This was nice detour after the navigation of Ulysses. It was bitter cold outdoors and eight hours of an Author's life in Tel Aviv was a fitting escape. ( )

Dit korte verhaal lijkt een spielerei, een vingeroefening van Oz, maar misschien is het dat net niet en is het hem dodelijke ernst. Onzekerheid dus, die zich ook vormelijk uit in voortdurend verschuivende perspectieven, korte stukjes actie en vervolgens weer mijmering. Opvallend is de focus op het groezelige en troosteloze van het bestaan. Uiteindelijk staan de schrijver en het schrijverschap centraal, en blijken alle personages de schrijver zelf, die daarmee de onmacht van zich af schrijft. Geen gemakkelijk boek, maar ik denk wel dat Oz er veel plezier aan heeft beleefd. ( )

This was a difficult book for me. There were parts that I enjoyed but there were also parts that I had a hard time with because of the Israeli/Jewish words, history and names.

This is a book about 8 hours of the Author/Narrator's life including time at a speaking engagement. What I believe is that the entire book is part of the Author trying to answer, "How do you write & why do you write". I think this book tries to answer these two questions by telling us stories hoping we will relate to his life (why) and connecting names, faces, people (how).

I'll have to read this book again to see if I come up with the same opinion. ( )

In a dramatic telling of a single night, Rhyming Life & Death is something of a story, and something of a demonstration of a story's genesis, exploring the wonders and twists of an imagination.

Working from the mind of an author, our narrator for the duration, Oz wanders through his imaginings about an assortment of characters, bringing them together into a world that is hardpressed to be called either imaginary or real. In the end, it doesn't matter. Oz has explored the process and wonder of creation, and given us a story and a show in the process.

Absolutely recommended. ( )

A first book of this author for me. The book is kind of a circular story about an author and a book presentation and all his unstoppable imagination.
For me there are 2 major themes in this book. The first is clearly about writing and being an author, the imagination, building up a story, suggestions, minimal changes in circumstances that can lead a story a complete other way .... Other reviews here on LT tell that all characters are the author himself, but for me some are just "extra characters" in his imagination to create interaction with the author.
The second level or second theme "getting old" and the fragility of life. On top of all the characters (author or author's imagination) the difference between an older person (or character) and the younger is that they have a completely different viewpoint on the same situation, and thus another interpretation. Getting older is clearly fearsome for a lot of people amongst us and the author is no exception. In one of the key scenes the difference between young and older people is described and, in my humble opinion, it's no coincidence how this scene ends.
Hard to say if some of the story is autobiographic. I don't know Oz good enough.
Well written book, the circular effect of the story, the limited timeframe, the search for characters who are the author (all ?) or who are not ... Clearly Oz has no problems with inserting style patterns in his writing. But too me, after a good start there are some 20 - 30 pages where one is waiting for something to happen instead of just following the curious ways of the author's imagination. Then, happily, some action comes in and after this turnpoint it's easier to stay focused. ( )