The Continuing Silence of a Poet - The Collected Stories of A.B. Yehoshua

Library of Modern Jewish Literature

by A.B. Yehoshua

Ironic, understated, masterly prose is the hallmark of A. B. Yehoshua's work. The ten stories collected here are representative of almost thirty years in his outstanding career. Some of his best-loved stories are included. "Three Days and a Child" is a chilling look at how a small child becomes the instrument of vengeance against his mother; "The Yatir Evening Express" tells the tragic story of remote mountain villagers who conspire to derail a train in order to have some contact with the outside world; and in the moving title story, an aging poet cannot write as the times demand, but his mentally handicapped son can. These remarkably poignant tales will touch the reader as only the best fiction can.

Genres: Short Stories, Israel, Fiction

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Abraham B. Yehoshua (אברהם ב. יהושע) is one of Israel's preeminent writers. His novels include A Journey to the End of the Millenium, The Liberated Bride, and A Woman in Jerusalem, which was awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 2007. He lives in Haifa.

Reviews

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A first rate writer, magnificent story teller. My favorite two stories were the first two. The last ones were so sad that it was difficult for me to finish this anthology.
Yehoshua’d prose is rich and full of images. His descriptions of situations, terrain and people are cinematic, full of symbolism and meaning. It is not a happy book, so read it if your state of mind is not fragile.

[Hamilton B. Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Facing the Forests'

[Andy Oram · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last two stories in this early collection ("Early in the Summer of 1970" and "Missile Base 612") deal with the toll of war and are quite masterful. The rest of the collection was less impressive, despite lovely scene-painting and character exposition that come through even in English translation. The shorter stories have an experimental, mythical feel, perhaps like Calvino or Borges. "The Last Commander" adapts Kafka's dismal theology, but is very powerful even though the ending comes a bit fast and seems too easy a way to end the suspense.

All but one of the stories are told in the first person, and (except in the final two stories, again) the narrator comes across as rather contemptible. Yehoshua leaves it up to the reader to determine why his narrators react in such ways. After a while, his cynicism gets a bit tiresome, particularly since the usual theme is pointless or vindictive destruction.

[Mang Liu]

很喜欢第一篇《诗人继续沉默》，后面就越读越无聊了，好像坚持到了《面对森林》

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of short stories, some better than others but I did enjoy this book. Well worth sticking with.