌芯锌邪谢懈 褝褌懈, 邪 胁 写褉褍谐芯泄, 屑芯卸械褌 - 写褉褍谐懈械 斜褘谢懈 斜褘. 袗褏, 械褖械 胁芯褌 锌褉芯 谢芯卸褜 芯褌谢懈褔薪褘泄 "袥芯卸薪芯谢褝薪写". 袠 "袪邪褋褋泻邪蟹-锌芯斜械写懈褌械谢褜". "袠谢邪薪". 啸芯褉芯褕懈械 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘, 芯褌屑械薪薪褘泄 锌械褉械胁芯写. 小锌械褕懈褌械 胁懈写械褌褜, 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 械褖械 卸懈胁.
March 4, 2022
Judging by all the 4&5 star reviews, I was clearly missing something here, as for me this began as a huge disappointment.
Unlike the glowing reviews on the back cover, I didn't see much maturity on display here, more the opposite in fact. Neither was the authors renowned humour apparent, although many stories began like the start of a good joke - "A man and his son walk into an acupuncturists' treatment room", they invariably ended like bad ones, with no punch line. "There's nothing stranger than hearing a Chinese man speak Hebrew". ( both extracts are from the story 'Snot').
Other reviews use words like 'moving' and 'understated', again I had to disagree, to me they were immature, felt deliberately rushed, and lacked feeling. I kept moving to the next story, looking for a profoundly affecting tale, hoping to be proved wrong, but kept getting the 'Emperors New Clothes' feeling that there was nothing here to see.
Then I read "What do we have in our pockets", a charming tale, just a couple of pages long, and I was moved by the melancholy beauty of it. It reminded me of David Gaffney's 'Sawn off Tales', and is already possibly one of my favourite short stories of all time. And that was it. One fleeting beacon of brilliance in a vast sea of mediocrity.
Another GR reviewer and massive Keret fan even agreed that this is best avoided as an introduction to his work, and perhaps that's the case. However, I couldn't remember any of the other stories in this book a minute after I'd finished them, and it's only that one great story that stops me from giving this 1 star.
Unlike the glowing reviews on the back cover, I didn't see much maturity on display here, more the opposite in fact. Neither was the authors renowned humour apparent, although many stories began like the start of a good joke - "A man and his son walk into an acupuncturists' treatment room", they invariably ended like bad ones, with no punch line. "There's nothing stranger than hearing a Chinese man speak Hebrew". ( both extracts are from the story 'Snot').
Other reviews use words like 'moving' and 'understated', again I had to disagree, to me they were immature, felt deliberately rushed, and lacked feeling. I kept moving to the next story, looking for a profoundly affecting tale, hoping to be proved wrong, but kept getting the 'Emperors New Clothes' feeling that there was nothing here to see.
Then I read "What do we have in our pockets", a charming tale, just a couple of pages long, and I was moved by the melancholy beauty of it. It reminded me of David Gaffney's 'Sawn off Tales', and is already possibly one of my favourite short stories of all time. And that was it. One fleeting beacon of brilliance in a vast sea of mediocrity.
Another GR reviewer and massive Keret fan even agreed that this is best avoided as an introduction to his work, and perhaps that's the case. However, I couldn't remember any of the other stories in this book a minute after I'd finished them, and it's only that one great story that stops me from giving this 1 star.
February 18, 2016
V脿o 1 膽锚m tr峄漣 kh么ng tr膬ng kh么ng sao, 膽ang ng峄� ngon th矛 峄� ngo脿i hi锚n "膽峄檛 nhi锚n c贸 ti岷縩g g玫 c峄璦". 膼峄﹏g tr瓢峄沜 c峄璦 l脿 1 th岷眓g nh贸c 膽eo khuy锚n tai v脿 c岷� khuy锚n m农i c霉ng 1 b锚n m岷痶 "b岷 t铆m". N贸 ngay l岷璸 t峄ヽ ch末a m谩y quay v脿o m岷穞 t么i v脿 h峄廼 "b岷 s岷� 瓢峄沜 g矛 t峄� con c谩 v脿ng?". T么i r岷 mu峄憂 cho n贸 b岷 con m岷痶 c貌n l岷 v矛 n峄璦 膽锚m n峄璦 h么m t峄沬 c峄璦 nh脿 ng瓢峄漣 ta n贸i nh峄痭g c芒u v峄� v岷﹏ ch瓢a k峄� nh矛n m岷穞 ch岷痗 ch峄� b岷眓g n峄璦 tu峄昳 t么i m脿 d谩m x瓢ng b岷. N锚n x瓢ng l脿 anh th矛 t峄憈 h啤n (kh么ng n锚n x瓢ng ch煤 v矛 ch煤 nghe r岷 gi脿). Th岷 t么i toan 膽贸ng s岷璸 c峄璦, n贸 h峄廼 th锚m c芒u n峄痑 "ch煤ng ta c贸 g矛 trong t煤i?". Ch煤ng ta l脿 ch煤ng ta qu谩i n脿o 峄� 膽芒y? T么i tr岷� l峄漣 l脿 khi ng峄� t么i ch岷硁g mang g矛 trong t煤i v矛 t么i to脿n ng峄� nude :3
Th岷眓g b茅 c瓢峄漣 s岷穋 s峄 v脿 h峄廼 "g岷 膽芒y n贸 c峄﹏g m峄檛 c谩ch phi th瓢峄漬g" 膽煤ng kh么ng? Kh么ng hi峄僽 sao gi峄峮g 膽i峄噓 trong c芒u n脿y gi峄憂g nh瓢 th么i mi锚n v岷瓂. T么i 煤 a 煤 峄� lo岷 th岷. Sau 膽贸 n贸 b岷 h茫y 膽i theo n贸, n贸 s岷� d岷玭 t么i t峄沬 "nh峄痭g v农 tr峄� song song".
Ch岷硁g hi峄僽 sao m脿 t么i ngoan ngo茫n nghe l峄漣. C岷� 2 膽i tr锚n 1 chi岷縞 "xe bu媒t to m脿u xanh". Tr锚n 膽瓢峄漬g 膽i n贸 t峄� gi峄沬 thi峄噓 n贸 t锚n l脿 "Simyon" v脿 n贸 l脿 1 "c岷璾 b茅 l峄媍h s峄�". Th岷璽 ra t么i ch瓢a t峄玭g ngh末 m矛nh s岷� 膽i v农 tr峄� b岷眓g ph瓢啤ng ti峄噉 l脿 xe bu媒t, 膽i v农 tr峄� th矛 膽谩ng l岷� ra l脿 ng峄搃 tr锚n 1 qu岷� t锚n l峄璦 ho岷穋 ng峄搃 trong toilet th矛 c贸 v岷� 膽煤ng h啤n.
Chi岷縞 xe bu媒t 膽峄� x峄媍h tr瓢峄沜 1 t貌a nh脿 nguy nga tr谩ng l峄� 膽瓢峄 m脿u "huy峄乶 b铆". 峄� b锚n trong c贸 v岷� ng瓢峄漣 ta 膽ang 膬n ti峄嘽. 膼i峄乽 k峄� l岷� l脿 tr锚n b脿n ti峄嘽 ch峄� c贸 b谩nh "pudding" v脿 m岷 "qu岷� 峄昳".
C谩c b脿 c谩c m岷� s峄搉 s峄搉 v峄玜 膬n v峄玜 bu么n chuy峄噉 v峄� b贸i to谩n, v峄� "nghi峄噋 x岷", v峄� c谩ch ch峄痑 b峄噉h "ch岷 m农i", v峄� vi峄嘽 "n芒ng c岷" v貌ng 1, v峄� bi峄噉 ph谩p l脿m co "b煤i tr末" ho岷穋 v峄� s谩ng t谩c m峄沬 nh岷 c峄 S啤n T霉ng M么ng - To Ph岷縯.
Gi峄痑 kh么ng gian ti峄嘽 t霉ng c贸 b脿y 1 s芒n kh岷 tr锚n 膽贸 l脿 1 th岷眓g h峄�. C岷璾 nh贸c b岷 m岷痶 b岷 t么i l脿 th岷眓g h峄� ch峄� bi峄僽 di峄卬 v脿o "th谩ng ch铆n quanh n膬m" th么i (trong khi b芒y gi峄� m峄沬 c贸 th谩ng 2).
Th岷眓g h峄� n脿y c贸 v岷� 膽ang bi峄僽 di峄卬 岷 thu岷璽. N贸 "t贸m 膽u么i chim cu cu" v脿 煤m ba la, abcxyz...con chim cu cu bi岷縩 th脿nh con v峄媡 b岷. C岷� kh谩n ph貌ng v峄� tay r岷 r岷 v脿 c瓢峄漣 "m峄檛 tr岷璶 ra tr貌" m岷穋 d霉 t么i ch岷硁g th岷 c贸 g矛 bu峄搉 c瓢峄漣 l岷痬. Ti岷縩g c瓢峄漣 b峄梟g d瓢ng chuy峄僴 th脿nh ti岷縩g h煤. C谩c b脿 c谩c m岷� g脿o l锚n v脿 t峄� l峄檛 da ra ("c岷璾 b茅 l峄媍h s峄�" g峄峣 膽贸 l脿 qu谩 tr矛nh "l峄檛 v峄�"). Sau khi l峄檛 th矛 ai c农ng bi岷縩 th脿nh ng瓢峄漣 ngo脿i h脿nh tinh gi峄憂g v峄沬 t岷 h矛nh th瓢峄漬g th岷 c峄 holywood : 膽岷 to, m岷痶 tr峄�, ch芒n tay c贸 m脿ng, l瓢峄 d脿i, m峄搈 r峄檔g. Qu谩 s峄� h茫i T么i lao v脿o c膬n ph貌ng g岷 nh岷 kh贸a k铆n c峄璦 l岷. 1 ng脿y, 2 ng脿y, 1 tu岷, 2 tu岷 tr么i qua. Su峄憈 kho岷g th峄漣 gian 岷, b锚n ngo脿i 膽峄乽 im l岷穘g nh瓢 t峄�. Th岷� r峄搃 "膽峄檛 nhi锚n c贸 ti岷縩g g玫 c峄璦"...
