DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

'My Other Half': Book review explores sex, drugs, rock & roll, philosophy, and cynicism

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • David Isaacson, former Jerusalem Post arts editor, has penned a comical novel titled 'My Other Half' that blends youthful adventures with philosophical depth and cynicism.
  • The book details the author's experiences, including volunteering on a kibbutz, studying philosophy, and following the Grateful Dead across the US and Europe.
  • Isaacson's move to Israel in the 1990s was influenced by his reaction to media coverage of the First Lebanon War, leading him to join the Joint Israel Appeal and eventually make aliyah.

David Isaacson, a former arts and entertainment editor for the Jerusalem Post, has released a novel titled 'My Other Half.' The book is described as a comical work filled with well-crafted sentences, late 20th-century escapades involving sex, drugs, and rock & roll, alongside profound philosophical reflections and a healthy dose of British cynicism.

My Other Half comical novel is chock-full of beautifully formed sentences, youthful late-20th-century adventures in sex, drugs, and rock & roll, deep philosophical musings, and healthy doses of British cynicism.

— Jerusalem PostDescription of the novel 'My Other Half'

Isaacson's personal journey is woven into the narrative. He grew up in suburban England and later volunteered at Kibbutz Na'an, where he learned Hebrew. His journalism career brought him to the Jerusalem Post in the 1990s, with previous stints at The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times in the UK. His academic pursuits included studying philosophy at Sussex University, followed by travels across the United States and Europe, where he followed the Grateful Dead.

latent Zionism

— David IsaacsonDescribing his motivation for moving to Israel

The author's move to Israel was prompted by what he perceived as prejudicial, anti-Israel media coverage following the First Lebanon War. This led him to join the PR department of the Joint Israel Appeal (JIA) in 1992. By 1994, Isaacson had made aliyah, settling in Jerusalem. He met his future wife, Debra, a New York native, at Jerusalem's Ulpan Etzion shortly after arriving. The couple lived in Jerusalem and Mevasseret Zion before moving to London in 1999, where they attend St Johns Wood Liberal Synagogue. They now anticipate a permanent return to Israel.

Shocked by the media’s prejudicial, anti-Israel coverage, he said, he joined the PR department of the Joint Israel Appeal (JIA), with which he traveled to Israel in 1992.

— David IsaacsonExplaining his move to Israel

'My Other Half' features a protagonist named Jake who experiences a series of "hilarious" and decadent misadventures, with an "unexpected fate" awaiting him in Jerusalem. Excerpts from the novel reveal dialogues touching on drug use, travel experiences in Mexico and Egypt, and life on a kibbutz, reflecting the book's blend of humor and gritty realism.

Have you got a quarter, Jake?

— GordonAn excerpt from the novel 'My Other Half'
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog