Bringing up a child, lying to the boss, placing an order in a fast-food restaurant: in Etgar Keret's new collection, daily life is complicated, dangerous, and full of yearning. In his most playful and most mature work yet, the living and the dead, silent children and talking animals, dreams and waking life coexist in an uneasy world. Overflowing with absurdity, humor, sadness, and compassion, the tales in Suddenly, a Knock on the Door establish Etgar Keret—declared a "genius" by The New York Times—as one of the most original writers of his generation.

From a "genius" (New York Times) storyteller: a new, subversive, hilarious, heart-breaking collection. "There is sweetheartedness and wisdom and eloquence and transcendence in his stories because these virtues exist in abundance in Etgar himself... I am very happy that Etgar and his work are in the world, making things better." --George Saunders There's no one like Etgar Keret. His stories take place at the crossroads of the fantastical, searing, and hilarious. His characters grapple with parenthood and family, war and games, marijuana and cake, memory and love. These stories never go to the expected place, but always surprise, entertain, and move... In "Arctic Lizard," a young boy narrates a post-apocalyptic version of the world where a youth army wages an unending war, rewarded by collecting prizes. A father tries to shield his son from the inevitable in "Fly Already." In "One Gram Short," a guy just wants to get a joint to impress a girl and ends up down a rabbit hole of chaos and heartache. And in the masterpiece "Pineapple Crush," two unlikely people connect through an evening smoke down by the beach, only to have one of them imagine a much deeper relationship. The thread that weaves these pieces together is our inability to communicate, to see so little of the world around us and to understand each other even less. Yet somehow, in these pages, through Etgar's deep love for humanity and our hapless existence, a bright light shines through and our universal connection to each other sparks alive.

Collects early short stories by the Israeli author, on various topics including war, relationships, and aging.

Originally published in 2004 by Toby Press.

A brilliant, life-affirming, and hilarious memoir from a “genius” (The New York Times) and master storyteller. With illustrations by Jason Polan. The seven years between the birth of Etgar Keret’s son and the death of his father were good years, though still full of reasons to worry. Lev is born in the midst of a terrorist attack. Etgar’s father gets cancer. The threat of constant war looms over their home and permeates daily life. What emerges from this dark reality is a series of sublimely absurd ruminations on everything from Etgar’s three-year-old son’s impending military service to the terrorist mind-set behind Angry Birds. There’s Lev’s insistence that he is a cat, releasing him from any human responsibilities or rules. Etgar’s siblings, all very different people who have chosen radically divergent paths in life, come together after his father’s shivah to experience the grief and love that tie a family together forever. This wise, witty memoir—Etgar’s first nonfiction book published in America, and told in his inimitable style—is full of wonder and life and love, poignant insights, and irrepressible humor.

'Riveting, twisty as all hell, and very, very clever, A Knock at the Door is a rollercoaster ride of brilliance. Tom Wood is a superb thriller writer' --- SARAH PINBOROUGH They ask for your husband. They just want to talk. THEY'RE LYING. Your husband isn't who he says he is, say the people at your door. Come with us. Don't trust them, says a voice on the phone. Run. Who would you believe? In this terrifying first psychological thriller by bestselling author Tom Wood (previously published under T.W. Ellis), one woman goes on the run and is forced to question everything she held dear . . . 'A Knock at the Door is a riveting, twisty thriller that grips and intrigues from the very beginning. Tom Wood is the real deal' --- ALEX NORTH 'Highly original and very twisty . . . this is his first psychological thriller and it's a cracker' --- DAILY MAIL 'A thrilling fast-paced story, full of twists and turns' --- CLAIRE MCGOWAN 'Only one thing is certain with this heart-pounding thrill-ride of a novel, and that is nothing is what it seems' --- HEAT

Featuring stories in which many of the characters are waiting for something to change their lives, 'Missing Kissinger' describes the search for ultimate happiness. As is often the case, the unexpected can - and usually does - occur."