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lexish00's review against another edition
5.0
This was a wonderful collection of short stories! Many of them show the human side of war, the people back at home, or the young people going to war. They all are heartfelt and surprising. I definitely felt like I started to understand another culture (Israeli culture and expat culture). Every story had interesting interpersonal relationships and perspectives on culture that I don't normally have experience with, not to mention it was all written beautifully. My favorite stories were probably the title story, The Poets in the Window, and A Sign of Harmony.
And since I can't find this list anywhere else, the stories here are:
Tikkun
Say It Again, Say Something Else
Brit Milah
The Poets in the Kitchen Window
Casualties
Invisible
Below Sea Level
A Sign of Harmony
Borders
Warplanes
The Best Place on Earth
And since I can't find this list anywhere else, the stories here are:
Tikkun
Say It Again, Say Something Else
Brit Milah
The Poets in the Kitchen Window
Casualties
Invisible
Below Sea Level
A Sign of Harmony
Borders
Warplanes
The Best Place on Earth
gadicohen93's review against another edition
2.0
Torn between two and three. The first story was really engaging and alive, but story after story, the writing became rote and predictable. By 75% in I couldn't pay attention. The writing was mostly banal, the storylines just teasing enough to hold my attention. From reading a few weeks ago, I remember some storylines:
- The first story with the man noticing his ex at the cafe (this one really was gutting - 5 stars)
- The girl who just moved to a new city and made friends with her neighbor (2 stars - felt tired)
- The boy whose mother was in the hospital during the Gulf War (2/3 stars)
- The soldier who was forging forms (2 stars)
- The first story with the man noticing his ex at the cafe (this one really was gutting - 5 stars)
- The girl who just moved to a new city and made friends with her neighbor (2 stars - felt tired)
- The boy whose mother was in the hospital during the Gulf War (2/3 stars)
- The soldier who was forging forms (2 stars)
tensy's review against another edition
4.0
Most people's ideas of Israel revolve around front page news. Ayelet Tsabari, in this collection of short stories, tells us about the everyday Israel, focusing on characters who share many of her own characteristics. Many of the characters are of Yemeni descent, have been soldiers in the IDF and in some cases have emigrated to Canada, like the author. The sounds, smells and diverse population of Israel are vibrantly depicted.
These eleven stories are beautifully written, cover a wide range of issues from illegal immigration to orthodoxy vs. modernism, and engage you in the lives of the characters from the first paragraph. Many of the protagonists share a sense of loneliness which often imbues the stories with a terrible sadness. I rate the quality of character driven books by how well the writer describes interactions between characters. In every one of these stories, the relationships rang true and resonated in a very real way that felt more like memoir than fiction.
I often wanted to have the stories continue and see what happens to these characters after the story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Tsabari could easily have developed full novels from several of these stories. I have to admit that after reading the book fairly quickly, the constant theme of displacement and loneliness started to become depressing, but the writing was superb and I strongly recommend a wider American readership of this writer.
Thank you, Net Galley, for the ARC of this book.
These eleven stories are beautifully written, cover a wide range of issues from illegal immigration to orthodoxy vs. modernism, and engage you in the lives of the characters from the first paragraph. Many of the protagonists share a sense of loneliness which often imbues the stories with a terrible sadness. I rate the quality of character driven books by how well the writer describes interactions between characters. In every one of these stories, the relationships rang true and resonated in a very real way that felt more like memoir than fiction.
I often wanted to have the stories continue and see what happens to these characters after the story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Tsabari could easily have developed full novels from several of these stories. I have to admit that after reading the book fairly quickly, the constant theme of displacement and loneliness started to become depressing, but the writing was superb and I strongly recommend a wider American readership of this writer.
Thank you, Net Galley, for the ARC of this book.
scarletohhara's review against another edition
4.0
With strong themes on wars fought by Israel, protagonists joining the military, love lost and found, this book is a great read to get an insight into how one section of the Israelis live. I couldn't help but see similarities in the family lives of this demographic and those of Indians.
chicagobob's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely short stories, presumably all at least inspired by her own life, since all the protagonists are female Yemenite Israelis, either in Israel, traveling in India, or traveling in or now living in Canada. Very different from what I usually read, particularly as I'm not a big short story reader.
misspalah's review against another edition
4.0
She loved and hated Jerusalem : a city that forever would be contested, forever divided, never at peace.
- The best place on earth by Ayelet Tsabari
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.