M峄檛 c芒u chuy峄噉 r岷 x脿m x脿m, x岷 qu岷 theo phong c谩ch Keret (v脿 th峄眂 ch岷 s谩ng t谩c d峄盿 tr锚n s瓢峄漬 l脿 nh瓢ng nhan 膽峄� c峄 ch铆nh Keret). Keret th铆ch vi岷縯 ra nh峄痭g th峄� v么 ngh末a theo c谩ch r岷 c贸 ngh末a, r岷 chi l脿 b岷璫 th岷 :3
Th峄眂 t岷� m脿 n贸i th矛 vi岷縯 review d脿i lo岷眓g ngo岷眓g nh瓢 n脿y cho tuy峄僴 t岷璸 truy峄噉 ng岷痭 (n贸i chu岷﹏ h啤n l脿 c峄眂 ng岷痭) gi峄憂g nh瓢 1 s峄� m峄塧 mai :3
M脿 x茅t cho c霉ng th矛 膽芒y c农ng ch岷硁g ph岷 review, ch岷筽, n贸i nh岷 th么i :3
Th岷眓g b茅 c瓢峄漣 s岷穋 s峄 v脿 h峄廼 "g岷 膽芒y n贸 c峄﹏g m峄檛 c谩ch phi th瓢峄漬g" 膽煤ng kh么ng? Kh么ng hi峄僽 sao gi峄峮g 膽i峄噓 trong c芒u n脿y gi峄憂g nh瓢 th么i mi锚n v岷瓂. T么i 煤 a 煤 峄� lo岷 th岷. Sau 膽贸 n贸 b岷 h茫y 膽i theo n贸, n贸 s岷� d岷玭 t么i t峄沬 "nh峄痭g v农 tr峄� song song".
Ch岷硁g hi峄僽 sao m脿 t么i ngoan ngo茫n nghe l峄漣. C岷� 2 膽i tr锚n 1 chi岷縞 "xe bu媒t to m脿u xanh". Tr锚n 膽瓢峄漬g 膽i n贸 t峄� gi峄沬 thi峄噓 n贸 t锚n l脿 "Simyon" v脿 n贸 l脿 1 "c岷璾 b茅 l峄媍h s峄�". Th岷璽 ra t么i ch瓢a t峄玭g ngh末 m矛nh s岷� 膽i v农 tr峄� b岷眓g ph瓢啤ng ti峄噉 l脿 xe bu媒t, 膽i v农 tr峄� th矛 膽谩ng l岷� ra l脿 ng峄搃 tr锚n 1 qu岷� t锚n l峄璦 ho岷穋 ng峄搃 trong toilet th矛 c贸 v岷� 膽煤ng h啤n.
Chi岷縞 xe bu媒t 膽峄� x峄媍h tr瓢峄沜 1 t貌a nh脿 nguy nga tr谩ng l峄� 膽瓢峄 m脿u "huy峄乶 b铆". 峄� b锚n trong c贸 v岷� ng瓢峄漣 ta 膽ang 膬n ti峄嘽. 膼i峄乽 k峄� l岷� l脿 tr锚n b脿n ti峄嘽 ch峄� c贸 b谩nh "pudding" v脿 m岷 "qu岷� 峄昳".
C谩c b脿 c谩c m岷� s峄搉 s峄搉 v峄玜 膬n v峄玜 bu么n chuy峄噉 v峄� b贸i to谩n, v峄� "nghi峄噋 x岷", v峄� c谩ch ch峄痑 b峄噉h "ch岷 m农i", v峄� vi峄嘽 "n芒ng c岷" v貌ng 1, v峄� bi峄噉 ph谩p l脿m co "b煤i tr末" ho岷穋 v峄� s谩ng t谩c m峄沬 nh岷 c峄 S啤n T霉ng M么ng - To Ph岷縯.
Gi峄痑 kh么ng gian ti峄嘽 t霉ng c贸 b脿y 1 s芒n kh岷 tr锚n 膽贸 l脿 1 th岷眓g h峄�. C岷璾 nh贸c b岷 m岷痶 b岷 t么i l脿 th岷眓g h峄� ch峄� bi峄僽 di峄卬 v脿o "th谩ng ch铆n quanh n膬m" th么i (trong khi b芒y gi峄� m峄沬 c贸 th谩ng 2).
Th岷眓g h峄� n脿y c贸 v岷� 膽ang bi峄僽 di峄卬 岷 thu岷璽. N贸 "t贸m 膽u么i chim cu cu" v脿 煤m ba la, abcxyz...con chim cu cu bi岷縩 th脿nh con v峄媡 b岷. C岷� kh谩n ph貌ng v峄� tay r岷 r岷 v脿 c瓢峄漣 "m峄檛 tr岷璶 ra tr貌" m岷穋 d霉 t么i ch岷硁g th岷 c贸 g矛 bu峄搉 c瓢峄漣 l岷痬. Ti岷縩g c瓢峄漣 b峄梟g d瓢ng chuy峄僴 th脿nh ti岷縩g h煤. C谩c b脿 c谩c m岷� g脿o l锚n v脿 t峄� l峄檛 da ra ("c岷璾 b茅 l峄媍h s峄�" g峄峣 膽贸 l脿 qu谩 tr矛nh "l峄檛 v峄�"). Sau khi l峄檛 th矛 ai c农ng bi岷縩 th脿nh ng瓢峄漣 ngo脿i h脿nh tinh gi峄憂g v峄沬 t岷 h矛nh th瓢峄漬g th岷 c峄 holywood : 膽岷 to, m岷痶 tr峄�, ch芒n tay c贸 m脿ng, l瓢峄 d脿i, m峄搈 r峄檔g. Qu谩 s峄� h茫i T么i lao v脿o c膬n ph貌ng g岷 nh岷 kh贸a k铆n c峄璦 l岷. 1 ng脿y, 2 ng脿y, 1 tu岷, 2 tu岷 tr么i qua. Su峄憈 kho岷g th峄漣 gian 岷, b锚n ngo脿i 膽峄乽 im l岷穘g nh瓢 t峄�. Th岷� r峄搃 "膽峄檛 nhi锚n c贸 ti岷縩g g玫 c峄璦"...
M峄檛 c芒u chuy峄噉 r岷 x脿m x脿m, x岷 qu岷 theo phong c谩ch Keret (v脿 th峄眂 ch岷 s谩ng t谩c d峄盿 tr锚n s瓢峄漬 l脿 nh瓢ng nhan 膽峄� c峄 ch铆nh Keret). Keret th铆ch vi岷縯 ra nh峄痭g th峄� v么 ngh末a theo c谩ch r岷 c贸 ngh末a, r岷 chi l脿 b岷璫 th岷 :3
Th峄眂 t岷� m脿 n贸i th矛 vi岷縯 review d脿i lo岷眓g ngo岷眓g nh瓢 n脿y cho tuy峄僴 t岷璸 truy峄噉 ng岷痭 (n贸i chu岷﹏ h啤n l脿 c峄眂 ng岷痭) gi峄憂g nh瓢 1 s峄� m峄塧 mai :3
M脿 x茅t cho c霉ng th矛 膽芒y c农ng ch岷硁g ph岷 review, ch岷筽, n贸i nh岷 th么i :3
December 29, 2012
#7 Favourite Read of 2012
My only previous experience with Keret was the brilliant and beautiful movie based on his novella so when this brand new collection of short stories was offered to me by a local bookseller I had no hesitation in buying it.
And I am so glad I did, as it was a revelation, completely unlike anything else I've read. His stories are often strange and slightly fantastical, funny, dark, impressive and affecting. This is a serious work that apparently exhibits all of Keret's usual trademarks in it's study of the human condition.
It was once written about that he captures the common ache of the contemporary heart and head and I think the same can be said about this collection from Etgar Keret. He presents a series of poignant moments of isolation, loss, fear and confusion that I couldn't help but identify with and marvel at the skill displayed in creating them.
In a series of amazing experiences the highlight of the collection for me has to be the story Teamwork. It somehow felt more true than reality and at the same time completely heartbreakingly sad.
I have no hesitation in forcing this book in to the hands of everyone I know and hunting out more of his work translated in to English.
My only previous experience with Keret was the brilliant and beautiful movie based on his novella so when this brand new collection of short stories was offered to me by a local bookseller I had no hesitation in buying it.
And I am so glad I did, as it was a revelation, completely unlike anything else I've read. His stories are often strange and slightly fantastical, funny, dark, impressive and affecting. This is a serious work that apparently exhibits all of Keret's usual trademarks in it's study of the human condition.
