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Quote by Amos Oz

“There is a document in every novel in the world. Even in the most fantastic novel, even in science fiction, there is a documentary side. But, this side is not the crux of the matter.”

Quote by Amos Oz

Author

Amos Oz, born on May 4, 1939, is a renowned Israeli writer. His works are known for their profound insights into human nature and unique narrative style. He has won numerous literary awards, including the Israel Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature. more

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“I don't think a novel's main donation, main gift, is the document. The document is there, but a novel goes beyond documentation. It goes into opening a new vista, opening a new perspective, showing familiar things in an unfamiliar way, and making the reader reconsider the documentary facts which he or she may have known before.”

Thinking Way May Facts Known Novel Perspective Reader Familiar Opening Documents Documentaries Unfamiliar Donation Vistas Documentation New Perspective Familiar Things

Author:Amos Oz

“In my essays and articles I have been saying again and again that the case of Israel and Palestine, the case of Israel and the Arab world, and indeed the case of Israel and Europe, is not black and white. It's not a western movie.”

World Has Beens Black White Cases Europe Western Israel Articles Black And White Again And Again Essays Palestine Arab World Western Movie

Author:Amos Oz

“Many intellectuals in America and in Europe, they are in the habit of taking sides: who are the bad guys? who are the good guys? They launch a demonstration against the bad guys, sign a petition in favor of the good guys, and going to sleep feeling well about themselves.”

Wells Feelings America Guy Sides Sleep Habit Europe Favors Bad Guys Demonstration Going To Sleep Good Guy Petitions

Author:Amos Oz

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tragedy; it is a clash between right and right. And, therefore it's not black and white. Sometimes, recently it is indeed a clash between wrong and wrong. It is not as simple as fascism was.”

Sometimes Black Simple White Conflict Tragedy Fascism Black And White Palestinian Israeli Clash Israeli Palestinian Conflict

Author:Amos Oz

“Every decent man had to be against fascism, period.”

Men Periods Decent Fascism Decent Man

Author:Amos Oz

“The Palestinians have no other land. They are absolutely right about this. The Israeli Jews also have no other land and they are absolutely right about this. It is a tragedy of two peoples claiming the same very small country - very small, about the size of New Jersey. And both of them are right. Both of them have no other homeland as peoples. As individuals, maybe, but not as a people.”

People Two Country Individual Land Tragedy Size Jew Palestinian Jersey Israeli Homeland New Jersey Small Countries

Author:Amos Oz

“If people are pro-Israel, they are pro-Israel one-hundred-and-twenty percent. If they are anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian, they tend to be pro-Palestinian one-hundred-and-twenty percent.”

People Ifs Percent Hundred Twenties Israel Palestinian

Author:Amos Oz

“I don't think a decent person has to choose between being pro-Israel and pro-Palestine. I think you have to be pro-Peace.”

Thinking Persons Israel Decent Palestine

Author:Amos Oz

“I never regard my characters, my protagonists, as personifications. It's not that I sit by my desk and I pick up a character who will be the spokesperson of the Israeli Left, another one will be the spokesperson of the Right, another one will be the spokesperson of Middle Eastern Jews, European Jews, religions Jews and so on.”

Character Left Middle Picks Regard Jew Desks Eastern Israeli Protagonists Personification

Author:Amos Oz

“In writing a novel, the writer must be able to identify emotionally and intellectually with two or three or four contradicting perspectives and give each of them very a convincing voice. It's like playing tennis with yourself and you have to be on both sides of the yard. You have to be on both sides, or all sides if there are more than two sides.”

Ifs Giving Writing Two Able Three Sides Voice Novel Four Perspective Tennis Yards Both Sides Convincing Two Sides Contradicting

Author:Amos Oz