"Barasch Rubinstein... does a marvelous job of bringing to vivid life the political and cultural landscape of Israel during terribly turbulent years." -- Kirkus
In the 1980s, two childhood friends from Jerusalem establish a medical equipment startup. Their hunger for success propels them to professional heights but erodes the emotional affinity between them. While the firm grows and does exceptionally well, personal conflicts between the two, symbolic of a social change, threaten to undermine their achievements. Spanning from 1968 until 2016, the plot follows the two entrepreneurs against the backdrop of Israeli history. Tensions between Sephardi and Ashkenazi Israelis, military conflicts, and, most importantly, the profound consequences--both positive and negative--of embracing capitalist values shape the lives of the protagonists. Intimate Solitude offers a distinct perspective on the changing nature of Israeli society, uncovering social and political undercurrents.
About the Author :
Emanuela Barasch Rubinstein is an Israeli author and academic in the Humanities. After publishing three academic books exploring the Holocaust in a cultural context, she turned to writing fiction. Her collection of short stories, Five Selves, and Delivery, a novel about pregnancy and parenthood, were published in the UK and received excellent reviews.
Review :
"Jerusalem nurtures writers and poets. The author has created a captivating drama starting in Beit HaKerem, her childhood pastoral Jerusalem neighborhood, culminating in the world of Wall Street. The book provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of many Israelis during a period of intifadas, wars in Lebanon and political and social upheaval since 1977 as well as food for thought about the future of Israeli society."
-- Prof. Ariel Rubinstein, New York University and Tel Aviv University
"Emanuela Barasch Rubinstein is a unique voice telling a unique story with universal relevance. In beautiful, precise prose, Intimate Solitude explores a society and a history unlike any other with compassion and humanity. An important book for our time."
-- Robert Peett, Holland House Books
"From the opening sentence, Intimate Solitude pulls you into its world. A culture fraught with pleasure, pain, envy, and the consequences of betrayal, as well as love, bravery, hope, and disappointment. You experience the depth and warmth of passion shared by the protagonists--for their families and their country. The two young men move from their childhood friendship through rivalries, success, and antagonism towards eventual reconciliation. This is a book of sharp images beyond the lives of the aging childhood friends. We see a new and inspiring country gaining energy from pioneers followed by refugees from the Middle East and Europe arriving in pain with different expectations and values, each one of them fighting prejudice to ensure the survival of their religious, social, and political beliefs. An intriguing insight into life in a vibrant but troubled world. It is the tale of human strength and frailty that you cannot easily forget."
-- Paula Nicolson, Emeritus Professor, University of London
