(Israel Hayom via JNS) The New York Times has included works by two Israeli authors in its 100 Notable Books of 2020 list: Yishai Sarid, the son of the late Meretz lawmaker Yossi Sarid, for his book The Memory Monster, and A.B. Yehoshua for his book The Tunnel. 

Asked how he felt about being included in the list, Yehoshua said “since the age of 30, I have been saying this, and I will say it when I’m 84. From my standpoint, the most important thing is the reviews in Israel and the reading of my books here. Reviews in reputed newspapers like Le Monde, The Guardian and The New York Times are less important to me than a review in Israel Hayom and other newspapers in Israel.” Beyond that, he continued, “greater and more important names in Hebrew literature have not been included in the list, and they are still considered very important in the context of the State of Israel. … The focus of literature is its country and its home.”

Sarid said he was surprised to learn that The Memory Monster had been included in the list. “I didn’t know about it until a friend in Israel told me, and then my publisher in the U.S. also sent me an email updating me,” he said. “Tens of thousands of authors contend for the list each year, and that’s why it’s a really nice achievement for me.

He said the book’s inclusion was “confirmation that my books don’t speak only to an Israeli audience but to other audiences around the world. Every author always wants to address new audiences, and that’s why it’s [given me] a sense of satisfaction. Nevertheless, what made me the happiest was being on the same list as A.B. Yehoshua, who is one of the greatest Israeli authors, and whom I admire. It’s a really big honor.”

Main Photo: A.B. Yehoshua and Yishai Sarid | Photo: Liron Almog, Yehoshua Yossef