Pumpkin Flowers: A Soldier’s Story by Matti Friedman, 242
pages
Avi's story start's the book. Avi was a letter writer and a member of the Fighting Pioneer Youth. That was his unit while doing his mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Force. During the 1990's The Fighting Pioneer Youth was one of two units that took turns assigned to guard the Pumpkin, a hilltop outpost in Lebanon, just across the Israeli-Lebanese border.
After a chapter or two Friedman explains how cross-border raids into Israel in the
late 1960’s led to that country’s 1982 intervention,
militarily, in the Lebanese Civil War. By 1985 the Israelis had withdrawn for
the most part, occupying isolated outposts in a buffer zone in a narrow strip
of Lebanese territory right outside of Israel.
Friedman follows several units, including his own, as they deploy to the Pumpkin, and as the conflict, and opposition to it heat up.
An interesting book about an under-explored bit of recent history.
Friedman follows several units, including his own, as they deploy to the Pumpkin, and as the conflict, and opposition to it heat up.
An interesting book about an under-explored bit of recent history.
And authored by the Sophie Brody-winning author - can't remember the year - of The Aleppo Codex.
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