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Sleeping on a Wire: Conversations with Palestinians in Israel
Based on conversations with Palestinians in Israel, David Grossman's Sleeping on a Wire , like The Yellow Wind , is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the Middle East today.
Israel describes itself as a Jewish state. What, then, is the status of the one-fifth of its citizens who are not Jewish? Are they Israelis, or are they Palestinians? Or are they a people without a country? How will a Palestinian state―if it is established―influence the sense of belonging and identity of Palestinian Israeli citizens?
"No other Israeli writer so far has approached this touchy subject with such compassion, or looked at it with, so to speak, bifocal eyes, Israeli and Palestinian." --Amos Elon, The New York Review of Books
Israel describes itself as a Jewish state. What, then, is the status of the one-fifth of its citizens who are not Jewish? Are they Israelis, or are they Palestinians? Or are they a people without a country? How will a Palestinian state―if it is established―influence the sense of belonging and identity of Palestinian Israeli citizens?
"No other Israeli writer so far has approached this touchy subject with such compassion, or looked at it with, so to speak, bifocal eyes, Israeli and Palestinian." --Amos Elon, The New York Review of Books
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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About the author
David Grossman
154 books1,183 followersFrom ithl.org:
Leading Israeli novelist David Grossman (b. 1954, Jerusalem) studied philosophy and drama at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and later worked as an editor and broadcaster at Israel Radio. Grossman has written seven novels, a play, a number of short stories and novellas, and a number of books for children and youth. He has also published several books of non-fiction, including interviews with Palestinians and Israeli Arabs. Among Grossman`s many literary awards: the Valumbrosa Prize (Italy), the Eliette von Karajan Prize (Austria), the Nelly Sachs Prize (1991), the Premio Grinzane and the Premio Mondelo for The Zig-Zag Kid (Italy, 1996), the Vittorio de Sica Prize (Italy), the Juliet Club Prize, the Marsh Award for Children`s Literature in Translation (UK, 1998), the Buxtehude Bulle (Germany, 2001), the Sapir Prize for Someone to Run With (2001), the Bialik Prize (2004), the Koret Jewish Book Award (USA, 2006), the Premio per la Pace e l`Azione Umanitaria 2006 (City of Rome/Italy), Onorificenza della Stella Solidarita Italiana 2007, Premio Ischia - International Award for Journalism 2007, the Geschwister Scholl Prize (Germany), the Emet Prize (Israel, 2007)and the Albatross Prize (Germany, 2009). He has also been awarded the Chevalier de l`Ordre des Arts et Belles Lettres (France, 1998) and an Honorary Doctorate by Florence University (2008). In 2007, his novels The Book of Internal Grammar and See Under: Love were named among the ten most important books since the creation of the State of Israel. His books have been translated into over 25 languages.
See also other authors with similar names.
Leading Israeli novelist David Grossman (b. 1954, Jerusalem) studied philosophy and drama at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and later worked as an editor and broadcaster at Israel Radio. Grossman has written seven novels, a play, a number of short stories and novellas, and a number of books for children and youth. He has also published several books of non-fiction, including interviews with Palestinians and Israeli Arabs. Among Grossman`s many literary awards: the Valumbrosa Prize (Italy), the Eliette von Karajan Prize (Austria), the Nelly Sachs Prize (1991), the Premio Grinzane and the Premio Mondelo for The Zig-Zag Kid (Italy, 1996), the Vittorio de Sica Prize (Italy), the Juliet Club Prize, the Marsh Award for Children`s Literature in Translation (UK, 1998), the Buxtehude Bulle (Germany, 2001), the Sapir Prize for Someone to Run With (2001), the Bialik Prize (2004), the Koret Jewish Book Award (USA, 2006), the Premio per la Pace e l`Azione Umanitaria 2006 (City of Rome/Italy), Onorificenza della Stella Solidarita Italiana 2007, Premio Ischia - International Award for Journalism 2007, the Geschwister Scholl Prize (Germany), the Emet Prize (Israel, 2007)and the Albatross Prize (Germany, 2009). He has also been awarded the Chevalier de l`Ordre des Arts et Belles Lettres (France, 1998) and an Honorary Doctorate by Florence University (2008). In 2007, his novels The Book of Internal Grammar and See Under: Love were named among the ten most important books since the creation of the State of Israel. His books have been translated into over 25 languages.
