Mr. Mani (Harvest in Translation)

I couldn't put this book down. Although a novel, it presents a history of modern Israel through the narrative.

The author has other more relevant books

So much is going on in this book so the reader really needs to pay attention to everything going on.

Item arrived promptly and in fair condition. There were foodstains on the cover and small stains on some of the internal pages. Nothing huge, but strange since I thought I had ordered a new copy, not one which was previously used.The book itself is excellent!

Condition, price, and promptness all completely satisfactory. Since that covers everything, you are asking for too many words. Goodbye, goodbye. This is a foolish requirement on your part.

Excelent portrayal of jewish culture.

This celebrated Israeli author is practically a national treasure in Israel. His work is probably outstanding in the original Hebrew. However, in translation it is boring. I read only 150 pages of this book and then I put it down. Only three people in my book club finished it including the Israeli born woman who recommended it. Only two people liked it. I don't think that this author cares about the quality of the translation. Another Hebrew speaking person I know recommended The Liberated Bride by the same author. It was a runaway hit in Israel. However, the original which was over 900 pages bore little resemblance to the English translation of just over 300 pages. She told me that the translation was like reading a completely different and inferior book. This novel which goes back in time tracing the Mani family through its patriarchs was a tedious read. The sentence structure and vocabulary were excellent so I know that this author can write. I will not try to read this author again. I will not recommend him to anyone who cannot read it in the original Hebrew or perhaps, in an Arabic translation. Arabic and Hebrew come from the same root language much like English and German.

I have only finished two of the conversations, which have been marvelous. The second one (p. 70 - 140) takes place on a hill in Crete, during the second world war. The speaker seems to resolve the problem that Vonnegut describes in Slaugherhouse Five, that humans do really mean things especially during war. The word, "humanist" was used (I know it is a translation) which is a word Vonnegut used to describe himself. Yehoshua's is a humanist solution to war--there is a way to see all of us as human, rather than identifying as a particular race, country or religion, the speaker is saying. The speaker who says it, is a surprising person to say this, we wouldn't expect this insight to come from him--which makes it all the more compelling.I wonder if Vonnegut had read it and what he thought of Conversation Two?

thank you - delivered today

Alles Wunderbar! Hat alles bestens funtioniert. Ware ist gut.Gerne jederzeit Wieder.Danke und alles Gute für die Zukunft hier.

Didn't find this book interesting at all. The premise sounded good but it didn't live up to my expectations.