It was once written about that he captures the common ache of the contemporary heart and head and I think the same can be said about this collection from Etgar Keret. He presents a series of poignant moments of isolation, loss, fear and confusion that I couldn't help but identify with and marvel at the skill displayed in creating them.
In a series of amazing experiences the highlight of the collection for me has to be the story Teamwork. It somehow felt more true than reality and at the same time completely heartbreakingly sad.
I have no hesitation in forcing this book in to the hands of everyone I know and hunting out more of his work translated in to English.
August 5, 2013
鈥淭ell Me A Story鈥� opens this book of short stories, as a writer called Etgar Keret is forced at gunpoint to make up a story on the spot by a home invader. As more characters are introduced 鈥� a survey taker, a pizza delivery man, all of whom turn up at his door in succession like in a sitcom 鈥� each of them enter his flat, pull out a weapon and demand a story. This sense of playfulness and originality runs through a lot of the short stories in Keret鈥檚 latest collection, 鈥淪uddenly, A Knock On The Door鈥�.
Keret鈥檚 stories move fluidly between literary styles from surrealism, like in the first story, to magical realist like in 鈥淟ieland鈥�. In this story a man who has told lies his entire life discovers 鈥� via a gumball machine 鈥� that a land exists where all of his lies are reality. Every unfortunate character from this man鈥檚 made-up stories lives in Lieland. The handicapped cousin he used as an excuse for being late to work one time? He lives in Lieland. Hundreds of lies made real in this strange land. Other stories in this vein include 鈥淯nzipping鈥� where a woman discovers a zip on her boyfriend鈥檚 tongue and, upon unzipping it, reveals a similar-looking man but with an entirely different personality.
Though these stories are enjoyable for their inventiveness and imagination, Keret鈥檚 other types of stories involve everyday settings and people to equal effectiveness. 鈥淐heesus Christ鈥� is one such story where a man鈥檚 dying words in a fast food restaurant sets off a chain of events for everyone involved with the business, centred around the inclusion of a non-cheese hamburger to the menu. In 鈥淭eamwork鈥� a father believes that his very young son wants him to kill his mother-in-law (or is that just his imagination and own dark desires?) and concocts a brutal plan of murder. In one of the simplest (conceptually speaking) stories here, 鈥淲hat Do We Have In Our Pockets?鈥�, he has his character list what he has in his pockets, and why they鈥檙e always full. The last line in the story is gently moving and brilliant. In 鈥淗ealthy Start鈥�, a comedic and absurdist story, a lonely man sits and waits in a caf茅 each morning for any strangers that look like they鈥檙e looking for someone and then pretends to be that someone, adopting their identity for the duration of the breakfast.
But the best stories in this collection are the ones that mix surrealism and magical realism into the everyday to create something truly different. 鈥淲hat Animal Are You?鈥� takes the original perspective of an author being filmed by a German film crew, writing the story we鈥檙e reading while pretending to be really writing and telling the reader about his young son鈥檚 game of asking people what animal they are. The story takes an unusually heartfelt turn as it becomes clear that this simple game isn鈥檛 understood by his parents but is by random hookers visiting a lonely widower in a nearby apartment. Then the story becomes deeply unnerving when a horror element is thrown in at the very last moment.
A lot of these stories 鈥� and there are a lot, nearly 40 in this collection 鈥� are mostly quite short at 4-5 pages each, but contain an astonishing amount of story. So much is going on in them as Keret wastes no time in setting the tone, the characters, and the story that he only needs a few pages to tell an affecting, memorable tale. Which isn鈥檛 to say that every story here is a triumph: for every well written, imaginative story is another that is trying for the same thing, but not quite accomplishing it. However the stories that do work more than make this collection worth picking up in order to read a unique voice and enormously talented writer creating magic in just a few brief pages over and over again.
Keret鈥檚 stories move fluidly between literary styles from surrealism, like in the first story, to magical realist like in 鈥淟ieland鈥�. In this story a man who has told lies his entire life discovers 鈥� via a gumball machine 鈥� that a land exists where all of his lies are reality. Every unfortunate character from this man鈥檚 made-up stories lives in Lieland. The handicapped cousin he used as an excuse for being late to work one time? He lives in Lieland. Hundreds of lies made real in this strange land. Other stories in this vein include 鈥淯nzipping鈥� where a woman discovers a zip on her boyfriend鈥檚 tongue and, upon unzipping it, reveals a similar-looking man but with an entirely different personality.
Though these stories are enjoyable for their inventiveness and imagination, Keret鈥檚 other types of stories involve everyday settings and people to equal effectiveness. 鈥淐heesus Christ鈥� is one such story where a man鈥檚 dying words in a fast food restaurant sets off a chain of events for everyone involved with the business, centred around the inclusion of a non-cheese hamburger to the menu. In 鈥淭eamwork鈥� a father believes that his very young son wants him to kill his mother-in-law (or is that just his imagination and own dark desires?) and concocts a brutal plan of murder. In one of the simplest (conceptually speaking) stories here, 鈥淲hat Do We Have In Our Pockets?鈥�, he has his character list what he has in his pockets, and why they鈥檙e always full. The last line in the story is gently moving and brilliant. In 鈥淗ealthy Start鈥�, a comedic and absurdist story, a lonely man sits and waits in a caf茅 each morning for any strangers that look like they鈥檙e looking for someone and then pretends to be that someone, adopting their identity for the duration of the breakfast.
But the best stories in this collection are the ones that mix surrealism and magical realism into the everyday to create something truly different. 鈥淲hat Animal Are You?鈥� takes the original perspective of an author being filmed by a German film crew, writing the story we鈥檙e reading while pretending to be really writing and telling the reader about his young son鈥檚 game of asking people what animal they are. The story takes an unusually heartfelt turn as it becomes clear that this simple game isn鈥檛 understood by his parents but is by random hookers visiting a lonely widower in a nearby apartment. Then the story becomes deeply unnerving when a horror element is thrown in at the very last moment.
A lot of these stories 鈥� and there are a lot, nearly 40 in this collection 鈥� are mostly quite short at 4-5 pages each, but contain an astonishing amount of story. So much is going on in them as Keret wastes no time in setting the tone, the characters, and the story that he only needs a few pages to tell an affecting, memorable tale. Which isn鈥檛 to say that every story here is a triumph: for every well written, imaginative story is another that is trying for the same thing, but not quite accomplishing it. However the stories that do work more than make this collection worth picking up in order to read a unique voice and enormously talented writer creating magic in just a few brief pages over and over again.
May 24, 2019
Keret'in okudu臒um ikinci kitab谋 oldu san谋r谋m. Ge莽en g眉nlerde ikinci kez okudu臒um Tanr谋 Olmak 陌steyen Otob眉s 艦of枚r眉 ile k谋yaslay谋nca bundaki hikayeleri daha fazla sevdim. Ben pe艧pe艧e okudum ama hikayeleri farkl谋 zaman dilimlerinde yava艧 yava艧 okumak daha keyifli olabilir.
November 15, 2020
袣械褉械褌 械 蟹邪斜邪胁械薪, 褌褗卸械薪 懈 谐械薪懈邪谢械薪 泻邪泻褌芯 胁懈薪邪谐懈.
April 17, 2012
Etgar Keret can do more in three or four pages than many short story writers can in stories that border on novellas. There are nearly three dozen stories that span just 188 pages, yet many are simply brilliant.
The eponymous and first story starts with a directive: 鈥淭ell me a story.鈥� Under gunpoint, the narrator 鈥� Etgar 鈥� is ordered to make up a story. He is interrupted early on: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not a story鈥hat鈥檚 an eyewitness report. It鈥檚 exactly what鈥檚 happening here and now. Exactly what we鈥檙e trying to run away from. Don鈥檛 you go and dump reality on us like a garbage truck. Use your imagination, man, create, invent, take it all the way.鈥�
I quoted that passage at length because it鈥檚 really the raison d鈥檈tre of the collection. Etgar, an Israeli writer, leaves the politics and the moral quandaries to others such as David Grossman, Amos Oz and Nathan Englander. His stories focus on the escape from reality through stories that stretch and define us.
Some 鈥� as would be the case with any collection 鈥� are better than others. I鈥檒l call out a few: Lieland, where the subjects of lies become real, is one of my favorites. The protagonist, Robbie, learns that his lies live and thrive in another dimension and he meets his 鈥渓ies come alive鈥� simply by turning a handle.
Teamwork, another fine story, starts like this: 鈥淢y son wants me to kill her. He鈥檚 still young and doesn鈥檛 express this perfectly yet, but I know exactly what he鈥檚 after.鈥� The 鈥渉er鈥� refers to his maternal grandmother; he is the product of divorce and a brutal plan is soon imagined by his obsequious father. Or take another story: Unzipping; in it, the narrator finds a small zipper under her lover鈥檚 tongue; when she pulls it, he opens up 鈥渓ike an oyster鈥� with a second man revealed. One more: Mourner鈥檚 Meal. a very recent widow opens up her failing restaurant the morning after his funeral, and gains connection with a group of strangers.
Not all the stories succeed as well; it makes me wish there were a way I could rate this a 4.5. But the ones that DO shine are so luminous that it is hard for me not to rate upward.