Lord, i have tried so hard to be objective about this book but i cant. I know it is supposed to be fictional but going through all the daily lives of Israelis through her writing while on the other side of their apartheid wall, many of palestinians are suffering, depriving from electricity and water which constantly being cut off, many of them being evicted because those evil zionists has taken over their land causing me to lose my focus on the stories. I maybe overreacted but i cant help but felt like that. I would have enjoyed the stories if i believe in 2 states solution. I used to believe that was the case until i feel its no longer viable. To simply imagine the plight of Palestinians while some of her characters hanging out, having fun , traveling in and out of Israel, getting Israeli citizenship as easy as abc, moving into the country from other country and so many more. I just cannot turn off my brain and pretend that its all good. However, i did like her stories, at least some of it - When one character did not want to enlist into Israel’s military and is okay being called “Little Arafat” by her friends, another character decided to not come back and settle down in Canada and having a full arguments with her mother on whether her son should be circumcised or not following the tradition, and one character question why she cant be known as Arab Jews because she is one but being dismissed and forced to reclaim Israeli identity. The duality of identity is a central theme in some of the stories - I can sense it because the author paid tribute to her Yemeni Jews heritage and culture in few stories in the book. Overall, again i have to reiterate that i am trying so hard to be objective here, hence I would say i recommend this. Ayelet Tsabari can write a good stories, that i agree. On the personal level, you know where i stand on this.
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.
I bought the books last year which is way before Israel’s assault on Palestine intensified this year. I guess i didnt realize it was written by Israeli before the book reached my house. I do sometimes buy the books spontaneously without reading the synopsis and this is definitely one of those spur of the moments . Now that i have discovered it, i dont know what to do. Should i read it and give my honest opinion? or Should i just simply abandon it somewhere? Should i simply DNF because Israeli wrote it? Where should i begin with this? Since Ilan Pappe is one of the Israeli writers that are so vocal against Israeli occupation, i decided i will hold her against the same standard as him. Hence, scavenging through social media helped to figure out her stance on Palestine and Israel Issue. Okay, few retweets from Bernie Sanders and some opinions condemning what Israel do to Palestine. I guess we are on the right track, not on the same level as Ilan Pappe but at least she’s got conscience. I can respect that. This is why i still proceeded reading the book.
- The best place on earth by Ayelet Tsabari
.
.
Lord, i have tried so hard to be objective about this book but i cant. I know it is supposed to be fictional but going through all the daily lives of Israelis through her writing while on the other side of their apartheid wall, many of palestinians are suffering, depriving from electricity and water which constantly being cut off, many of them being evicted because those evil zionists has taken over their land causing me to lose my focus on the stories. I maybe overreacted but i cant help but felt like that. I would have enjoyed the stories if i believe in 2 states solution. I used to believe that was the case until i feel its no longer viable. To simply imagine the plight of Palestinians while some of her characters hanging out, having fun , traveling in and out of Israel, getting Israeli citizenship as easy as abc, moving into the country from other country and so many more. I just cannot turn off my brain and pretend that its all good. However, i did like her stories, at least some of it - When one character did not want to enlist into Israel’s military and is okay being called “Little Arafat” by her friends, another character decided to not come back and settle down in Canada and having a full arguments with her mother on whether her son should be circumcised or not following the tradition, and one character question why she cant be known as Arab Jews because she is one but being dismissed and forced to reclaim Israeli identity. The duality of identity is a central theme in some of the stories - I can sense it because the author paid tribute to her Yemeni Jews heritage and culture in few stories in the book. Overall, again i have to reiterate that i am trying so hard to be objective here, hence I would say i recommend this. Ayelet Tsabari can write a good stories, that i agree. On the personal level, you know where i stand on this.
.
.
I bought the books last year which is way before Israel’s assault on Palestine intensified this year. I guess i didnt realize it was written by Israeli before the book reached my house. I do sometimes buy the books spontaneously without reading the synopsis and this is definitely one of those spur of the moments . Now that i have discovered it, i dont know what to do. Should i read it and give my honest opinion? or Should i just simply abandon it somewhere? Should i simply DNF because Israeli wrote it? Where should i begin with this? Since Ilan Pappe is one of the Israeli writers that are so vocal against Israeli occupation, i decided i will hold her against the same standard as him. Hence, scavenging through social media helped to figure out her stance on Palestine and Israel Issue. Okay, few retweets from Bernie Sanders and some opinions condemning what Israel do to Palestine. I guess we are on the right track, not on the same level as Ilan Pappe but at least she’s got conscience. I can respect that. This is why i still proceeded reading the book.
likeyoustoleit's review against another edition
4.0
my absolute favorite was "the poets in the kitchen window."
beckyblake's review against another edition
5.0
I don't usually rate books by friends, but in this case, I've decided to make an exception, having read this book three times in various forms over the past couple of years. As is the case with all of my favourite collections, Ayelet Tsabari's stories are individually strong, but also pull together into a larger whole. The Best Place on Earth speaks to me of spiritual restlessness, geographic longing, travel lust, and of good old regular lust. Her characters are torn between worlds and loves, grappling with difficult questions about their identities in environments that inform and challenge their decisions. The stories in this collection are ambitious, sensual, and unusual...The Best Place on Earth is a highly recommended and rewarding read that will inspire you to consider your own best places: both the ones you've chosen and the ones you can't escape.