See also other authors with similar names.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 17, 2017
A series of interviews carried out in 1990-91 about the lives of Palestinians living in Israel. The 'so-called' Arab-Israelis. What I hadn't appreciated until recently is that you can be Jewish and Palestinian and Israeli. I really want to understand Israel and the conflict with Palestine and the Middle East and this book gave me some important insights. Written by a Jew it gives an insightful look at these people who are one fifth of Israel's population and presents them as full human beings in social, economic, historical and political contexts. I want to read my more recent books by this author and really appreciate this snapshot in time. Written before the apartheid wall was built I wonder what has happened to the people he interviewed today.
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January 13, 2025How can one not read this and roll their eyes? How can one not find this incredibly naive and therefore bleak?
Grossman's work cataloguing the frustrations of Arab-Israelis was written during the peak of Israeli optimism regarding a peaceful settlement. The peace process would then fail spectacularly, on every axis: limited, hated, ineffective corrupt Palestinian autonomy in scattered specs in the West Bank, civil war in Gaza, more brutal indiscriminate terrorist attacks than in any period of Israeli history, Rabin assassinated, Bill Clinton declaring "I am a failure and you have made me one" directed at Arafat, so much dissatisfaction with the PA that Palestinians in Hebron cheered Netanyahu being elected, deranged messianic settler Baruch Goldstein slaughtering 29 at the tomb of the Patriarchs etc. Worse than all that was vindication, bitter vindication, by Likudniks and Palestinian fundamentalists.
Knowing this does it invalidate Grossman's work? He's one of many liberal, well-intentioned Ashkenazim whose thesis is if we just learn to understand each other, if we pronounce Arab names correctly, if we go from village to village changing hearts and minds, we can live in a united, multicultural Israel.
The book focuses on the question of autonomy for the Arab population of the Galilee and the Arab Triangle, which is laughable if reading it today. To think that not just sovereignty for the territories was on the table but autonomy for Israel's Arab minority! In reality, the territories would end up getting a smidge of autonomy and Israel's Arab minority would continue being quietly subjugated. The Knesset choosing to not pass laws that hardened Israel's Jewish character in the 1980s were seen as a victory of the Israeli secular left, yet in 2018 the nation state law passed, undoing all this patting on the back.
Grossman is a talented writer and I have learned from his work, one that has its place merely because work on Arab-Israelis is often overshadowed by work on Palestinians under occupation.
But my point is this: if you read a book about a man who walks around smiling saying hey, I really don't think a piano will ever fall on my head. I mean there's this big piano shaped shadow around me, but you know what, I can reason with this shadow, I can sing gravity reversal songs, if I reach mutual understanding with the piano, then I think I'll be ok. And you know what? Even if the piano does fall, which it probably won't, I'll outrun it, I'll get out of the way in time.
There is then a note added for the revised, second edition of the book: the author of the book died from a tragic accident: a piano fell on his head.
Would you not find the book a little worthless, a little ridiculous?
Grossman's work cataloguing the frustrations of Arab-Israelis was written during the peak of Israeli optimism regarding a peaceful settlement. The peace process would then fail spectacularly, on every axis: limited, hated, ineffective corrupt Palestinian autonomy in scattered specs in the West Bank, civil war in Gaza, more brutal indiscriminate terrorist attacks than in any period of Israeli history, Rabin assassinated, Bill Clinton declaring "I am a failure and you have made me one" directed at Arafat, so much dissatisfaction with the PA that Palestinians in Hebron cheered Netanyahu being elected, deranged messianic settler Baruch Goldstein slaughtering 29 at the tomb of the Patriarchs etc. Worse than all that was vindication, bitter vindication, by Likudniks and Palestinian fundamentalists.
