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Last update - 05:19 06/04/2008 David Grossman: I had a wish my book would protect my son Uri By Shiri Lev-Ari Tags: Israel, Second Lebanon War  "My son Uri spent most of his army service in the occupied territories, on patrols, lookouts, stakeouts, and at checkpoints, and every once in a while he would share with me the things he experienced there," author David Grossman writes in the afterward to his new novel, "Isha Borahat Mibesora" ("Woman flees tidings"). "I had a hunch - or more precisely, a wish - that the book I was writing would protect him. On August 12, 2006, in the final hours of the Second Lebanon War, Uri was killed in South Lebanon .... After the Shiva I returned to the book. Most of it was already written. What changed, more than anything, is the sounding box of the reality in which the final version was written." Grossman's new book tells the story of Ora and her husband Ilan, who have two sons - Adam, 24, and Ofer, a 21-year-old soldier. Ofer ships out on a major military operation, and Ora has a premonition of bad news. To avoid the torture of waiting around for news, she crisscrosses the country on foot, dragging along an old flame from her youth, Avram. During this journey she tells him about her family and her soldier son. Advertisement Grossman began writing the book five years ago, while his elder son, Yonatan, was still in the army, and Uri was half a year away from being drafted. In the afterward, Grossman writes that Uri was very familiar with the book and the characters, and would occasionally ask his father: "What did you put them through this week?" Full participant An homage to Grossman was held Friday afternoon at Holon's Mediatech Center, to honor both his latest novel and entire oeuvre to date. Grossman was a full participant in the event: He chose the book excerpts to be read, and sat on stage with the actors and musicians. He listened intently as they read his texts, bringing their own interpretation to the delivery, and discussed the story behind the book and writing process. Unusually for the publishing industry, the book's promotion does not include interviews with Grossman. Indeed, he has made a point of not giving interviews since the Second Lebanon War. There are events open to the general public in which Grossman takes part, there is his personal column for the Web site of his publisher Hasifriya Hahadasha, and there is the book itself. Friday's event was purely literary: no politics, no bereavement or wars, just the written word, poetry, and the writer's mental universe. "My love affair with Grossman began with the book "The Zigzag Kid," actor Idan Alterman said, before reading an excerpt from that work. "I asked him to go steady, and to my surprise he agreed." Then singer Efrat Ben-Tzur read from the first part of "See Under: Love," about the boy Momik who raises in his cellar, along with other animals, "the Nazi beast." Shaanan Streett, lead singer of the band Hadag Nahash (for which Grossman penned ("The Sticker Song"), read from the second part of the novel, which deals with the Jewish-Polish author Bruno Schulz. "I didn't know I wrote it in rap," Grossman quipped after Streett finished reading. A large screen in the background showed slides of paintings by Grossman's favorite painter, Avigdor Aricha. Karin Ophir performed love songs by Grossman set to music by David Peretz, and read an excerpt from his novel "Someone to Run With." Singer Eran Tzur read an excerpt from the epistolary novel "Be My Knife." She was followed by actor Dror Keren reading from "The Book of Intimate Grammar." Rona Keinan and Yoni Rechter, together, gave wonderful renditions of two Grossman poems that can already be considered classics: "End," for which Keinan wrote the music, and "At a Coffee Shop," to Rechter's composition. Finally, Grossman reads a scene from his new book. Ora tells Avram about one simple and beautiful moment in the life of her family, when she, her husband and two children go out to a restaurant. Without a doubt, Grossman is his own best reader, the most precise, the most moving. Related articles: Fallen hero Author David Grossman snubs Olmert upon receiving prize David Grossman's speech at the Rabin memorial Bookmark to del.icio.us   Falk's folly Israel will refuse entry to the UN's Richard Falk for equating Israel to Nazi Germany. Peace when? After 30 years, the public has adopted Peace Now's views, but peace is still elusive.   1.   my sincere good wishes to mr. grossman 07:53  |  eric 06/04/08   2.   Uri Grossman took part in illegal war against civilians 11:53  |  Chanalau, Tova 06/04/08   3.   It`s too bad Grossman didn`t really protect his son 15:02  |  Dutch 06/04/08   4.   The Chanalau Phenomenon requires lots of bravery to avoid 07:02  |  Genuine Tosefta 07/04/08   5.   Because of Dutch, Eric and The Chanalau Phenomenon I have no pity 07:06  |  Genuine Tosefta 07/04/08   6.   # 2 You couldn`t see the truth if it hit you in the face 08:25  |  Steve 07/04/08   7.   #5 Genuine Tosefta, Join the heartless Israelis 23:18  |  Dutch 07/04/08   8.   # 5 to the "genuine tosefta" (2nd try) 05:21  |  eric 09/04/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: I want the Palestinians to win Responses: 215 Evangelist to Yoffie: 'I'm not trying to undermine peace' Responses: 145 Moshe Arens: Making Palestine Judenrein Responses: 149 Vice PM: Ofra settlement homes built on private Palestinian land Responses: 121 Barghouti peace overture to be read at Peace Now rally Responses: 116 More Headlines 03:28 Prosecution: Katsav may be charged with rape 04:52 Protesters jeer Katsav, cheer the chance to take him to court 04:28 U.S. wants to hold summit at Sharm during Bush visit 02:25 IDF home front chief: Israelis ready to meet any threats 02:23 IDF begins clearing out West Bank settlements' armories 01:48 Israel to deny UN official entry for comparing Israel to Nazis 05:39 Safran Foer, Krauss among big names to attend J'lem writers festival 20:56 Anaylsis: All outcomes possible in Katsav sex crimes case 04:58 80-year-old Smadar Cinema projects special image of Jerusalem 21:14 Peace Now: Our views are now mainstream but peace still elusive Previous Editions Select Day 08 apr 07 apr 06 apr 04 apr 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar

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