A pizza invitation in Jerusalem becomes an unforgettable journey through the most contested land on earth.
Tuvia Tenenbom returns with his trademark blend of biting humor, blatant irreverence, and piercing curiosity in a bold work of literary journalism. What starts as a simple offer to share a pizza with a charming Jerusalem journalist turns into a wild odyssey through the hills and wadis of Biblical Israel — a land known by many names: the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, the Occupied Territories, or simply, "that place."
As ever, Tenenbom plays the outsider-insider: a proud Jew roaming in search of friend and foe alike, armed with a suitcase full of questions and, of course, contraband Indonesian cigarettes. The tone is raw, hilarious, and deeply moving. His affection for his subjects is real — and so is his heartbreak over what has become of reasoned discourse, in the Holy Land and beyond.
Some readers will bristle at the book's political incorrectness and its refusal to offer tidy conclusions. But that is precisely its strength. Excuse Me, Is This Yours? is a book that dares to offend because it dares to care — a fearless, sharply observed antidote to a public conversation grown ever more polarized and predictable.
Praise for “Excuse me, Is this Yours?”
“A joy to read!”
Israel TV Channel 12
“An outstanding book!”
Israel TV Channel 14
“Engaging and entertaining, at times sympathetic and even admiring, yet often provocative and even scathing... For that is Tenenbom: a volcano of energy that may, or might at any moment, erupt in several different directions.”
Makor Rishon
“A fascinating and unsettling eight-month journey.”
Kikar HaShabbat
“This book is a very delightful and entertaining experience. If I may, I truly recommend it.”
Kan, Israel Public Radio
“I’m not a Jew. By circumstance and by choice, I’m a Catholic. And yet almost no one gives voice to my views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict the way Tuvia Tenenbom does. Do yourself a favor and buy this book, and then Tenenbom’s earlier books as well. You’ll come away with a much deeper understanding.”
Mirek Topolánek, former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
