Max
Itay Bahur
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Max is a deeply psychological and philosophical novel that explores the life and death of a man confronting profound existential dilemmas. Through his reflections on family, friends, society, government, language, beliefs, and formative experiences, the book examines how identity is formed—and fragmented. Written in the first person as a suicide letter, it offers an intimate, enigmatic, and paradoxical journey, raising vital questions about personal freedom, the right to die, alienation, anxiety, and the search for meaning in a complex social world.
Hebrew, Softcover, 147 pages, 14.8X21 cm, 5.8X8.2 in, 0.28 kg, 0.6 lbs, Special 25th-Anniversary Second Edition, Featuring a New author Essay and Dotted Formatting., 2020, ISBN/Code 978-965-7459-49-2
The book is compelling and original, I read it in one breathless stretch. It feels like a fresh current in philosophical literature, free from conventional clichés. It confronts a profound and unsettling question: whether a person has the right to choose death. We are brought into the world without our consent, and the book challenges readers to consider whether an individual should have the autonomy to continue—or end—a life marked by suffering. This question is explored with particular sensitivity in relation to terminally ill patients.
— Shlomo Giora Shoham in Yaffa Nevo, “When Max Cried”ת Yedioth Ahronoth,“7 Days supplement, October 13, 1996
About the Book
Max is a powerful and intense novel inspired by the life of a man facing profound existential questions. The story follows the protagonist as he examines his life, emotions, and values, exploring the forces that shape his identity. Written in the first person as a suicide letter, the novel conveys his intense inner struggle and gradual withdrawal from family, friends, society, and his own guiding principles.
This 25th-anniversary edition features refined punctuation to enhance its poetic prose, along with a reflective essay by the author on the book’s literary origins. Themes of identity, personal freedom, and alienation are central, underlining their enduring relevance in contemporary life
About the Author
Itay Bahur is an Israeli author and publisher. His books span both historical and literary subjects and include Zero Percent (1998), A Cracked Bell (2005), Dr. Max Sandreczky and the Marienstift Children’s Hospital, Jerusalem (2011, with Prof. Shmuel Nisan), Autumn in Tbilisi (2013, with Hedva Rokach), Alyn Hospital: 80 Years of Pediatric Rehabilitation (2014), and Schneider’s Children: 25th Anniversary for Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel 2016).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the book about?
It explores the life and death of a man grappling with existential dilemmas, identity, alienation, and personal freedom.
How is the book written?
The novel is written in the first person as a suicide letter, using complex, layered language to reflect the protagonist’s troubled mind.
What distinguishes the 25th-Anniversary Edition?
This edition features refined punctuation to enhance its poetic prose and includes the author’s essay on the book’s literary origins and the enduring relevance of identity and freedom.
Who is the book intended for?
Readers interested in philosophy, psychology, contemporary literature, and existential challenges.
What questions does the book raise?
It raises psychological and philosophical questions: how a person reaches suicidal thoughts, and whether one has the right to control their own death.
Key Topics
Personal identity versus social expectation
Existential dilemmas and inner conflict
Personal freedom and moral responsibility
Alienation, anxiety, and the search for meaning
Formative influences: family, friends, society, government, language, and values
