A Horse Walks Into a Bar

WINNER OF THE 2017 MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE

In a dive bar in a small Israeli city, Dov Greenstein, a comedian a bit past his prime, takes the stage for his final show. Over the course of a single evening, Dov's patter becomes a kind of memoir, taking us back into the terrors of his childhood. And in the dance between comic and audience, a deeper story begins to take shape as Dov confronts the decision that has shaped the course of his life--a story that will alter the lives of several of those in attendance. A poignant exploration of how people confront life's capricious battering, A Horse Walks into a Bar is a searing story of loss and survival.

David Grossman was born in Jerusalem. He is the author of numerous works of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and has been translated into more than forty languages. He is the recipient of many prizes, including the French Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the Buxtehuder Bulle in Germany, Rome’s Premio per la Pace e l’Azione Umanitaria, the Premio Ischia international award for journalism, Israel’s Emet Prize, and the Albatross Prize given by the Günter Grass Foundation.

Jessica Cohen was born in England, raised in Israel, and now lives in the United States. She has translated contemporary Israeli fiction, nonfiction, and other creative works, including David Grossman’s To the End of the Land and Falling Out of Time.