What Makes an Apple?

More about the book

This book features six conversations between Amos Oz and Shira Hadad, who was his editor for the novel Judas. Conducted toward the end of Oz's life, these interviews delve into his thoughts on various themes that shaped his life and career, including writing, guilt, love, death, and the afterlife. In the first interview, "A Heart Pierced by an Arrow," Oz shares his journey to becoming a writer and discusses the challenges of his writing process. "Sometimes" reflects on his insights into men, women, and relationships. "A Room of Your Own" outlines his growth as a writer on the kibbutz and his decision to leave. In "When Someone Beats up Your Child," he addresses the critical reception of his work, while "What No Writer Can Do" covers his experiences teaching literature and his views on contemporary literary instruction. The final piece, "The Lights Have Been Changing Without Us for a Long Time," offers his reflections on fellow writers and the changes he has observed in himself and others over time. The title is inspired by a passage in the first interview, where Oz likens a story to an apple, formed from various elements yet distinct from them.