Fresh Air

Remembering Amos Oz

Israeli writer and peace advocate Amos Oz He died last week at the age of 79 after a short battle with cancer. He wrote short stories, novels, and a memoir. His memoir, “A Tale Of Love And Darkness,” was about growing up in Jerusalem in the turbulent 1940s and 1950s, when a war-torn Israel was achieving statehood. It was later adapted into a film. His home life was as intense as the world outside. In his family, many languages were spoken. His mother committed suicide when Oz was 12. He was born Amos Klausner, but changed his name to Oz, the Hebrew word for strength. Oz won the Goethe Prize and the French Kinight's Cross of the Legion D'Honneur. He was also awarded the prestigious Israel Prize in 1998. The show feature excerpts from three interviews: Rebroadcast from May 4, 1988; Jan 21, 1991; and December 1, 2004.