The Liberated Bride: A NovelAn Israeli professor and an Arab student join forces in a witty novel that “tells a simple story about a region that complicates all it touches” (The New Yorker). Yochanan Rivlin, a professor at Haifa University, is a man of boundless and often naïve curiosity. His wife, Hagit, a district judge, is tolerant of almost everything but her husband’s faults and prevarications. Frequent arguments aside, they are a well-adjusted couple with two grown sons. When one of Rivlin’s students—a young Arab bride from a village in the Galilee—is assigned to help with his research in recent Algerian history, a two-pronged mystery develops. As they probe the causes of the bloody Algerian civil war, Rivlin also becomes obsessed with his son’s failed marriage. Rivlin’s search leads to a number of improbable escapades. In this comedy of manners, at once deeply serious and highly entertaining, Yehoshua brilliantly portrays characters from disparate sectors of Israeli life, united above all by a very human desire for, and fear of, the truth in politics and life. |
Contents
Jephthahs Daugher | 67 |
Samahers Term Paper | 149 |
A Fantasy? | 241 |
The Judgement Seat | 269 |
The Dybbuk | 393 |
The Liberation | 457 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abuna Afifa Akri Algeria Arab baby Berber can’t couldn’t dark door Druze Dybbuk eyes face father feel French Fu’ad Galya gave give glance glasses gone guests Hagit Haifa hand Hannah Tedeschi He’s head hear Hebrew Hendel hurried husband I’ve Israel Israeli Jenin Jerusalem Jewish Jews judge knew laughed leave light listen look maître maître d man’s morning mother Mount Scopus never night Ofer Ofer’s Ofra Orientalist Palestinian Perhaps poems Professor promise Ra’uda Ramadan Ramallah Rashid remember Rivlin asked Rivlin felt Rivlin thought Samaher Samaher’s She’s sister sleep smile someone son’s stop story student Suissa sure talk Tehila tell There’s thing told took translatoress Tsakhi turned village waiting wedding What’s wife wife’s window woman wondered word worry Yo’el you’re young Zababdeh