Pushcart Prize winner Avner Mandelman was the inaugural recipient of the Sophie Brody Medal for outstanding achievement in Jewish literature. In The Debba, David Starkman leaves Canada and returns to Israel after his war hero father, Isser, is murdered. Once there, David learns of an unusual request in his father's will. Isser had long-ago written a controversial play about the Debba, a mythical hyena and heroic symbol of the Arabs. It was performed once, causing a riot. Now, Isser's will insists it be staged again. "The author deftly blends a murder mystery with a nuanced examination of the intransigent Israeli-Arab conflict."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
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"Really enjoyed this; in fact had trouble putting it down. More on the complications of relationships with long term effects between Jewish (both eastern and western) with each other and the Arab residents and the difficulties in living there. Very complicated, but still very much there." — Elli (4 out of 5 stars)
"Really enjoyed this; in fact had trouble putting it down. More on the complications of relationships with long term effects between Jewish (both eastern and western) with each other and the Arab residents and the difficulties in living there. Very complicated, but still very much there."
The author deftly blends a murder mystery with a nuanced examination of the intransigent Israeli-Arab conflict.
" I honestly don't know why, but I just couldn't get into this book. I got maybe halfway through before giving up. "
" It was a new perspective of a long history of the middle east but somehow the conflict of this character didn't ring convincing to me. I would recommend it however, as it kept me interested enough to read through quickly. "
" I kinda liked it & kinda not. I do not understand why this play was such a big deal. But I do like the way it was set up & eventually ended. "
" The setting, Palestine, and the Arab Israeli conflict interesting. I liked the setting and the Debba. The characters-not so much. "
" I found this to be quite the absorbing read though very different. From the first page I was swept up into the story even though the main character was not the most appealing and the plot, at times, seemed most unlikely. "
" "An absorbing and captivation novel that bridges the uncomfortable political gap between the Palesstinian and Israeli sides". It is very complicated and I had to read some sections over again. "
" THE CHARACTERS ARE FLAT, AND THE PLOT IS DRAWN OUT. LOTS OF JEWISH REFERENCES AND INSIDE JOKES/DOUBLE MEANINGS I DIDN'T GET. THE BOOK WAS NOT AS GOOD AS OTHER REVIEWS SAID IT WAS. I WAS DISAPPOINTED. "
" A somewhat strange combination of hardboiled detective fiction with the "situation" in Israel. "
" Interesting and challenging view of Israel and the relationship between Jews and Arabs in the early years of the state "
Avner Mandelman was born in Israel and served in the Israeli Air Force during the Six-Day War. His written several story collections, including one chosen by Kirkus Reviews as one of the twenty-five best books of 2005; the same collection was the first recipient of the Sophie Brody Medal for outstanding achievement in Jewish literature. Several of his stories have also won awards in various countries, including being selected for the Pushcart Prize and the Journey Prize. His short story, “Pity” was selected for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories 1995.
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.
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