Matti Friedman

Matti Friedman is the author of and one of the main characters in Pumpkinflowers. While he assumes the dual roles of author and character throughout the book, he is primarily the narrator in Parts One and Two, and appears as a character in Parts Three and Four. Born and raised in Canada, Friedman moved to Israel at eighteen years old. There he completed his mandatory military service in the Lebanese security zone in the late 1990s at an outpost called the Pumpkin. Friedman rises through the military ranks, demonstrating a capacity for leadership. He also demonstrates personal courage throughout his time in the army.

After leaving the military, Friedman majored in Middle Eastern Studies at university and later became a journalist and writer. These experiences undoubtedly contribute to his multi-faceted, introspective, informed, and highly attuned perspective, which is clear in his writing. Friedman is able to...