David Grossman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Grossman
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| Native name |
דויד גרוסמן
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| Born | January 25, 1954 Jerusalem, Israel |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Citizenship | Israeli |
| Alma mater | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Notable awards |
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| Spouse | Michal Grossman |
| Children | 3 |
David Grossman (born January 25, 1954) is a famous Israeli writer. His books have been translated into over 30 languages, meaning people all around the world can read his stories. In 2018, he received the important Israel Prize for his amazing writing.
Contents
About David Grossman's Life
David Grossman was born in Jerusalem, Israel. He is the older of two brothers. His mother was born in the area that is now Israel. His father moved from Poland when he was nine years old.
David's father was a bus driver and later a librarian. He often brought books home for David to read. When David was nine, he won a national competition about the stories of Sholem Aleichem, a famous writer. David also worked as a child actor for the national radio. He continued working for the Israel Broadcasting Authority for almost 25 years.
In 1971, David Grossman joined the Israeli army. He was in the army during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, but he was not involved in any fighting. He later studied philosophy and theater at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
David Grossman lives in Mevasseret Zion, near Jerusalem. He is married to Michal Grossman, who is a child psychologist. They have three children: Yonatan, Ruthi, and Uri. Sadly, Uri, who was a tank commander in the army, was killed in action during the 2006 Lebanon War. David Grossman later wrote a book called Falling Out of Time to honor Uri's life.
David Grossman's Radio Career
After finishing university, David Grossman became a news anchor for Kol Yisrael, Israel's national radio station. In 1988, he was fired because he refused to hide the news that Palestinian leaders had declared their own state and accepted Israel's right to exist. He believed it was important for the public to know this information.
David Grossman's Writing Career
David Grossman often writes about important topics. In his 2008 novel, To the End of the Land, he wrote about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Since then, he has also written a children's book, an opera for kids, and several poems.
His 2014 book, Falling Out of Time, explores the deep sadness parents feel after losing a child. In 2017, he won the Man Booker International Prize for his novel A Horse Walks Into a Bar. He shared this award with his translator, Jessica Cohen, who helps bring his stories to English readers.
David Grossman's Activism
David Grossman is known for being a strong supporter of peace. He is part of a group of Israeli thinkers who believe in finding peaceful solutions.
During the 2006 Lebanon War, he first supported Israel's actions for self-defense. However, on August 10, 2006, he and other famous writers, Amos Oz and A.B. Yehoshua, spoke out. They asked the government to agree to a ceasefire to help find a peaceful solution. They said, "We had a right to go to war. But things got complicated."
Just two days later, David Grossman's 20-year-old son, Uri, was killed in southern Lebanon. Uri's tank was hit by a missile right before the ceasefire began. David Grossman has said that his son's death did not change his belief that Israel should work towards peace with the Palestinians. Even though he usually avoided writing about politics in his stories, his son's death led him to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more deeply in his 2008 book, To The End of the Land.
Two months after Uri's death, David Grossman spoke to a large crowd of 100,000 Israelis. They had gathered to remember Yitzhak Rabin, a former prime minister who was assassinated. Grossman criticized the government for its leadership and said that reaching out to Palestinians was the best way to make progress in the region. He shared his feelings, saying, "Of course I am grieving, but my pain is greater than my anger. I am in pain for this country and for what you and your friends are doing to it."
He also explained that being critical of Israel does not mean you are not a part of it. He said, "You can be very critical of Israel and yet still be an integral part of it; I speak as a reservist in the Israeli army myself."
In 2010, David Grossman and his family joined protests against the growth of Israeli settlements. While protesting in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, he was hurt by police. When a reporter asked how a famous writer could be beaten, he replied, "I don't know if they know me at all."
Awards and Special Recognition
David Grossman has received many awards for his writing and his work for peace. In 2015, he decided not to accept the Israel Prize for Literature. This was because the Prime Minister tried to remove two judges from the award panel. However, he was awarded the prize in 2018.
Here are some of the awards he has received:
- 1984: Prime Minister's Prize for Hebrew Literary Works
- 1985: Bernstein Prize
- 1991: Nelly Sachs Prize
- 1993: Bernstein Prize
- 2001: Sapir Prize for Someone to Run With
- 2004: JQ Wingate Prize for Someone to Run With
- 2004: Italian prize Premio Flaiano
- 2004: Bialik Prize for literature
- 2007: Emet Prize
- 2007: Ischia International Journalism Award
- 2007: Honorary Doctor degree from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
- 2008: Geschwister-Scholl-Preis
- 2010: Albatros Literaturpreis for To the End of the Land
- 2010: Peace Prize of the German Book Trade
- 2010: National Jewish Book Award for To the End of the Land
- 2011: JQ Wingate Prize for To the End of the Land
- 2015: St. Louis Literary Award
- 2017: Man Booker International Prize for A Horse Walks into a Bar
- 2018: Israel Prize
- 2021: Elected a Royal Society of Literature International Writer
- 2022: Winner of the Erasmus Prize
- 2024: Marion Dönhoff Prize for International Understanding and Reconciliation
- 2024: Heinrich Heine prize for promoting human rights
David Grossman's Books in English
Many of David Grossman's books have been translated into English.
Fiction Books
- Duel (1982)
- The Smile of the Lamb (1983)
- See Under: Love (1986)
- The Book of Intimate Grammar (1991)
- The Zigzag Kid (1994) – This book won two awards in Italy.
- Be My Knife (1998)
- Someone to Run With (2000)
- Her Body Knows: two novellas (2003)
- To the End of the Land (2008)
- Falling Out of Time (2014)
- A Horse Walks Into a Bar: A Novel (2017)
- More Than I Love My Life (2019)
Nonfiction Books
- The Yellow Wind (1987)
- Sleeping on a Wire: Conversations with Palestinians in Israel (1992)
- Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo (2003)
- Lion’s honey : the myth of Samson (2005)
- Writing in the Dark: Essays on Literature and Politics (2008)
- The Thinking Heart: Essays on Israel and Palestine (2024)
Movies Based on His Books
Several of David Grossman's novels have been made into movies:
- The Smile of the Lamb, a film based on his novel of the same name.
- Someone to Run With, a movie based on his novel.
- The Book of Intimate Grammar was also made into an award-winning film.
- The Zigzag Kid, a film based on his novel.
See also
In Spanish: David Grossman para niños
- Israeli literature
