4 Stars
Eitan Einoch (or “Croc” to his friends) spends his days counting time (literally) at what just might be the most boring office job in the history of the universe in Tel Aviv. Due to incessant nagging requests from his girlfriend, Croc rides a “Little No. 5” (a/k/a minibus) to and from the office each day, believing that any suicide bomber worth his salt wouldn’t waste his chance on 72 awaiting virgins by only blowing up a handful of victims. But then . . . .
Miraculously Croc survives with only a bit more than a headache. Remembering a conversation with a fellow passenger whose hinky meter was going off right before the big ka-boom, Croc decides to track down said passenger’s girlfriend in order to pass on his last words. On the way his car is caught in the crossfire of another targeted bus. Again, Croc proves that . . . .
(Ha! I have a sneaking suspicion Assaf Gavron never imagined a Destiny’s Child reference popping up in a review of his book, but I do what I do.)
And right when things are looking up . . . . .
Croc’s unheard of ability to beat death makes him a bit of a national hero, and that is how we come to meet Fahmi. Fahmi tells of his rise to want-to-be Palestinian suicide bomber from a hospital bed, where he lies in a coma – which made me keep picturing . . . .
*shudder*
The dual narratives rotate throughout the book, leading up to the inevitable moment when the men’s worlds intertwine.
I need to take a moment and give mad props to the ladies and gentlemen at the big (not to be confused with porny) library . . . .
Obviously not much needs to be done in order to get me to read . . . but dangling free stuff in front of me and presenting a list of recommendations to help me “Push My Shelf” has been quite the eye opener. I not only realized why some books (*cough The Red Tent cough*) should have continued to collect dust on my shelf, but I got to read this little gem I would have probably never even stumbled upon if it had not been for this challenge. It proposed some questions people all around the world should be asking themselves . . . .
“They talk about the Muslims, but who dropped two bombs on Japan and killed three hundred thousand?”
And presented some sage advice . . . .
“We need to be strong, not to be cowed. Everyone should get on with their lives. Get on buses. Drive on roads. Drink coffee! Because if we don’t have a normal life, what do we have left? We have to remain human beings. That’s the most important thing. That’s the only thing, I suppose. Because what are we if we’re not human beings? If we lose ourselves, then . . . well, we’ve lost.”
Somehow it managed to do it with a brilliant wit, as well.
Recommended to anyone else who wants to “push their shelf.” The glass is mine, though . . . .
Book # 5. Challenge complete! THE PINT GLASS IS MIIIIIIIINE.
Miraculously Croc survives with only a bit more than a headache. Remembering a conversation with a fellow passenger whose hinky meter was going off right before the big ka-boom, Croc decides to track down said passenger’s girlfriend in order to pass on his last words. On the way his car is caught in the crossfire of another targeted bus. Again, Croc proves that . . . .
(Ha! I have a sneaking suspicion Assaf Gavron never imagined a Destiny’s Child reference popping up in a review of his book, but I do what I do.)
And right when things are looking up . . . . .
Croc’s unheard of ability to beat death makes him a bit of a national hero, and that is how we come to meet Fahmi. Fahmi tells of his rise to want-to-be Palestinian suicide bomber from a hospital bed, where he lies in a coma – which made me keep picturing . . . .
*shudder*
The dual narratives rotate throughout the book, leading up to the inevitable moment when the men’s worlds intertwine.
I need to take a moment and give mad props to the ladies and gentlemen at the big (not to be confused with porny) library . . . .
Obviously not much needs to be done in order to get me to read . . . but dangling free stuff in front of me and presenting a list of recommendations to help me “Push My Shelf” has been quite the eye opener. I not only realized why some books (*cough The Red Tent cough*) should have continued to collect dust on my shelf, but I got to read this little gem I would have probably never even stumbled upon if it had not been for this challenge. It proposed some questions people all around the world should be asking themselves . . . .
“They talk about the Muslims, but who dropped two bombs on Japan and killed three hundred thousand?”
And presented some sage advice . . . .
“We need to be strong, not to be cowed. Everyone should get on with their lives. Get on buses. Drive on roads. Drink coffee! Because if we don’t have a normal life, what do we have left? We have to remain human beings. That’s the most important thing. That’s the only thing, I suppose. Because what are we if we’re not human beings? If we lose ourselves, then . . . well, we’ve lost.”
Somehow it managed to do it with a brilliant wit, as well.
Recommended to anyone else who wants to “push their shelf.” The glass is mine, though . . . .
Book # 5. Challenge complete! THE PINT GLASS IS MIIIIIIIINE.
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