Product Description

In a chorus of voices The Smile of the Lamb tells the story of Uri, an idealistic young Israeli soldier serving in an army unit in the small Palestinian village of Andal, in the occupied territories, and his relationship with Khilmi, a nearly blind old Palestinian storyteller. Gradually as the violent reality of the occupation that infects both the occupier and the occupied alike merges with the old man’s stories, Uri, captivated by Khilmi’s wisdom, tries to solve the riddles and deceits that make up his life.

Originally published in Hebrew in 1983, The Smile of the Lamb is a novel of disillusionment and a piercing examination of injustice and dishonesty.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #468137 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In this unforgettable work, Israeli writer Grossman sets a critical juncture in his four narrators' lives against the moral and ethical corrosion of the Israeli occupation.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
A much-acclaimed Israeli writer ( The Yellow Wind and See Under: Love , both LJ "Best Books") here offers a tour de force about Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory that is a wrenching but ennobling experience for the reader. Originally published in Hebrew in 1983, the novel probes in devastating fashion both personal and national morality, trust, and truth. Uri, an idealistic young soldier, is serving in an army unit in the West Bank, under the command of Katzman, an enigmatic, embittered commander who is involved with Uri's wife, Shosh. Shosh, who works in a juvenile psychiatric institution, is beset by the death of a client who commits suicide after she has an affair with him. In the meantime, Uri is absorbed by his friendship with Hilmi, an old Arab storyteller who poignantly describes Palestinian life and culture. Hostage-taking, struggles of the heart and mind, and killing are all portrayed, with the falsehoods and fantasies of the players woven deftly into a whole. Grossman tells the story of the Jewish people in Israel and his perceptions of an erosion of their values. A troubling, difficult, but essential book. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/90.
-Molly Abramowitz, Silver Spring, Md.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
“Together with See Under: Love, and his heartfelt The Yellow Wind, these three books form a trilogy by Israel’s finest young writer.” —The New York Times

“A brilliantly constructed, hair-raising exploration of the ‘morphology of lies’ in the inextricably linked personal and political worlds of Israel.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Grossman is more than just another talented writer: Like Vaclav Havel, he is a moralist, a man with a conscience whose words cry out for absolute truth and fairness.” —Newsday (New York)

“[The Smile of the Lamb] is prophetic. A book which compels the heart and the imagination, as well as the mind.” —Los Angeles Times
-- Review

Customer Reviews

well written
David Grossman, a very gifted Israeli author, portrays the fragile line that separates the Israeli from the Palestinians in the occupied territories. But this is far more than a political story. Here, an old Arab, while demanding withdrawal from the land held by the Israelis, loves the Jewish soldier he has captured and threatened to kill. And the soldier returns this love with a delicate sense of respect. Fraught with diverse emotions, humor and insights, this book examines the moral ambiguities and human dilemmas that confront the Israelis on a daily basis,never shaking their lengthy history with the land.

wonderful writing
David Grossman, a very gifted Israeli author, portrays the fragile line that separates the Israelis from the Palestinians in the occupied territories. But this is far more than a political story. Here, an old Arab, while demanding withdrawal from the land held by the Iaraelis,comes to love the Jewish soldier he has captured and threatened to kill. And the soldier returns this love with a delicate sense of respect. Fraught with diverse emotions, humor and insights, this book examines the moral ambiguities and human dilemmas that confront the Israelis on a daily basis and never shaking their lengthy history with the land.

thought-provoking, but a little disappointing
While I found the themes of trust, deceit, betrayal, and emotional struggle interesting in terms of the relationships between the characters, I was disappointed in that the story hardly scratched the surface of the ugly horrors involved in the occupation. The book does contain some thought-provoking ideas, however I would not use the words "wrenching" or "devastating" to describe them, as did the Library Journal above. If you're looking for an emotional novel about relationships that happen to include Israeli occupation soldiers, the book isn't bad. If you're looking for insight into the emotional aspect of occupied Palestinians and the Israeli soldiers that occupy them, I recommend looking around for something that breaks through the surface of the issues and further fleshes out the real misery and emotional turmoil of the situation.

The story wasn't overly political, but it did propagate the myth of Israel's innocence, portraying the occupation of Palestinians as a necessary component of Israel's self-defense, rather than territorial expansionism. For example, the thoughts of the main character about Palestinians conveyed on p. 227 state, "...they were the ones who started it with their own aggression and their continuing hatred for us..." Context is of course important and here the character was actually realizing the injustices of the occupation, however, I still found those particular words disappointing, as I find it absurd to suggest that the occupation was started by the Palestinians and is due to "their own aggression and hatred".

I purchased this book after reading an interview article about the author, in which I found him to be an enlightened and compassionate person seeking to overcome the stereotypes and vilification happening on both side of the conflict which prevents the understanding necessary to achieve peace. For that I respect him. But this book is a bridge only half-built. It needs to go much further to achieve true understanding of the fear, deceit, injustice, and hope on both sides of this conflict.