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

Library of Modern Jewish Literature

by A.B. Yehoshua

Brings together all the novellas and short stories including two sories not previously published in English.

Genres: Short Stories, Israel, Fiction

376 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Abraham B. Yehoshua (Hebrew: א.ב. יהושע also: 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.

Reviews

[Yair · Rating 5 out of 5]

“For to say it plainly and clearly—there is no history. Only a few scraps of text, some potsherds. All further research is futile. To glue oneself to the radio again and again, or seek salvation in the newspapers—utter madness.

Yehoshua, A.B.. The Continuing Silence of a Poet: The Collected Stories of A.B. Yehoshua (p. 376). Halban. Kindle Edition.

[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.