The eponymous and first story starts with a directive: 鈥淭ell me a story.鈥� Under gunpoint, the narrator 鈥� Etgar 鈥� is ordered to make up a story. He is interrupted early on: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not a story鈥hat鈥檚 an eyewitness report. It鈥檚 exactly what鈥檚 happening here and now. Exactly what we鈥檙e trying to run away from. Don鈥檛 you go and dump reality on us like a garbage truck. Use your imagination, man, create, invent, take it all the way.鈥�
I quoted that passage at length because it鈥檚 really the raison d鈥檈tre of the collection. Etgar, an Israeli writer, leaves the politics and the moral quandaries to others such as David Grossman, Amos Oz and Nathan Englander. His stories focus on the escape from reality through stories that stretch and define us.
Some 鈥� as would be the case with any collection 鈥� are better than others. I鈥檒l call out a few: Lieland, where the subjects of lies become real, is one of my favorites. The protagonist, Robbie, learns that his lies live and thrive in another dimension and he meets his 鈥渓ies come alive鈥� simply by turning a handle.
Teamwork, another fine story, starts like this: 鈥淢y son wants me to kill her. He鈥檚 still young and doesn鈥檛 express this perfectly yet, but I know exactly what he鈥檚 after.鈥� The 鈥渉er鈥� refers to his maternal grandmother; he is the product of divorce and a brutal plan is soon imagined by his obsequious father. Or take another story: Unzipping; in it, the narrator finds a small zipper under her lover鈥檚 tongue; when she pulls it, he opens up 鈥渓ike an oyster鈥� with a second man revealed. One more: Mourner鈥檚 Meal. a very recent widow opens up her failing restaurant the morning after his funeral, and gains connection with a group of strangers.
Not all the stories succeed as well; it makes me wish there were a way I could rate this a 4.5. But the ones that DO shine are so luminous that it is hard for me not to rate upward.
July 17, 2013
驴Que qui茅n es Etgar Keret? Pues para m铆 es la gran esperanza de la literatura contempor谩nea. Y s铆, soy capaz de soltar semejante elogio y quedarme tan tranquila. Podr铆a decir que Edgar Keret es un escritor israel铆 que se caracteriza por su originalidad y por la frescura de su estilo, pero no le estar铆a haciendo justicia. Cuando ya pensaba que estaba todo inventado y estaba convencida que todos los autores contempor谩neos que pretenden ser originales acaben siendo cansinos, me encuentro con este hombre que me demuestra que estaba equivocada. Puede hablar de los temas de siempre (relaciones entre hombres y mujeres, padres e hijos, la soledad y la sensaci贸n de ir a la deriva) pero lo hace de una forma que parece completamente nueva.
鈥楧e repente llaman a la puerta鈥� es una colecci贸n de cuentos impecable. Se trata de cuentos realmente breves (hay 37 cuentos en un total de unas 200 p谩ginas, as铆 que haced la cuenta), pero esta brevedad no impide que estos cuentos sean intensos y profundos, todo lo contrario. Keret tiene un estilo particular, 谩gil y fresco, con toques fant谩sticos y metaficcionales, con un sentido del humor sutil y amargo y a veces tambi茅n absurdo, y una capacidad para la melancol铆a exquisita. Sus cuentos son original铆simos, inesperados, te llevan por caminos que cuando empiezas a leer no puedes ni sospechar, porque est谩n llenos de giros imprevisibles y deliciosos. De verdad que es algo realmente diferente, unos relatos que incorporan lo fantasioso y sobrenatural de una forma totalmente realista, que mezclan a la perfecci贸n humor y tristeza, que encuentran el equilibrio justo entre la originalidad formal y la de fondo, y que sin duda te emocionan.
鈥楧e repente llaman a la puerta鈥� es una colecci贸n de cuentos impecable. Se trata de cuentos realmente breves (hay 37 cuentos en un total de unas 200 p谩ginas, as铆 que haced la cuenta), pero esta brevedad no impide que estos cuentos sean intensos y profundos, todo lo contrario. Keret tiene un estilo particular, 谩gil y fresco, con toques fant谩sticos y metaficcionales, con un sentido del humor sutil y amargo y a veces tambi茅n absurdo, y una capacidad para la melancol铆a exquisita. Sus cuentos son original铆simos, inesperados, te llevan por caminos que cuando empiezas a leer no puedes ni sospechar, porque est谩n llenos de giros imprevisibles y deliciosos. De verdad que es algo realmente diferente, unos relatos que incorporan lo fantasioso y sobrenatural de una forma totalmente realista, que mezclan a la perfecci贸n humor y tristeza, que encuentran el equilibrio justo entre la originalidad formal y la de fondo, y que sin duda te emocionan.
March 2, 2018
Keret鈥檛en ak谋ll谋 ve s谋ra d谋艧谋 枚yk眉ler i莽eren bir kitap daha. Tarz谋 ve dili 莽arp谋c谋. 脟ok be臒endim.
鈥淏azen diyorum i莽tenli臒ine kar艧谋l谋k vermeye 莽al谋艧arak, hayat bir tuzakm谋艧 gibi geliyor bana. Fark谋nda olmadan i莽ine girdi臒in ve birden etraf谋na kapanan bir 艧ey. Ve bir kez i莽ine girmi艧sen, hayat谋n i莽ine girmeyi kastediyorum, ka莽谋艧 yoktur. 陌ntihar d谋艧谋nda belki, ki ger莽ek anlamda bir ka莽谋艧tan 莽ok teslimiyettir bence. Ne demek istedi臒imi anl谋yoru musun?鈥�
鈥淏azen diyorum i莽tenli臒ine kar艧谋l谋k vermeye 莽al谋艧arak, hayat bir tuzakm谋艧 gibi geliyor bana. Fark谋nda olmadan i莽ine girdi臒in ve birden etraf谋na kapanan bir 艧ey. Ve bir kez i莽ine girmi艧sen, hayat谋n i莽ine girmeyi kastediyorum, ka莽谋艧 yoktur. 陌ntihar d谋艧谋nda belki, ki ger莽ek anlamda bir ka莽谋艧tan 莽ok teslimiyettir bence. Ne demek istedi臒imi anl谋yoru musun?鈥�
June 23, 2019
Etgar Jeret je jedan od najpoznatijih savremenih izraelskih pisaca, a njegova zbirka kratkih pri膷a ''Iznenada neko pokuca na vrata'' moj prvi susret sa njegovim stvarala拧tvom - i bio je to jedan voma prijatan susret.
Keretove kratke pri膷e odi拧u atmosferom svakodnevnice, predstavljaju virenje kroz klju膷aonicu u intimne svjetove protagonista, 膷ije sudbine i do啪ivljaji su ponekad naizlged obi膷ni, a ponekad na granici nestvarnog i bajkovitog, ponekad su tu啪ne i prepune tihe 膷e啪nje, a ponekad duhovite i apsurdne.
A ono 拧to ovu zbirku 膷ini kvalitetnom je 拧to u njoj nema ni膷eg previ拧e i ni膷eg premalo, sve je dozirano sa mjerom: u nekim pri膷ama mo啪emo samo da naslutimo kraj, u nekima zami拧ljeni krajevi vode ka nastavku 啪ivota iza zatvorenih vrata.
Iako njegove pri膷e naj膷e拧膰e govore o negativnim emocijama, one ni na trenutak ne ostavljaju onaj gorki ukus egzistencije, jer ih nadogra膽uje ljep拧im emocijama poput empatije, pa 膷ak i ravnodu拧nosti, koja donosi mir i smije拧i se u lice prolaznosti 啪ivota i problema koje donosi.
Keretove kratke pri膷e odi拧u atmosferom svakodnevnice, predstavljaju virenje kroz klju膷aonicu u intimne svjetove protagonista, 膷ije sudbine i do啪ivljaji su ponekad naizlged obi膷ni, a ponekad na granici nestvarnog i bajkovitog, ponekad su tu啪ne i prepune tihe 膷e啪nje, a ponekad duhovite i apsurdne.
A ono 拧to ovu zbirku 膷ini kvalitetnom je 拧to u njoj nema ni膷eg previ拧e i ni膷eg premalo, sve je dozirano sa mjerom: u nekim pri膷ama mo啪emo samo da naslutimo kraj, u nekima zami拧ljeni krajevi vode ka nastavku 啪ivota iza zatvorenih vrata.
Iako njegove pri膷e naj膷e拧膰e govore o negativnim emocijama, one ni na trenutak ne ostavljaju onaj gorki ukus egzistencije, jer ih nadogra膽uje ljep拧im emocijama poput empatije, pa 膷ak i ravnodu拧nosti, koja donosi mir i smije拧i se u lice prolaznosti 啪ivota i problema koje donosi.
May 17, 2018
M岷 m岷﹗ chuy峄噉 c贸 ng岷痭 c贸 d脿i, 膽峄峜 v脿o bao 岷, c峄� nh瓢 th峄� 么ng t谩c gi岷� l脿 t锚n d峄� ng瓢峄漣 r峄梚 h啤i l岷痬 媒, m脿 c脿ng 膽峄峜 l岷 c脿ng th岷 ghi峄乶 r峄搃 r峄憈 cu峄檆 kh么ng d峄﹖ ra 膽瓢峄 :D Truy峄噉 ng岷痭 g矛 膽芒u m脿 ng峄� ng峄�, 膽i锚n 膽i锚n, h脿i h脿i m脿 cu峄憂 h煤t v茫i ^^
May 16, 2016
Etgar Keret, who I've been lucky enough to hear speak in an intimate setting, is a surrealist. He's an expert at taking the mundane and making it extraordinary. Keret, an Israeli Jew who often draws ire from the Israeli right for his leftist political views and criticism of Israel's policy against Palestinians, is a charming man who loves to shock. When he was speaking to my group, he talked about his crazy dad's relationships with prostitutes and the mafia in Italy after surviving the Holocaust and his equally crazy siblings. His brother lived in a treehouse in Thailand, and his sister became an Orthodox Jew after growing up in a secular family. His mischievous smile and unapologetic jibes immediately endeared him to everyone in the audience, even non-readers.
