Amir Gutreund won the 2006 Sami Rohr Choice Award for his first translated novel, Our Holocaust. His new novel The World a Moment Later is at once challenging, epic, and important. Spanning over five decades, from the 1920’s to the 1970’s, this novel deviates from most Zionist literature by shedding light on the overlooked pioneers whose triumphs and struggles built the State of Israel. The story opens with Leon Abramowitz, a stranded journalist in 1922 Palestine. Abramowitz’s son, Chaim, soon joins him in Eretz Israel and the young man quickly becomes assimilated in the business of the black market and eventually establishes his own estate built on the foundations of anti- Zionism. Gutfreund excels in his creation of a wide cast of characters whose paths cross because of the Abramowitz empire. His extensive research is evident and enlightening; a character list and chronology are included and very helpful. Those already familiar with contemporary Israeli history will find it refreshing and original. Those unfamiliar will find it an excellent starting point in answering the eternal question, What are we doing here? Bibliography, chronology, list of characters.
Fiction
The World a Moment Later
- Review
By
– January 10, 2012
Jessica B. Horwitz lives in Minneapolis, MN and works in public media.
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