“Brimming with witty and playful mockery, Shalev’s story is equally compassionate, an elegiac glimpse of the authentic Zionist pioneers. A genuine comic tour de force, it is also a marvelous meditation on the mysterious workings of memory and the intricate tapestry of familial connections.”
—Forward
“Lighthearted yet meaningful . . . As I read this, I felt like I was one of Meir Shalev’s cousins, sitting out behind his grandmother’s house, listening to a great retelling of a story I knew by heart . . . A book for everyone.”
—Jewish Boston
“Probably one of the most enjoyable books ever written about obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
—Haaretz (Israel)
“Evan Fallenberg’s translation is nimble and sensitive . . . At once a mystery story, a fascinating glimpse into what life was like for the Labor Zionists of the early twentieth century, a moving family memoir, and, above all, a vivid, affectionate tribute to Grandma Tonia, who must now take her rightful place as one of history’s most redoubtable matriarchs. Unfailingly charming.”
—Words Without Borders
“A loving and humorous family story about Israel’s pioneers and their offspring.”
—Die Welt (Germany)
“An unconventional and quite hilarious family scrapbook . . . Shalev’s reflections on quirky uncles, family squabbles, the rich history of his Jewish heritage, and the legacy of the omnipresent American vacuum cleaner touch the heart and tickle the funny bone.”
—Kirkus Reviews
