• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at

28. 02. 12. - 12:00

• more Panorama news...
• RSS Feed Panorama

28. 02. 12. - 12:00

Critically acclaimed Israeli author Amos Oz visits Bucharest

Romanian Times

Celebrated novelist and political commentator Amos Oz has been in Bucharest since yesterday (Mon) for a series of events celebrating his successful literary career. Last night he held a conference at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest together with philosopher Gabriel Liiceanu, the president of Humanitas Publishing House that prints his books in Romania.

This morning he was awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa title of the University of Bucharest.

Famous for his outspoken political views, Oz, a staunch supporter of a two-state solution in the Middle East conflict, that created him many problems in his homeland,  depicted the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as "a quarrel between children, between the sons of the same violent father, that see in each other the image of the same tyrant from the past."

"Israel is not a nation, is not a people, nor a country. It is a market heated by arguments," he said. And yet, Oz says he loves Israel even when he cannot stand it any longer in the same way as he loves Europe, that he calls his "love disillusion".

During the conference at the Athenaeum, Oz also talked about his personal experience as an author and what triggers his imagination. "I wake up at 5am and I take a short walk in the desert, afterwards I drink a cup of coffee, I sit at my desk and ask myself: What if I would be her or him (the characters)," he told the audience.

"This is my job. I imagine other people and this comes out of curiosity. I also think an inquisitive person is a better lover than a non inquisitive person," he said.
"Schizophrenia is not the worst thing that could happen to someone. (…) If I’d be a doctor I would prescribe for each a small dose, not too much, a gram of schizophrenia.

The books of the multi-awarded Israeli novelist have been translated into 41 languages worldwide. His best sellers include My Michael, To Know a Woman, Don't Call It Night, and The Same Sea. Most recently, his memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness, received the Koret Jewish Book Award.

Tragic Ski Girl Dies
A 10-year-old British schoolgirl has died after skiing into a tree at high speed during a family holiday tragedy in the Austrian Alps.

Peak Performance
Police chiefs in Hamburg, Germany, are celebrating after new crime figures showed there wasn't a single bank robbery in the city last year.

Chinese Fakeaway
Chinese property developers who've been thwarted in a bid to buy up an entire Austrian village have settled on the next best thing - an entire life-sized replica.

Austrian children help Romanian kids
A charity project run by the middle school in Hippach has been recognised with an award for its social work by officials in Tyrol.

Mother kills disabled daughter because she couldnt take care of her any longer
A Romanian woman killed her 8 year-old disabled daughter on Wednesday (yesterday)because she couldn't pay for her care, Libertatea newspaper reports.

Policeman accused of sex with the son of his girlfriend
A Policeman from Vulcan, Western Romania is currently being investigated for having sex with a minor, the son of his girlfriend, Cancan newspaper informs today (Thurs).

Serial killer survivor walks away alive after fall
An 85 year-old woman who survived the most cruel and notorious serial killer in Romania some 40 years ago, recently fell from the first floor of her apartment building and she walked away safe and sound, Cancan newspaper reports today (Thurs).

The son of Qatar Airlines BA beaten up in Romania
The son of the Board of Administration of Qatar Airlines Akbar Al Baker, was beaten up over the weekend at the launching party of a posh club in Mamaia, at the Romanian Black Sea shore, Cancan newspaper reports.

Majority starts president’s suspension procedures
A day after the Social Liberal Union (USL) legislators dismissed with a large majority of votes the two Speakers of the Parliament, the Union started today the procedures for the suspension and possible impeachment of President Traian Basescu. This is the second time when the Parliament asks for Basescu’s suspension.

Some 177 Roma repatriated by French authorities to Romania
Some 177 Romanian citizens of Roma origin were repatriated on Tuesday night from Lille, France, Romania TV news channel informs today (Weds).