Comments on 'When I Lived in Modern Times'

This book was the second book which was enjoyed by the whole group and stimulated a great discussion. The first was 'The Kite Runner'

'The story puts the Arab/Israeli issue in an historical context and makes for a deeper understanding of the problem'

'Meier talks to Evelyn about the early Jews and also the rise of the Kibbutz movement which I found fascinating'

'Evelyn was a character who let men influence her throughout her life'

I found the background of the 'Modernist' art movement very interesting. Particularly the descriptions of the architecture of Tel Aviv and Evelyn's apartment'

Further Reading

Exodus by Leon Uris





'Do you think that Uncle Joe was Evelyn's real father?'

'Evelyn was a very modern young woman. She had the confidence to travel abroad on her own at a time when this was not the norm for single women'

'When Evelyn meets Herr Blum at the end of the book she behaves towards him as her mother did at the beginning of the book with Uncle Joe'

'Life for the British soldiers in Palestine after the war was cleverly portrayed through the comings and goings of the wives in the Hair Salon'

When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant

When I Lived in Modern Times tells the story of Evelyn who following the death of her mother leaves London for Palestine to experience life on a kibbutz which she only just survives. Moving onto Tel Aviv where she assumes a new identity she finds work as a hairdresser and meets her boyfriend Johnny who unknown to her is a terrorist with the Irgun underground fighting to create the new State of Israel.
Enjoyable and informative read about life in Palestine shortly after the Second World War.