Dog

NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK CLUB AWARD WINNER

Dog by Yishai (Ishi) Ron is a poignant exploration of trauma, addiction, and the arduous path to redemption. Set against the backdrop of a rain-soaked Tel Aviv winter, the novel introduces Geller, a former combat officer haunted by his experiences in Gaza.

Struggling with PTSD and a debilitating heroin addiction, Geller's daily ritual involves attempting to bend a silver spoon with his mind-a metaphor for his desire to overcome his dire circumstances. Sharing a dilapidated shelter with a former history teacher and a Georgian ex-soldier from the Chechen wars, Geller's existence is bleak and unchanging until the arrival of a battered stray dog. This unexpected companion stirs suppressed memories and emotions, compelling Geller to confront his past and the demons that plague him.

Through his bond with the dog, Geller embarks on a journey toward healing, finding solace and a renewed sense of purpose. Ron masterfully delves into the complexities of PTSD, the struggle for self-forgiveness, and the transformative power of unconditional love in this compelling narrative.

"This is a remarkable book, powerful in its ability to open the world of PTSD to the reader. It reveals the partial destruction, the entanglement with a different kind of reality, the destructive paths of escape, and the surprising openings toward hope." —Asa Kasher, Professor Emeritus, Tel Aviv University, Lead Author of the IDF Code of Ethics

"With pity, rage, compassion, and despair, Dog shows the dreadful toll war takes on man and beast. In the tradition of the best war novels, Yishay Ron reminds us of our confounding inability to learn from the past-while affirming, often with gallows humor, the fragility and validity of life." —David Bezmozgis, Author, The Betrayers: A Novel

"Ishay Ron's gripping, haunting Dog performs the magic act that all novelists seek but rarely achieve: to lure readers inside." —Thane Rosenbaum, Author, The Golems of Gotham

"Dog reads like a cry that rolls forward at an incredible pace, carried by the flow of the plot. At times, there's a desire to pause, to grasp onto the edges, but just like the characters in the book, you can't. The characters are tough. Life has struck them hard, and they are laid bare, yet they are portrayed with a compassionate gaze, with empathy and honesty." —Yishai Sarid, author of The Third Temple, Victorious and The Memory Monster

"Terrible and wonderful, heartbreaking and heartfelt - if literature has any hope of making us better people, it will be through the beautiful, brutal honesty of works like Ishi Ron's remarkable Dog." —Shalom Auslander, author of Hope: A Tragedy and Feh: A Memoir

"Dog took me by storm and struck a deep, emotional chord in me. It is a powerful story on so many personal, social, and political levels, and I realized that I must turn it into a movie. " —Eran Riklis, Director & Producer, The Syrian Bride, Lemon Tree, Reading Lolita in Tehran

"A formidable, painful novel. Rare emotional intensity." —Zeruya Shalev, author of Pain