by admin

Between Hopes and Reality

I’m not afraid of sad stories, because sadness is born from the clash between hopes and reality. Jewish tradition is based on asking questions and not taking things for granted. Moses, Jonah, Job and others dared to argue with God. Jewish learning in hevruta, too, consists of learning by arguing. I think that this tradition that both questions and respects authority and admits ambiguity and weakness in its greatest heroes affected my writing. When I write for children I write from a place that admits the complexity of life.

Etgar Keret lives in Tel Aviv and published four books of short stories and novellas. His latest book, The Busdriver Who Wanted to Be God was published in the U.S. by St. Martin’s Press. His writing has appeared in 21 languages.