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This is a collection of articles surrounding Modern Hebrew Literature. It includes articles about the prose fiction of S.Y. Agnon, who is Modern Hebrew Literature's only Nobel Laureate, as well as a piece discussing the work of the internationally acclaimed Hebrew writer A.B. Yehoshua. Most of the articles were published in various academic periodicals. Lev Hakak guides us with passion and depth on a rich and exciting journey into worlds created by prominent Hebrew authors. These worlds depict Jewish life in Europe, Near Eastern countries and Israel. It begins in medieval times in Spain and ends in contemporary Israel. We meet a medieval Hebrew poet whose love for Israel was the leading spark in his life, and a Rabbi who strove to touch the souls of his readers through sharing folktales. We meet a man and a woman undergoing a marriage crisis, a young man who gives up love because of the dominating older generation, a criminal who turns to faith on his way to execution, and more. The book also provides a little glimpse into Israeli movies and is also a literary voyage into the wounded souls of Holocaust survivors and others who converged to form the new nation-state on ancient soil.
About the author
Lev Hakak is a Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles. He published many books and research articles in the field of Modern Hebrew Literature. As well, he writes Hebrew poetry and prose, and he is the editor of the only Hebrew periodical in the US, Hador: The Hebrew Annual of America.