Keret's sense of dry humor dominated his talk and dominates his stories. He told us that when we read, we train the weakest muscle in our bodies, empathy. And that principle clearly directs his writing, which portrays emotional characters who end up in unfortunate, or too fortunate, situations. Comedy or tragedy ensues, and you can't help feeling empathetic. One minute you'll be sad, but the next you'll be laughing your ass off in a coffee shop and an old lady'll give you the evil eye, and you'll just smirk back. Keret always put me in a mood. His writing destroys apathy. He told us that art's job is to advocate for humanity, to make an effort to show that people can be/are good. Writing for him is catharsis, where he can make fun of the bad in the world and infuse some joy and some irony in our sometimes tedious, sometimes devastating lives.
Keret's stories exemplify modern Israel, the most political place I've ever been. You can't cross the street without someone yelling to you about the political situation, about Netanyahu, the Palestinians, or the Israeli Defense Forces. His characters are always out for something new, something different, a feeling I got as I traveled around Israel and the West Bank. Read Keret's stories. You'll shake your head with a smirk, laugh out loud, scoff, and shake your head in disgust, but that's his point. To just celebrate being alive.
Keret's sense of dry humor dominated his talk and dominates his stories. He told us that when we read, we train the weakest muscle in our bodies, empathy. And that principle clearly directs his writing, which portrays emotional characters who end up in unfortunate, or too fortunate, situations. Comedy or tragedy ensues, and you can't help feeling empathetic. One minute you'll be sad, but the next you'll be laughing your ass off in a coffee shop and an old lady'll give you the evil eye, and you'll just smirk back. Keret always put me in a mood. His writing destroys apathy. He told us that art's job is to advocate for humanity, to make an effort to show that people can be/are good. Writing for him is catharsis, where he can make fun of the bad in the world and infuse some joy and some irony in our sometimes tedious, sometimes devastating lives.
Keret's stories exemplify modern Israel, the most political place I've ever been. You can't cross the street without someone yelling to you about the political situation, about Netanyahu, the Palestinians, or the Israeli Defense Forces. His characters are always out for something new, something different, a feeling I got as I traveled around Israel and the West Bank. Read Keret's stories. You'll shake your head with a smirk, laugh out loud, scoff, and shake your head in disgust, but that's his point. To just celebrate being alive.
March 3, 2020
袦薪芯谐芯 卸懈胁懈 懈 锌褗褋褌褉懈 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹懈.
September 16, 2017
Contro il logorio della vita moderna
Racconti brevi, a volte brevissimi, geniali e molto spesso surreali, con una vena di umorismo nero davvero interessante e originale. Forse quello che pi霉 colpisce nel libro di questo autore 猫 la capacit脿 di utilizzare una chiave ironica, un tono leggero e trasognato, per affrontare una realt脿 che anche quando risulta molto dura in termini personali (lutti , separazioni, solitudine鈥�), unita al logorio della vita moderna (spaesamento metropolitano) e immersa per di pi霉 in un contesto sociale difficile (le citt脿 israeliane) sembra quasi un contorno che accompagna le storie invece che forgiarle. Di solito i personaggi, immersi in una quotidianit脿 cupa, sfuggono o tentano di sfuggire al loro destino tramite delle evasioni di fantasia in cui tutto viene trasfigurato oniricamente. Esemplare in questo senso 猫 il racconto 鈥渦niversi paralleli鈥� forse uno dei pi霉 riusciti del libro anche se 猫 dura solo un paio di pagine. Keret sembra mettere in pratica in maniera straordinariamente efficace la lezione (americana) di Italo Calvino sulla leggerezza: la realt脿 drammatica e a volte tragicamente grottesca e beffarda riesce ad essere affrontata solo tramite lo sguardo lieve e sinceramente umoristico dell'autore. Storie di solitudini, di rapporti sentimentali difficili, di diversit脿 tragiche e al tempo stesso amaramente comiche. Non raramente ci si avvicina al cinismo e al pessimismo esistenziale e lo si sfiora delicatamente come a volerlo assaporare a piccole dosi, quasi fosse un鈥檃ttrazione irresistibile, per poi immediatamente allontanarsene inorriditi. Come un bimbo che ascolta la fiaba di Cappuccetto Rosso e si terrorizza quando il lupo divora nonna e nipotina....raccontamela ancora mamma!听
Racconti brevi, a volte brevissimi, geniali e molto spesso surreali, con una vena di umorismo nero davvero interessante e originale. Forse quello che pi霉 colpisce nel libro di questo autore 猫 la capacit脿 di utilizzare una chiave ironica, un tono leggero e trasognato, per affrontare una realt脿 che anche quando risulta molto dura in termini personali (lutti , separazioni, solitudine鈥�), unita al logorio della vita moderna (spaesamento metropolitano) e immersa per di pi霉 in un contesto sociale difficile (le citt脿 israeliane) sembra quasi un contorno che accompagna le storie invece che forgiarle. Di solito i personaggi, immersi in una quotidianit脿 cupa, sfuggono o tentano di sfuggire al loro destino tramite delle evasioni di fantasia in cui tutto viene trasfigurato oniricamente. Esemplare in questo senso 猫 il racconto 鈥渦niversi paralleli鈥� forse uno dei pi霉 riusciti del libro anche se 猫 dura solo un paio di pagine. Keret sembra mettere in pratica in maniera straordinariamente efficace la lezione (americana) di Italo Calvino sulla leggerezza: la realt脿 drammatica e a volte tragicamente grottesca e beffarda riesce ad essere affrontata solo tramite lo sguardo lieve e sinceramente umoristico dell'autore. Storie di solitudini, di rapporti sentimentali difficili, di diversit脿 tragiche e al tempo stesso amaramente comiche. Non raramente ci si avvicina al cinismo e al pessimismo esistenziale e lo si sfiora delicatamente come a volerlo assaporare a piccole dosi, quasi fosse un鈥檃ttrazione irresistibile, per poi immediatamente allontanarsene inorriditi. Come un bimbo che ascolta la fiaba di Cappuccetto Rosso e si terrorizza quando il lupo divora nonna e nipotina....raccontamela ancora mamma!听
June 25, 2018
3,5* stele 卯n fapt.
Un scriitor despre care nu 葯tiam nimic 葯i l-am descoperit dup膬 ce Humanitasul i-a publicat un volum de memorii. Versatil, juc膬u葯, ironic, extrem de inovativ 葯i creativ 卯n a 卯nscena personaje 葯i situa葲ii, Etgar Keret pare s膬 fie unul dintre scriitorii de proz膬 scurt膬 la mod膬 卯n literatura mondial膬.
Sunt multe proze despre contextul social, politic, intim al familiilor din Israel. Cele mai bune, 卯ns膬, sunt cele absurd-fantastice, chiar SF. Despre spa葲ii asemeni unui purgatoriu, populate 卯ns膬 de personajele inventate 卯n minciuni. Despre un b膬rbat care decide s膬 tr膬iasc膬 restul vie葲ii cu ochii 卯nchi葯i, 卯ntr-o lume imaginar膬 care o dubleaz膬 pe cea real膬, la fel de banal膬 葯i plin膬 de probleme. 葮i tot a葯a...
Merit膬 citit volumul, sunt 葯i proze slabe sau nesemnificative, 卯ns膬 e un prozator care te face s膬 r芒zi 葯i s膬-l admiri. Punctul lui forte const膬 卯n a crea personaje 葯i situa葲ii, nu neap膬rat 卯n stil sau tehnic膬 literar膬.
Un scriitor despre care nu 葯tiam nimic 葯i l-am descoperit dup膬 ce Humanitasul i-a publicat un volum de memorii. Versatil, juc膬u葯, ironic, extrem de inovativ 葯i creativ 卯n a 卯nscena personaje 葯i situa葲ii, Etgar Keret pare s膬 fie unul dintre scriitorii de proz膬 scurt膬 la mod膬 卯n literatura mondial膬.
Sunt multe proze despre contextul social, politic, intim al familiilor din Israel. Cele mai bune, 卯ns膬, sunt cele absurd-fantastice, chiar SF. Despre spa葲ii asemeni unui purgatoriu, populate 卯ns膬 de personajele inventate 卯n minciuni. Despre un b膬rbat care decide s膬 tr膬iasc膬 restul vie葲ii cu ochii 卯nchi葯i, 卯ntr-o lume imaginar膬 care o dubleaz膬 pe cea real膬, la fel de banal膬 葯i plin膬 de probleme. 葮i tot a葯a...
Merit膬 citit volumul, sunt 葯i proze slabe sau nesemnificative, 卯ns膬 e un prozator care te face s膬 r芒zi 葯i s膬-l admiri. Punctul lui forte const膬 卯n a crea personaje 葯i situa葲ii, nu neap膬rat 卯n stil sau tehnic膬 literar膬.
