The Seven Good Years

A Memoir

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.

i somtimes couldn't understand the words

its can really help if you also combine reading.
the book was very good. and its nice to hear a book, but i didnt understand all the word and if i could read somtines when he speak, it was help

Funny and Heartbreaking

After hearing the author on This American Life, I sought out this book. It didn’t disappoint.

short stories

I loved the variety of the stories. Some are humorous, some serious but underlying all of them is a profound humanity and philosophy of life.. The reader is superb.

made me laugh/ made me cry

easy to listen to/ I loved the importance of family how it connects us/ and how we survive despite war and fear and cruelty and we find a way to survive, rescued by the love for our children.

Really really great

Touching and hilarious, it was a really great to hear on audio. Keret is an amazing author.