Etgar Keret’s parents, both of whom survived the Holocaust, gave him the gift of imagination, a garden he has been watering with stories since he was a child. His father crouched in a hole in the ground for more than 600 days to escape the Nazis in Belarus, getting through the time by telling himself stories of a parallel universe in which everything was the same except for one detail (like that there were still Nazis who chased Jews, but when they caught them they would give them sweets). Etgar’s mother crafted bedtime stories with as much care as if she were doing needlepoint, passing on a tradition cultivated by her parents in the Warsaw Ghetto. “I grew up with the fact that making up a story for somebody is the ultimate act of generosity,” Etgar says.
Now in his 50s and living in Tel Aviv, Etgar has published prolifically, most prominently short stories, many of which can be found on his Substack, Alphabet Soup, but also essays, poems, and films, including 2007’s Jellyfish, which he co-directed with his wife, Shira Geffen (see his latest short film below). He’s also a favorite guest of Ira Glass’s on This American Life.
In this conversation, we go deep on the importance of storytelling, how to find contentment in an age of social media, and the thorny issue of sensitivity readers in publishing. I am sure you will enjoy it.
Etgar’s recommended reads:
https://joycecaroloates.substack.com/
https://georgesaunders.substack.com/
https://salmanrushdie.substack.com/
Show notes
* Subscribe to Alphabet Soup on Substack
* Find Etgar on Instagram and his personal website
* [05:39] Etgar’s father’s hiding
* [19:23] Memories of his mother
* [20:14] Having a rich inner life
* [22:19] Balcony living
* [24:00] A metaphor for life
* [27:33] Create a small village
* [30:23] On sensitivity readers
* [41:07] Etgar’s new short film
* [42:04] On artistic identities
* [43:25] The hustler’s reality
* [45:55] The world’s biggest problem today
* [52:00] Recommended writers
The Active Voice is a podcast hosted by Hamish McKenzie, featuring weekly conversations with writers about how the internet is affecting the way they live and write. It is produced by Hanne Winarsky, with audio engineering by Seven Morris, content production by Hannah Ray, and production support from Bailey Richardson. All artwork is by Joro Chen, and music is by Phelps & Munro.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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