Knowing this does it invalidate Grossman's work? He's one of many liberal, well-intentioned Ashkenazim whose thesis is if we just learn to understand each other, if we pronounce Arab names correctly, if we go from village to village changing hearts and minds, we can live in a united, multicultural Israel.
The book focuses on the question of autonomy for the Arab population of the Galilee and the Arab Triangle, which is laughable if reading it today. To think that not just sovereignty for the territories was on the table but autonomy for Israel's Arab minority! In reality, the territories would end up getting a smidge of autonomy and Israel's Arab minority would continue being quietly subjugated. The Knesset choosing to not pass laws that hardened Israel's Jewish character in the 1980s were seen as a victory of the Israeli secular left, yet in 2018 the nation state law passed, undoing all this patting on the back.
Grossman is a talented writer and I have learned from his work, one that has its place merely because work on Arab-Israelis is often overshadowed by work on Palestinians under occupation.
But my point is this: if you read a book about a man who walks around smiling saying hey, I really don't think a piano will ever fall on my head. I mean there's this big piano shaped shadow around me, but you know what, I can reason with this shadow, I can sing gravity reversal songs, if I reach mutual understanding with the piano, then I think I'll be ok. And you know what? Even if the piano does fall, which it probably won't, I'll outrun it, I'll get out of the way in time.
There is then a note added for the revised, second edition of the book: the author of the book died from a tragic accident: a piano fell on his head.
Would you not find the book a little worthless, a little ridiculous?
February 3, 2023
A truly remarkable and courageous book. Despite its age, I imagine that many of the complicated issues about identity, both personal and national remain, and in many ways are even more relevant today. I learned that in the ongoing discussions about Israeli-Palestinian affairs, the situation of the Arab Israeli is often forgotten. Grossman approaches this question with empathy, self awareness, and a willingness to acknowledge it's complexity, and the fact that it impacts not only Israeli Arabs, but also the self conception and soul of the entire Israeli population. Highly recommended.
August 22, 2022
Muy buen libro, que recoge una serie de entrevistas y relatos del escritor David Grossman a distintos palestinos y judíos en Israel, tratando de escarbar sobre los problemas palpables y de fondo que se viven en ese país. Resulta muy interesante, esclarecedor y triste, pero el autor logra cierta objetividad en sus entrevistas, dejando que el lector vea las distintas perspectivas, desde las más radicales a las más sutiles.
July 23, 2020
Very compassionate and even-handed take on one of the most quintessential conflicts of our era. Prose is excellent. Would recommend.
June 9, 2021
It's hard to have any hope for peace after reading this. But, it's important to understanding why there are increasing calls for labelling Israel as an apartheid state.
dnf
July 21, 2013Kind of disappointed that I didn't finish this one, but I found the text pretty dry. Without knowing enough about the conflict and the culture I felt a little bewildered as I read. I got hung up on a chapter that went back and forth about the pettiness within families with a border between them, and decided I just wasn't invested enough in the story the author wanted to tell.
January 6, 2010
A must-read for anyone who is either from Palestine or Israel or interested in that conflict. It's not a political history, but as the subtitle suggest, a series of interviews with Palestinians in Israel. I will try to re-read it and flesh out my review later.
Want to read
May 15, 2008Daniel suggested.
March 8, 2011
Dense, deep, thought provoking and a little too long - which is how I feel about his fiction too. Grossman is unrelenting in the best possible way.
A book to re-arrange your thinking.
A book to re-arrange your thinking.
August 6, 2019
Al igual que en El Viento Amarillo, la sensibilidad de Grossman combinado con fuentes primarias nos hacen entender la complejidad sobre identidad de los palestinos que viven dentro de Israel.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews