Yaakov Shabtai

Yaakov Shabtai (1934-1981) was born in Tel Aviv. After his military service, he moved to a kibbutz and started to write. Ten years later, he returned to Tel Aviv with his family and devoted himself to his literary career. He wrote two novels, a book of short stories, a children`s book, two collections of plays and a collection of poems and ballads.
Shabtai holds a unique place in Hebrew literature. His novel, Past Continuous, is considered one of the high points of modern Hebrew fiction. It received the Kenneth B. Smilen Award for Literature and is included in "The 100 Greatest Works of Modern Jewish Literature" (2001). In 2007, Past Continuous topped the list of the most important as well as "best loved" books since the creation of the State of Israel.
Yaakov Shabtai was awarded the prestigious Agnon Prize posthumously. His work has been published abroad in 10 languages.

Books Published in Hebrew

The Wondrous Journey of the Toad (children), Sifriat Poalim, 1964; Zmora Bitan, 1990 [Ha-Masah Ha-Muflah Shel Ha-Karpad]

Uncle Peretz Takes Off (stories), Sifriat Poalim, 1972; Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1985 [Ha-Dod Peretz Mamree]

Past Continuous (novel), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1977; 1985; 1994;1998;2004;2005 [Zichron Dvarim]

Past Perfect (novel), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1984 [Sof Davar]

The Spotted Tiger (play), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1985 [Namer Havarburot]

Poems and Ballads, Zmora Bitan, 1992 [Shirei Ha-Zemer]

The Spotted Tiger and Other Plays, Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1995 [Namer Habarburot Ve-Aherim]

Crowned Head and Other Plays, Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 1995 [Keter Ba-Rosh Ve-Aherim]

A Circus in Tel-Aviv (selected stories from Uncle Peretz), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, 2006 [Kirkas be-Tel-Aviv]

Performed Plays

Crowned Head (Cameri, 1969)

The Spotted Tiger (Haifa, 1974 / Habima, 1985)

The Life of Caligula (Cameri, 1975)

The Chosen (Haifa, 1976)

Don Juan and his Friend Shipel [Haifa, 1978]

Eating [Khan Jerusalem 1979 / Gesher, 1999]

Books in Translation

Past Continuous
English: Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society, 1985; New York, Pantheon/Schocken, 1989; New York, Overlook Press, 2002; London, Duckworth, 2004
Spanish: Barcelona, Muchnik, 1988
German: Frankfurt, Devorah/Alibaba, 1990; in paperback: Frankfurt, Fischer, 1993
French: Arles, Actes Sud, 1992; paperback: Babel, 2007
Dutch: Amsterdam, Arena, 1993
Italian: Rome, Theoria, 1994; in paperback: Milan, Feltrinelli, 1998; rev. paperback ed.: Milan,Feltrinelli, 2006
Chinese: Guangzhou, Flower City, 1995
Portuguese: Rio de Janeiro, Imago, 1996

Past Perfect
Dutch: Amsterdam, Vassallucci, 1997
English: New York, Viking, 1987
French: Arles, Actes Sud, 1992; paperback: Babel, 2008
German: Frankfurt, Suhrkamp, 1997
Italian: Milan, Feltrinelli, 1998
Russian: Jerusalem/Moscow, Gesharim/ Mosti Kulturi, 2003

Uncle Peretz Takes Off
English: New York/London, Overlook Duckworth, 2004; paperback: 2007
French: Arles, Actes Sud, 1989
Italian: Rome, Theoria, 1993; in paperback: Milan, Feltrinelli, 1997; new ed. 2008
German:Frankfurt, Suhrkamp, 1997
Estonian: Tallinn, Loomingu Raamatukogu, 2007 (7 stories)

The Wondrous Journey of the Toad
German: Munich, Carl Hanser, 1998; in paperback: Munich, dtv, forthcoming
Italian: Verona, Mondadori, 1999
Dutch: Amsterdam, Van Goor, 2000
Korean: Seoul, Dae San, 2001
Chinese: Taipei, Taiwan Interminds, 2003

Manuscripts available (for publishers only) in English translation

English:
The Spotted Tiger
A Circus in Tel-Aviv

French:
The Spotted Tiger

Last updated: 4.1.2010