What Makes an Apple?: Six Conversations About Writing, Love, Guilt, and Other Pleasures

Six conversations between Israeli novelist Oz (1939–2018) (A Tale of Love and Darkness) and screenwriter Hadad come together in this pleasant if scattershot collection. Their chats touch on such topics as Oz’s childhood (“I was an only child and I did not have any friends”), his adult relationships, writing habits (“My main ritual is to have everything in its place”), and the Israel-Palestine conflict (Oz calls “reality strikes” such as intifadas and bloodshed much more influential on how people see the situation than op-eds). Among the most memorable commentary is on the writer’s craft; in reflecting on his writing, Oz says that “no writer... can write about a person more intelligent than him or her,” nor can they persuasively depict someone with a better sense of humor than themselves. These two limitations notwithstanding, Oz suggests that he relishes writing about characters who are different from him. Though there are many such insightful comments, it’s hard to tell what the point is—at times the only thing holding the conversations together is Oz’s personality, which won’t be enough for those not already enamored of the author’s work. For his fans, though, this works as a quick fix. (Apr.)