Etgar Keret’s Literature and the Ethos of Coping with Holocaust Remembrance

Book excerpt: This book highlights the need for a shift from thinking in terms of memories of traumatic events, to changeable modes of remembrance. The call for a fundamental change in approaches to commemorative remembrance is exemplified in literature written by the internationally acclaimed writer, Etgar Keret. Considered the most influential Israeli voice of his generation, Keret’s storytelling is in congruence with postmodern thinking. Through transferring remembrance of the Holocaust from stagnant Holocaust commemoration—museums and commemorative ceremonies—to unconventional settings, such as youngsters playing soccer or being forced to venture outdoors in a COVID-19 pandemic environment, Keret’s storytelling ushers in a unique approach to coping with remembrance of historical catastrophes. The book is a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in pursuing the subjects of Etgar Keret’s artistry, and literature written in a post modern, post Holocaust milieu about personal and collective traumatic remembrance.