Synopses & Reviews
A
New York Times Notable Book of the Year
“[To Know a Woman has] the powerful undertow of myth . . . A rich and affecting novel.” — New York Times
Following the accidental death of his wife, Israeli secret service agent Yoel Ravid retires to the suburbs with his daughter, mother, and mother-in-law. After a lifetime of uncovering other people’s secrets, he is forced to look back on his own: the desolate enigma of his wife’s life and death, his years of service to the state, the riddle of his daughter’s behavior. Amos Oz infuses Yoel’s story with poetry, humor, and a vivid sense of the madness inherent in everyday existence.
“His language is Hebrew, his setting Israel, his message is universal.” — Boston Jewish Times
Synopsis
Yoel Ravid devoted many years to the Israeli secret service, his uncanny instinct and ability to sense the truth making him an invaluable agent. Now widowed and retired, Yoel lives in a house in a Tel Aviv suburb with his mother, his mother-in-law, his daughter, and the haunting memory of his wife. Selected as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Translated by Nicholas de Lange. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book.
About the Author
Amos Oz was born in Jerusalem in 1939. He is the author of fourteen novels and collections of short fiction, and numerous works of nonfiction. His acclaimed memoir A Tale of Love and Darkness was an international bestseller and recipient of the prestigious Goethe prize, as well as the National Jewish Book Award. Scenes from Village Life, a New York Times Notable Book, was awarded the Prix Méditerranée Étranger in 2010. He lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.