March 15, 2015
鈥漊n accendino, una pastiglia per la tosse, un francobollo, una sigaretta un po鈥� storta, uno stuzzicadenti, un fazzoletto di tessuto, una penna, due monete da 5 shekel. E questo 猫 solo una piccola parte di ci貌 che ho in tasca. Che c鈥櫭� quindi da meravigliarsi che sia cos矛 gonfia? Un sacco di gente me l鈥檋a fatto notare. 鈥淢a cosa cavolo hai in tasca?鈥� mi domanda. Di solito non rispondo, mi limito a sorridere, a volte faccio persino una risatina educata. Come se mi si raccontasse una barzelletta. Se la gente insistesse a chiedermelo probabilmente mostrerei tutto quello che ho, magari spiegherei anche perch茅 devo avere tutta quella roba addosso, con me, sempre. Ma non lo fa. Domanda, sorride o ridacchia, c鈥櫭� un momento di imbarazzato silenzio e poi si cambia argomento.
Il fatto 猫 che ho scelto con cura tutto ci貌 che ho in tasca, cos矛 da essere sempre preparato. 脠 tutto l矛 perch茅, all鈥檕ccorrenza, io possa trovarmi in una posizione di vantaggio. A dire il vero le cose non stanno proprio cos矛. 脠 tutto l矛 perch茅, all鈥檕ccorrenza, io possa non trovarmi in una posizione di svantaggio. Che vantaggio potrei infatti trarre da uno stuzzicadenti o da un francobollo? Ma se, per esempio, una bella ragazza 鈥� anzi, non bella, carina per貌, oppure una ragazza dall鈥檃spetto normale ma con un sorriso affascinante che ti fa mancare il fiato 鈥� mi chiedesse un francobollo, o magari non me lo chiedesse, ma si ritrovasse in una strada in una notte di pioggia con una busta senza francobollo vicino a una buca delle lettere e mi domandasse se per caso so dove c鈥櫭� un ufficio postale aperto a quell鈥檕ra e poi tossicchiasse per il freddo (e anche un po鈥� per la disperazione perch茅, nel profondo del cuore, lei sa che non c鈥櫭� nessun ufficio postale aperto nei dintorni, e certamente non a quell鈥檕ra), in quel momento, il momento della verit脿, lei non mi chiederebbe 鈥淢a che cavolo hai in tasca鈥� ma mi sarebbe grata per il francobollo. Forse non mi sarebbe esattamente grata, per貌 sfodererebbe un sorriso affascinante. Un sorriso affascinante in cambio di un francobollo. Sarei disposto a fare la firma per una simile eventualit脿 in qualsiasi momento, anche se il prezzo dei francobolli salisse alle stelle e quello dei sorrisi crollasse.
Dopo avermi sorriso lei mi ringrazierebbe ancora, avrebbe un nuovo colpetto di tosse per il freddo, ma anche un po鈥� per l鈥檌mbarazzo, e io le offrirei una caramella. 鈥淐os鈥檃ltro hai in tasca?鈥� domanderebbe lei con garbo, senza 鈥渃avolo鈥� e senza sarcasmo, e io risponderei senza esitare: tutto ci貌 di cui hai bisogno, amore mio. Tutto ci貌 di cui avrai mai bisogno.
Ecco, adesso lo sapete. Questo 猫 tutto ci貌 che ho in tasca: una piccola occasione di non rovinare tutto. Piccola. Non buona, e nemmeno probabile. Lo so, non sono uno stupido. Una minuscola occasione che, nel caso la felicit脿 arrivi, io possa accoglierla con un 鈥渟矛鈥� anzich茅 con un 鈥渕i dispiace, non ho una sigaretta/uno stuzzicadenti/una monetina per la macchinetta delle bibite鈥�. Questo 猫 ci貌 che ho in questa mia tasca gonfia e imbottita: una piccola occasione di dire 鈥渟矛鈥� e di non provare poi rammarico.鈥�
Ecco, sono racconti cos矛. Pi霉 abbozzi che narrazione compiuta, spesso intrisi da una forte vena surreale e, quasi sempre, da una grande tristezza mascherata da umorismo. Per貌 non sono per niente male. No, proprio per niente male.
Vi prevale un senso di profonda solitudine, di incertezza, quasi una 鈥渧oglia鈥� di fuggire o una 鈥渘on voglia鈥� di restare. Quasi. Sono troppo brevi per poter meglio definire le emozioni, nonch茅 i personaggi. Pi霉 che altro, attimi, sensazioni e suggestioni. Come di chi vive una vita provvisoria. Oddio 鈥� a dire il vero, tutti viviamo una vita provvisoria, ma queste sono, come forse le avrebbe potute definire Bulgakov, vite che diventano 鈥渋mprovvisamente provvisorie鈥�. Oppure sempre "in transito", come la signorina Holly Golightly.
Alcuni per貌, va detto, sono anche abbastanza inconcludenti, persino per l鈥檃mbito e il taglio narrativo scelto.
Come si suol dire: se son rose, fioriranno. :-)
Il fatto 猫 che ho scelto con cura tutto ci貌 che ho in tasca, cos矛 da essere sempre preparato. 脠 tutto l矛 perch茅, all鈥檕ccorrenza, io possa trovarmi in una posizione di vantaggio. A dire il vero le cose non stanno proprio cos矛. 脠 tutto l矛 perch茅, all鈥檕ccorrenza, io possa non trovarmi in una posizione di svantaggio. Che vantaggio potrei infatti trarre da uno stuzzicadenti o da un francobollo? Ma se, per esempio, una bella ragazza 鈥� anzi, non bella, carina per貌, oppure una ragazza dall鈥檃spetto normale ma con un sorriso affascinante che ti fa mancare il fiato 鈥� mi chiedesse un francobollo, o magari non me lo chiedesse, ma si ritrovasse in una strada in una notte di pioggia con una busta senza francobollo vicino a una buca delle lettere e mi domandasse se per caso so dove c鈥櫭� un ufficio postale aperto a quell鈥檕ra e poi tossicchiasse per il freddo (e anche un po鈥� per la disperazione perch茅, nel profondo del cuore, lei sa che non c鈥櫭� nessun ufficio postale aperto nei dintorni, e certamente non a quell鈥檕ra), in quel momento, il momento della verit脿, lei non mi chiederebbe 鈥淢a che cavolo hai in tasca鈥� ma mi sarebbe grata per il francobollo. Forse non mi sarebbe esattamente grata, per貌 sfodererebbe un sorriso affascinante. Un sorriso affascinante in cambio di un francobollo. Sarei disposto a fare la firma per una simile eventualit脿 in qualsiasi momento, anche se il prezzo dei francobolli salisse alle stelle e quello dei sorrisi crollasse.
Dopo avermi sorriso lei mi ringrazierebbe ancora, avrebbe un nuovo colpetto di tosse per il freddo, ma anche un po鈥� per l鈥檌mbarazzo, e io le offrirei una caramella. 鈥淐os鈥檃ltro hai in tasca?鈥� domanderebbe lei con garbo, senza 鈥渃avolo鈥� e senza sarcasmo, e io risponderei senza esitare: tutto ci貌 di cui hai bisogno, amore mio. Tutto ci貌 di cui avrai mai bisogno.
Ecco, adesso lo sapete. Questo 猫 tutto ci貌 che ho in tasca: una piccola occasione di non rovinare tutto. Piccola. Non buona, e nemmeno probabile. Lo so, non sono uno stupido. Una minuscola occasione che, nel caso la felicit脿 arrivi, io possa accoglierla con un 鈥渟矛鈥� anzich茅 con un 鈥渕i dispiace, non ho una sigaretta/uno stuzzicadenti/una monetina per la macchinetta delle bibite鈥�. Questo 猫 ci貌 che ho in questa mia tasca gonfia e imbottita: una piccola occasione di dire 鈥渟矛鈥� e di non provare poi rammarico.鈥�
Ecco, sono racconti cos矛. Pi霉 abbozzi che narrazione compiuta, spesso intrisi da una forte vena surreale e, quasi sempre, da una grande tristezza mascherata da umorismo. Per貌 non sono per niente male. No, proprio per niente male.
Vi prevale un senso di profonda solitudine, di incertezza, quasi una 鈥渧oglia鈥� di fuggire o una 鈥渘on voglia鈥� di restare. Quasi. Sono troppo brevi per poter meglio definire le emozioni, nonch茅 i personaggi. Pi霉 che altro, attimi, sensazioni e suggestioni. Come di chi vive una vita provvisoria. Oddio 鈥� a dire il vero, tutti viviamo una vita provvisoria, ma queste sono, come forse le avrebbe potute definire Bulgakov, vite che diventano 鈥渋mprovvisamente provvisorie鈥�. Oppure sempre "in transito", come la signorina Holly Golightly.
Alcuni per貌, va detto, sono anche abbastanza inconcludenti, persino per l鈥檃mbito e il taglio narrativo scelto.
Come si suol dire: se son rose, fioriranno. :-)
July 4, 2021
Ova mi je jo拧 bolja i zrelija od Sedam dobrih godina. Nevjerovatno je zanimljiva i o膷aravaju膰a svojim ritmom i nepredvidivo拧膰u. Sjajan je Keret, ali ba拧, ba拧 izuzetan i potpuno jedinstven, bez pretjerivanja. Mislim da nikad ranije nisam 膷itala ni拧ta sli膷no. Nemojte ga zaobi膰i!
