In the last years of British rule in Jerusalem, a lonely, bookish Israeli boy befriends a British soldier in this tale of friendship in the face of enmity.

"Countries need writers as their voices of conscience; few have them. Israel has Oz" Washington Post "One of the greatest prose writers in contemporary fiction" The Times "Amos Oz is a great writer because he tells stories about real people in a way that no one else can" -- Alan Sillitoe "He has that mixture of lyrical intensity, utter seriousness and capacity for describing life in a few words which characterises some of the best Russian authors" -- Melvyn Bragg "There are times when you are reminded what it means to be in the presence of a genius...with Amos Oz you have to add wisdom and hope too" Scotsman

Born in Jerusalem in 1939, Amos Oz is the internationally acclaimed author of many novels and essay collections, translated into over forty languages, including his brilliant semi-autobiographical work, A Tale of Love and Darkness. He has received several international awards, including the Prix Femina, the Israel Prize, the Goethe Prize, the Frankfurt Peace Prize and the 2013 Franz Kafka Prize. He lives in Israel and is considered a towering figure in world literature.