Panther In The Basement

Description

In the last years of British rule in Jerusalem, a lonely, bookish Israeli boy befriends a British soldier in this tale of friendship in the face of enmity. Jerusalem 1947. British soldiers patrol the streets, and bullets and bombs are a nightly occurrence. Caught up in the fervour and unrest against the occupying forces, 12-year old Proffy dreams of being an underground fighter. But some of his dreams are less heroic. Temptation lurks everywhere for the youth who wants to be a man - and betrayal not far behind.

Born in Jerusalem in 1939, Amos Oz is the internationally acclaimed author of many novels and essay collections, translated into over forty languages, including his brilliant semi-autobiographical work, A Tale of Love and Darkness. He has received several international awards, including the Prix Femina, the Israel Prize, the Goethe Prize, the Frankfurt Peace Prize and the 2013 Franz Kafka Prize. He lives in Israel and is considered a towering figure in world literature.

Countries need writers as their voices of conscience; few have them. Israel has Oz * Washington Post * One of the greatest prose writers in contemporary fiction * The Times * Amos Oz is a great writer because he tells stories about real people in a way that no one else can -- Alan Sillitoe He has that mixture of lyrical intensity, utter seriousness and capacity for describing life in a few words which characterises some of the best Russian authors -- Melvyn Bragg There are times when you are reminded what it means to be in the presence of a genius...with Amos Oz you have to add wisdom and hope too * Scotsman *