September 4, 2016
i've just finished reading this book. this is stories collection by one of my fav author, an israeli writer named etgar keret. i love his stories; they're very very short and hit right on the spot, like a bullet shot by a world's number one sniper. his stories are funny, too. you can find a glimpse of israel's culture here, and the war. and also, love stories. i love it when he writes love stories. they make you feel hurt, but then they heal you with their comforting words. that is etgar keret way of writing; first he shows you the most bitter part of life, then he says to you, like an old friend, that in the end everyhing's gonna be okay.
September 4, 2018
Loved it! Mi-a pl膬cut fiecare povestire, fraz膬, cuv芒nt. Keret e un maestru al cuvintelor 葯i al construc葲iei de povestiri. Volumul cuprinde proze scurte 葯i foarte scurte, amuzante 葯i ironice. Fire葯te c膬 nu am 卯ndr膬git fiecare personaj din cartea asta pentru c膬 nu aveam cum s膬 empatizez cu to葲i, 卯ns膬 nu am dat peste vreo povestire cu personaje inspide sau pe care s膬 nu o fi citit cu sufletul la gur膬. Recomand tuturor iubitorilor de proz膬 scurt膬, f膬r膬 excep葲ie!
March 2, 2020
Typical Keret, an edgy, irreverent, absurdist, and at times surreal collection of short stories that examine the human condition.
November 3, 2020
醿撫儛醿愥儺醿氠儩醿斸儜醿樶儣 醿♂儛醿涐儤 醿欋儠醿樶儬醿� 醿涐儩醿曖儛醿溼儞醿濁儧醿� 醿愥儧 醿欋儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿樶儭 醿儛醿欋儤醿椺儺醿曖儛醿� 醿撫儛 醿犪儛醿曖儤醿儤 醿犪儛... 醿п儩醿曖償醿� 醿涐儝醿栣儛醿曖儬醿濁儜醿愥儢醿� 醿愥儨 醿ａ儭醿愥儱醿涐儯醿犪儩醿戓儤醿♂儛醿� 醿涐儛醿儛醿氠儤醿♂償醿戓儞醿� 醿撫儛 醿涐儛醿犪儣醿濁儜醿撫儛.
醿犪儛醿涐儞醿斸儨醿樶儧醿� 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儛 醿掅儛醿溼儭醿愥儥醿ａ儣醿犪償醿戓儤醿� 醿欋儛醿犪儝醿� 醿樶儳醿�, 醿斸儬醿椺儤 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儛 鈥炨儜醿ａ儛醿♂儤醿氠儤鈥� - 醿儦醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿儤醿� 醿涐儩醿曖儤醿♂儧醿樶儨醿�, 醿儧醿愥儧醿愥儲醿氠儛, 醿儤醿掅儨醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿め償醿♂儮醿樶儠醿愥儦醿栣償, 醿♂儯醿氠儛醿欋儛醿ａ儬醿樶儭 醿♂儮醿斸儨醿撫儣醿愥儨 醿撫儛 醿涐儛醿掅儤醿� 醿涐償醿犪償 醿曖儤醿� 醿樶儶醿樶儭 醿ａ儥醿曖償 醿涐償醿犪儛醿涐儞醿斸儨醿斸儞 醿儛醿曖儤醿欋儤醿椺儺醿�. 醿撫儲醿斸儭 醿斸儭 醿欋儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿� 醿ａ儰醿犪儩 醿涐償醿⑨儤醿�, 醿曖儤醿撫儬醿� 鈥炨儜醿ａ儛醿♂儤醿氠儤鈥� :醿撫儞
醿♂儺醿曖儛 醿犪儛醿︶儛 醿ａ儨醿撫儛 醿曖儣醿メ儠醿�, 醿撫儛醿犪儸醿涐儯醿溼償醿戓儯醿氠儤 醿曖儛醿� 醿п儠醿斸儦醿愥儭 醿掅儛醿掅儤醿儛醿氠儤醿♂償醿戓儣 醿撫儛 醿儛醿溼儞醿愥儺醿愥儨 醿撫儛醿掅儛醿め儤醿メ儬醿斸儜醿� 醿欋儤醿撫償醿� 醿斸儭 醿欋儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿�. 醿涐儛醿掅儛醿犪儤, 醿儛醿氠儤醿愥儨 醿涐儛醿掅儛醿犪儤 醿涐儸醿斸儬醿愥儦醿樶儛 醿欋償醿犪償醿椺儤, 醿栣儯醿♂儮醿愥儞 醿樶儶醿樶儭 醿犪儩醿掅儩醿� 醿ａ儨醿撫儛 醿儛醿愥儥醿樶儣醿儩醿� 醿涐儥醿樶儣醿儠醿斸儦醿� 醿儤醿掅儨醿�.
醿犪儛醿涐儞醿斸儨醿樶儧醿� 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儛 醿掅儛醿溼儭醿愥儥醿ａ儣醿犪償醿戓儤醿� 醿欋儛醿犪儝醿� 醿樶儳醿�, 醿斸儬醿椺儤 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儛 鈥炨儜醿ａ儛醿♂儤醿氠儤鈥� - 醿儦醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿儤醿� 醿涐儩醿曖儤醿♂儧醿樶儨醿�, 醿儧醿愥儧醿愥儲醿氠儛, 醿儤醿掅儨醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿め償醿♂儮醿樶儠醿愥儦醿栣償, 醿♂儯醿氠儛醿欋儛醿ａ儬醿樶儭 醿♂儮醿斸儨醿撫儣醿愥儨 醿撫儛 醿涐儛醿掅儤醿� 醿涐償醿犪償 醿曖儤醿� 醿樶儶醿樶儭 醿ａ儥醿曖償 醿涐償醿犪儛醿涐儞醿斸儨醿斸儞 醿儛醿曖儤醿欋儤醿椺儺醿�. 醿撫儲醿斸儭 醿斸儭 醿欋儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿� 醿ａ儰醿犪儩 醿涐償醿⑨儤醿�, 醿曖儤醿撫儬醿� 鈥炨儜醿ａ儛醿♂儤醿氠儤鈥� :醿撫儞
醿♂儺醿曖儛 醿犪儛醿︶儛 醿ａ儨醿撫儛 醿曖儣醿メ儠醿�, 醿撫儛醿犪儸醿涐儯醿溼償醿戓儯醿氠儤 醿曖儛醿� 醿п儠醿斸儦醿愥儭 醿掅儛醿掅儤醿儛醿氠儤醿♂償醿戓儣 醿撫儛 醿儛醿溼儞醿愥儺醿愥儨 醿撫儛醿掅儛醿め儤醿メ儬醿斸儜醿� 醿欋儤醿撫償醿� 醿斸儭 醿欋儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿�. 醿涐儛醿掅儛醿犪儤, 醿儛醿氠儤醿愥儨 醿涐儛醿掅儛醿犪儤 醿涐儸醿斸儬醿愥儦醿樶儛 醿欋償醿犪償醿椺儤, 醿栣儯醿♂儮醿愥儞 醿樶儶醿樶儭 醿犪儩醿掅儩醿� 醿ａ儨醿撫儛 醿儛醿愥儥醿樶儣醿儩醿� 醿涐儥醿樶儣醿儠醿斸儦醿� 醿儤醿掅儨醿�.
April 2, 2015
What kind of short stories are these?
That's a good question. For one thing, they are short short stories. Most of them are two to four pages long. There are 35 short stories in 185 pages. A story is over before you know what hit you.
They may be fables. I just looked up the definition. But not in the sense of "etiology"--explaining why things are the way they are, as in Aesop's. They're not allegories with some hidden meaning. Parables? Maybe, in that they do touch on morality, but, again, is that the main thrust? I don't think so.
Just deserts, as in people getting what they deserve? Maybe for some of them, but, no, I don't think so, since a number of them deal with suffering and not what's deserved.
I think these stories take something the author has noticed and follow it all the way to the end. What if? The conclusion is often a surprising twist that gets the reader in the gut. As such they are extremely creative. These stories aren't "psychological" in the conventional sense, instead painting some stark reality we would easily not see, would prefer not to see. If they were longer maybe they could be Twilight Zone episodes.
These stories are very male. If there is a lonely and unhappy character who has been left behind, it's usually a man. When a female book club participant commented on the sex and violence, one of the male attendees responded with what exclusively male settings are (were?) like, i.e., serving in the military. In that sense they are the reverse of the typical romance novel. (But what do I know about romance novels?--and they are not really comparable in other ways, either.)
As I mentioned, I read this for the book club, or otherwise wouldn't have been likely to pick up a short-story collection. So once again being in a book club encouraged me to stretch my reading horizons.
These stories made me think that maybe I could write one.
