To Know a Woman

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

“[To Know a Woman has] the powerful undertow of myth . . . A rich and affecting novel.” — New York Times

Following the accidental death of his wife, Israeli secret service agent Yoel Ravid retires to the suburbs with his daughter, mother, and mother-in-law. After a lifetime of uncovering other people’s secrets, he is forced to look back on his own: the desolate enigma of his wife’s life and death, his years of service to the state, the riddle of his daughter’s behavior. Amos Oz infuses Yoel’s story with poetry, humor, and a vivid sense of the madness inherent in everyday existence.

“His language is Hebrew, his setting Israel, his message is universal.” — Boston Jewish Times