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#Israel
review
Anna40
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Pickpick

I expected more of a travel rather than a political book but perhaps it is impossible to write about Israel without focusing on politics. It‘s shocking how current To Jerusalem and back is: left wing antisemitism was the same 50 years ago, so was the accusation that Israelis are colonialists, also Israel was and still is held to a higher moral standard than any other country and no other nation‘s right to exist is questioned. The book is outdated

Anna40 because times have changed. Many of the people Bellow met during his Israel visit are no longer alive, there have been more wars, Rabin was assassinated, more peace talks and October 7. It is ok even hip and cool today to say F..k Israel. Where are we headed from here? Peace is the only solution but will it stop the hate? People are concerned about dead children but taking hostages and killing civilians in their sleep is ok? Because those crimes 4d
Anna40 are committed by freedom fighters? I don‘t know what will happen. But I don‘t think the hate and antisemitism will ever end, it will only get worse. 4d
shortsarahrose Yes, the murder of 1200 people and hostage-taking of 250 more by Hamas is wrong, but I don‘t understand how that justifies broad attacks on Gaza that have killed 50k people, the displacement of 1.9 million people (over 90% of the population), and now an ongoing blockade creating an entirely manmade famine. 4d
Anna40 @shortsarahrose I never said the killing is justified. You‘re putting words in my mouth I never wrote. I said peace is the only solution. And I will add here that do not understand how anyone can see Hamas as freedom fighters. 4d
shortsarahrose Fair enough. Perhaps I misunderstood, but the wording made it sound like the two were equivalent. I‘m just saying that they‘re not. 4d
16 likes5 comments
quote
Pinta
Killing the Second Dog | Marek Hlasko
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^^hustler‘s relief after a score. Pulp fiction / existentialist mashup, kinda Kerouac. Vulnerable tough guy selling “love.”

61 “they begin to speak in sharp high voices that have no love, no despair, only a kind of miserable wisdom that prevents them from doing reckless things.”
63 “the sea released me from all thought and feeling, the way alcohol releases other people.”
121 “The man returned with his dog, a boxer. Both of them look like cheats.”

review
Pinta
Killing the Second Dog | Marek Hlasko
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Pickpick

Polish novella set in 1950s Tel Aviv. Two con men bum around Israeli beach resorts, fleecing rich widows & divorcees. Jacob seduces his marks in an almost offhanded way, directionless and depressed. Dark but breezy humor, pratfalls, bratty kid. Then—boom—long passage on war atrocities witnessed in Warsaw, revealing what these grifters are escaping. Memorable tone, desperation, beach breezes soothing trauma. Cover design all wrong. 1965, tr. 2014.

11 likes1 stack add
blurb
Deblovestoread
Moods | Yoel Hoffmann
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#MondayMood

Going for magnificent little sunbeam today. Wish me luck 🌞🍀

What‘s your mood today?

Ruthiella Mondays are hard! Magnificent sunbeam is a worthy goal. ☀️ 3w
dabbe 🤩🤣😍 3w
MemoirsForMe 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 3w
49 likes3 comments
review
Anna40
Three Floors Up | Eshkol Nevo
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Pickpick

I‘m glad I finished the book because the last novella (I think we have 3 novellas here rather than a novel) brings Nevo‘s thoughts & themes to the fore and there were a few ‘a-ha now I get it‘ moments. Overall, the first & second story are a bit forced & the sex scenes range from despicable to weird. The last story‘s familial conflicts were what I could relate to most & also found most interesting. Overall, this is not a great but an ok book.

review
BC_Dittemore
On Palestine | Noam Chomsky, Ilan Pappe
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Pickpick

I‘m glad I read this after The Hundred Years‘ War on Palestine. Chomsky & Pappe provide the understanding that I felt that Khalidi‘s book did not. However, without reading Khalidi first I would‘ve been lost throughout much of On Palestine.

I now feel that I can justly have an opinion. & while I choose to not voice that here, the one thing I will say is that the United States has exacerbated this war from nearly the beginning & it NEEDS to stop.

review
BC_Dittemore
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Pickpick

I know this is a contentious issue so I‘ll keep it simple.

Despite this war having gone on my whole life I was unaware until recent events.

This is a pertinent overview. One-sided, sure, but Khalidi doesn‘t shy away from criticizing the Palestinian‘s actions either.

I‘m not sure if I have a better understanding, but I at least feel I can add to a conversation if need be.

I would like to learn more about the prewar history.

11 likes2 stack adds
review
Chelsea.Poole
Enter Ghost | Isabella Hammad
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Mehso-so

I was into this audio at the beginning but I found it to drag on the middle—so much so that I found myself skipping and I NEVER do that. I could have missed something vital, so take this with a grain of salt. I know theater doesn‘t work for me in literature so it‘s my fault. I loved the MC‘s backstory and the set up: Sonia returns to her home to discover so much has changed: grandparents have passed, houses sold. Timely: Palestinian experiences.

blurb
SqueakyChu
THINKING HEART. | DAVID. GROSSMAN
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This new book of essays by David Grossman just breaks my heart. Will there ever be peace in this troubled area of the world?

9 likes3 stack adds