February 4, 2017
T么i ch瓢a 膽峄峜 cu峄憂 n脿o kh谩c c峄 Etgar Keret. Ri锚ng cu峄憂 n脿y kh么ng thuy岷縯 ph峄 膽瓢峄 t么i. M峄檛 铆t truy峄噉 th峄眂 s峄� xu岷 s岷痗, nh岷 l脿 c芒u truy峄噉 kh啤i m脿o cho c谩i nhan 膽峄� "膼峄檛 nhi锚n c贸 ti岷縩g g玫 c峄璦", song b锚n c岷h 膽贸 c贸 kh么ng 铆t truy峄噉 m脿, v峄沬 t么i, kh么ng c贸 g矛 膽岷穋 s岷痗 v峄� 媒 t瓢峄焠g, ho岷穋 ch峄� 膽瓢峄 tri峄僴 khai m峄檛 c谩ch n峄璦 v峄漣, t岷 c岷 gi谩c v峄� s峄� l瓢峄漣 bi岷縩g c峄 ng瓢峄漣 k峄� chuy峄噉 (膽i峄乽 n脿y ho脿n to脿n kh谩c v峄沬 khi t谩c gi岷�, m峄檛 c谩ch h峄痷 媒, ch峄玜 l岷 膽峄� nhi峄乽 kho岷g tr峄憂g cho ng瓢峄漣 膽峄峜 t峄� l岷 膽岷. Ranh gi峄沬 gi峄痑 m峄檛 kho岷g tr峄憂g 膽瓢峄 h峄痷 媒 ch峄玜 ra cho ng瓢峄漣 膽峄峜 l岷 膽岷 v脿 m峄檛 kho岷g tr峄憂g h岷玭g h峄 b峄焛 kh么ng c贸 c谩i 膽谩ng l岷� ra ph岷 c贸, ranh gi峄沬 膽贸 kh谩 tinh t岷� v脿 kh么ng ph岷 l煤c n脿o c农ng d峄� ph芒n bi峄噒, 膽煤ng v岷瓂, nh瓢ng kh么ng ph岷 l脿 kh么ng th峄� ph芒n bi峄噒).
C贸 th峄� t么i s岷� c贸 c岷 nh岷璶 v脿 膽谩nh gi谩 kh谩c v峄� Etgar Keret n岷縰 c贸 c啤 h峄檌 膽峄峜 m峄檛 cu峄憂 kh谩c c峄 t谩c gi岷� n脿y. C贸 th峄� cu峄憂 n脿y kh么ng ph岷 l脿 膽i峄僲 kh峄焛 膽岷 t峄憈 膽峄� bi岷縯 v峄� Etgar Keret. Ti岷縞 r岷眓g, cho 膽岷縩 khi c啤 h峄檌 膽贸 膽岷縩, t么i c貌n h啤i qu谩 nhi峄乽 s谩ch kh谩c 膽谩ng 膽峄� t么i 膽峄峜.
K峄� c岷� nh峄痭g nh脿 v膬n thu峄檆 h脿ng xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c农ng c贸 th峄� cho ra nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ t瓢啤ng 膽峄慽 l脿ng nh脿ng n岷縰 so v峄沬 nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c峄 h峄�. Trong hai t岷璸 truy峄噉 ng岷痭 c峄 Roberto Bola帽o 膽瓢峄 d峄媍h ra ti岷縩g Anh, "Last Evening on Earth" v脿 "The Return", b锚n c岷h m峄檛 s峄� truy峄噉 c贸 th峄� g峄峣 l脿 ki峄噒 t谩c, c贸 nh峄痭g truy峄噉 kh么ng xu岷 s岷痗 - kh么ng t峄搃 so v峄沬 truy峄噉 c峄 c谩c nh脿 v膬n xo脿ng h啤n, c贸 th峄�, nh瓢ng kh么ng xu岷 s岷痗. T岷璸 truy峄噉 "Cancroregina" c峄 Tommaso Landolfi, c农ng v岷瓂. S岷� l脿 c啤 duy锚n 膽岷筽 n岷縰 cu峄檆 g岷穚 膽岷 ti锚n gi峄痑 ta, ng瓢峄漣 膽峄峜, v脿 nh脿 v膬n, l脿 qua m峄檛 trong nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c峄 nh脿 v膬n. C貌n, n岷縰 chuy峄噉 岷 kh么ng x岷 ra, s岷� l脿 膽i峄乽 膽岷筽 n岷縰 ta c贸 膽峄� nh岷玭 n岷 v脿 th峄漣 gian 膽峄�, m峄檛 l煤c n脿o 膽贸 trong t瓢啤ng lai, d脿nh cho nh脿 v膬n 岷 m峄檛 c啤 h峄檌 kh谩c. C农ng t瓢啤ng t峄� nh瓢 khi ta d脿nh cho m峄檛 ng瓢峄漣 膽脿n 么ng/膽脿n b脿 n脿o 膽岷 c啤 h峄檌 th峄� hai, sau khi cu峄檆 g岷穚 膽岷 khi岷縩 ta th岷 v峄峮g.
C贸 th峄� t么i s岷� c贸 c岷 nh岷璶 v脿 膽谩nh gi谩 kh谩c v峄� Etgar Keret n岷縰 c贸 c啤 h峄檌 膽峄峜 m峄檛 cu峄憂 kh谩c c峄 t谩c gi岷� n脿y. C贸 th峄� cu峄憂 n脿y kh么ng ph岷 l脿 膽i峄僲 kh峄焛 膽岷 t峄憈 膽峄� bi岷縯 v峄� Etgar Keret. Ti岷縞 r岷眓g, cho 膽岷縩 khi c啤 h峄檌 膽贸 膽岷縩, t么i c貌n h啤i qu谩 nhi峄乽 s谩ch kh谩c 膽谩ng 膽峄� t么i 膽峄峜.
K峄� c岷� nh峄痭g nh脿 v膬n thu峄檆 h脿ng xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c农ng c贸 th峄� cho ra nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ t瓢啤ng 膽峄慽 l脿ng nh脿ng n岷縰 so v峄沬 nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c峄 h峄�. Trong hai t岷璸 truy峄噉 ng岷痭 c峄 Roberto Bola帽o 膽瓢峄 d峄媍h ra ti岷縩g Anh, "Last Evening on Earth" v脿 "The Return", b锚n c岷h m峄檛 s峄� truy峄噉 c贸 th峄� g峄峣 l脿 ki峄噒 t谩c, c贸 nh峄痭g truy峄噉 kh么ng xu岷 s岷痗 - kh么ng t峄搃 so v峄沬 truy峄噉 c峄 c谩c nh脿 v膬n xo脿ng h啤n, c贸 th峄�, nh瓢ng kh么ng xu岷 s岷痗. T岷璸 truy峄噉 "Cancroregina" c峄 Tommaso Landolfi, c农ng v岷瓂. S岷� l脿 c啤 duy锚n 膽岷筽 n岷縰 cu峄檆 g岷穚 膽岷 ti锚n gi峄痑 ta, ng瓢峄漣 膽峄峜, v脿 nh脿 v膬n, l脿 qua m峄檛 trong nh峄痭g t谩c ph岷﹎ xu岷 s岷痗 nh岷 c峄 nh脿 v膬n. C貌n, n岷縰 chuy峄噉 岷 kh么ng x岷 ra, s岷� l脿 膽i峄乽 膽岷筽 n岷縰 ta c贸 膽峄� nh岷玭 n岷 v脿 th峄漣 gian 膽峄�, m峄檛 l煤c n脿o 膽贸 trong t瓢啤ng lai, d脿nh cho nh脿 v膬n 岷 m峄檛 c啤 h峄檌 kh谩c. C农ng t瓢啤ng t峄� nh瓢 khi ta d脿nh cho m峄檛 ng瓢峄漣 膽脿n 么ng/膽脿n b脿 n脿o 膽岷 c啤 h峄檌 th峄� hai, sau khi cu峄檆 g岷穚 膽岷 khi岷縩 ta th岷 v峄峮g.
November 30, 2016
Brilliant, mind-stretchingly imaginative, funny, sad, wonderful stories that sparkle so brightly your psyche lights up.
The last book I read, Bernie Sanders's Our Revolution , concluded by saying something very profound: that as a species, we are suffering from a lack of imagination. What he was referring to was our inability to imagine the real possibility of creating, ourselves, a new way of living. There is something so orderly about going from reading Our Revolution to Suddenly, A Knock on the Door by an Israeli author who lives in tumult yet embodies alive imagination. The stories are not only so unpredictable they had me moaning and yelling 鈥淥h god!鈥� but sometimes they are even about the imagination they are jumpstarting. In a story called 鈥淎 Good One,鈥� a man has invented a board game called 鈥淪top鈥擯olice鈥� that 鈥渟timulates [a kid] to find his own solutions,鈥� he tells the toy manufacturer he is pitching to. 鈥淵ou can think of this game as a sort of path of Rorschach blots that encourage you to use your imagination as you progress toward your goal鈥攖o win. (116)鈥�
Our Revolution and Suddenly, A Knock on the Door have nothing obvious in common; one is a heavy political treatise and the other is a little book of potent short-short stories. But, for me, the second is medicine prescribed by the first: the stories are "a knock on the door" that compels the reader's imagination to Wake Up!
The last book I read, Bernie Sanders's Our Revolution , concluded by saying something very profound: that as a species, we are suffering from a lack of imagination. What he was referring to was our inability to imagine the real possibility of creating, ourselves, a new way of living. There is something so orderly about going from reading Our Revolution to Suddenly, A Knock on the Door by an Israeli author who lives in tumult yet embodies alive imagination. The stories are not only so unpredictable they had me moaning and yelling 鈥淥h god!鈥� but sometimes they are even about the imagination they are jumpstarting. In a story called 鈥淎 Good One,鈥� a man has invented a board game called 鈥淪top鈥擯olice鈥� that 鈥渟timulates [a kid] to find his own solutions,鈥� he tells the toy manufacturer he is pitching to. 鈥淵ou can think of this game as a sort of path of Rorschach blots that encourage you to use your imagination as you progress toward your goal鈥攖o win. (116)鈥�
Our Revolution and Suddenly, A Knock on the Door have nothing obvious in common; one is a heavy political treatise and the other is a little book of potent short-short stories. But, for me, the second is medicine prescribed by the first: the stories are "a knock on the door" that compels the reader's imagination to Wake Up!
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