Yishay Ishi Ron, "Dog" (Soncata Press, 2025)

Told through the eyes of an Israeli combat officer who’s haunted by the trauma of fighting in Gaza, Dog (Soncata Press 2025) is a gritty story about PTSD, the effects of war, and resilience. Dog was translated into English by the renowned New translator Yardenne Greenspan , and centers on “Geller,” once a prize-winning hero, who has spiraled into heroin addiction and lives from hit to hit, surrounded by filth, despair, and other broken men. Geller is barely surviving the streets of Tel Aviv when his days are brightened by the arrival of a stray dog. Dog leads him to Dorit, a lonely woman who has also experienced loss and living on edge of society. This moving novel, a Jewish Book Award winner, describes the anguish of Geller’s brutal memories, the physical and mental wounds he’ll carry always, and his quest to bend a spoon like Uri Geller. Yishai Ishi Ron is an acclaimed Israeli author, a former elite combat soldier, and a survivor of severe PTSD. Writing has been an essential part of his healing journey, enabling him to transform deeply personal wounds into stories of trauma, resilience, and redemption. Ron’s previous works in Hebrew include Holiday Apocalypse, which was nominated for the Geffen Award, and Vincent’s Nose, a children’s book that was adapted into an award-winning play. Across genres, his writing continues to explore the fragile boundary between suffering and survival, silence and voice, despair and imagination. His next novel, The Girl Who Rode the White Lion, will be published by Soncata Press later in 2026. He’s passionate about reading, especially world literature and contemporary Israeli fiction. Because of his PTSD, he doesn’t leave the house very much and has a very close relationship with my wife of 29 years, Elinor. Yishai always writes while standing, usually at the kitchen island, because standing helps him maintain a certain emotional balance. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature