Podcast Summary: New Books Network

Episode: Yishay Ishi Ron, "Dog" (Soncata Press, 2025)
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: GP Gottlieb
Guest: Ishai Ishi Ron

Overview

This episode delves into "Dog," the new novel by Ishai Ishi Ron. Through a candid and personal conversation, the host and author discuss the psychological aftermath of war, focusing on PTSD, addiction, and social invisibility. "Dog" is not a typical war story, but an exploration of what happens to people after conflict—and the complex, overlooked world inhabited by the marginalized. The interview skillfully unpacks the inspirations behind the novel, the nature of trauma, and the potential for hope and redemption amidst despair.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Protagonist and Elite Army Experience

• Host (C) introduces Geller, the protagonist: A former elite combat officer, returned from Gaza, suffering from PTSD, estranged from his family, addicted to heroin, living in squalor, his only companions being a stray dog and other addicts.
• What makes the army unit 'elite':
  • Ishi Ron (B) [02:11]:

    "My unit was special because we were Arabist, meaning we were disguised as Arabs and we were operated in the West Bank... getting to find terrorists and catch them or to do other special assignments."

  • Personal connection: The author also served in such a unit.

Writing "Dog" from a Trauma-Informed Perspective

• Host (C): Geller experiences traumatic flashbacks and profound suffering.
• Ishi Ron [03:02]:

  "Dog was written out of my PTSD... The story is not exactly what I had to go through, but... it is very clearly an addiction. Because I was, I am PTSD and I was addicted... I was very familiar with what Geller went through."

Beyond the War—Focus on Aftermath

• Host (C): Calls it a war novel.

• Ishi Ron [04:27]:

  "I will correct you. It's not a war novel. It's a what happened to us when the war is over... I want people to understand what is PTSD and what are those transparent people around us that no one sees them."

• On "transparency": Outcasts are made 'invisible' by society, whether veterans, addicts, homeless, or others with trauma.

Symbolism of the Dog

• Significance of the dog in Geller’s story
• Ishi Ron [05:49]:

  "The dog was a symbol. It is so hard for him to deal with his friends that died or with the innocent people that he killed... So it was easier for him to concentrate on this poor dog... a stray dog asking for, you know, for affection and for water and food... easier for Geller to sympathize with the dog instead of looking at himself from within and dealing with all the atrocity that he went through."

• Parallel between Geller and the Tel Aviv dog: Both are broken, both are strays—their connection moves the novel forward and enables mutual redemption.

Geller’s Identity and the Spoon Motif

• Origin of the nickname "Geller" and the spoon around his neck
• Ishi Ron [07:24]:

  "Geller was in the 70s. Uri Geller was a mentalist, actually the first mentalist in the world that got famous... bending spoons in front of an audience... when Geller, he reaches the bottom... he sees this old Geller video and he's just trying to practice bending a spoon. And that's why everyone on the street... call him Geller."

The Struggle for Help (And Why Veterans Slip Through the Cracks)

• Host asks why the army system fails Geller
• Ishi Ron [09:00]:

  "This is what basically happens to so many veterans, not only in Israel, by the way... the shame... You are ashamed to admit that you are... this weakness, which is actually not a weakness, it's a... It's an injury exactly like losing an arm or, or a leg. But this is unseen injury. And that's why a lot of soldiers... cannot admit to themselves and to their society that they are suffering."

Progress and Remaining Challenges in PTSD Care

• Recent developments and remaining gaps

• Ishi Ron [11:14]:

  "There's much more awareness of PTSD... Today, the army treats it much more seriously. But still, there's a long way to go, that's for sure."

• Personal anecdote:

  "For instance, I shot a friend in an operation and I didn't even... No one offered me even to discuss it with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Today... the army treats it much more seriously."

Disassociation and Triggers

• Host references a scene where Geller is confused and relives trauma upon hearing footsteps
• Ishi Ron [13:07]:

  "This is called disassociation... there are triggers... You can go on the street and suddenly you hear an exhaust noise from a car and you think it's a shot... it's causing us to... lose connection with reality."

The Character of Doris

• Significance of Doris and origins of the name

• Ishi Ron [15:33]:

  "Israel is a country... full of immigrants... Doris would not be so strange... I love this character."

• Why Doris is so kind; who she's based on

• Ishi Ron [16:01]:

  "I think the Doris... she's PTSD as well... people don't see her like they don't see Geller... She saw him first of all as a human being and not as a drug addict... Doris for me was the lifesaver... In Judaism... tikkun olam... when each of us will do a small thing to correct the society, the world, it would be a better place... that's what I mean when I told you that all of us see those transparent people and a lot of us ignoring them..."

Awards and Next Project

• Recognition for "Dog": Won two Jewish book awards, one for Hebrew translation, one as a book club choice [18:32].
• Next novel:

  "My next book will be out on June. It's called The Girl who Rode the White Lion. It's an epic adventure about Sarah Frank, a girl in the time of... World War II... Inspired by a real family of circus people that hide the Jews during the Holocaust in Germany." [18:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:11] "My unit was special because we were Arabist, meaning we were disguised as Arabs... getting to find terrorists and catch them or do other special assignments in the West Bank." (Ishi Ron)
• [03:02] "Dog was written out of my PTSD... The story is not exactly what I had to go through, but... very clearly an addiction." (Ishi Ron)
• [04:27] "It's not a war novel. It's a what happened to us when the war is over." (Ishi Ron)
• [05:49] "It was much easier for Geller to sympathize with the dog instead of looking at himself from within." (Ishi Ron)
• [09:00] "You are ashamed to admit that you are... this weakness, which is actually not a weakness, it's a... It's an injury exactly like losing an arm or, or a leg. But this is unseen injury." (Ishi Ron)
• [13:07] "This is called disassociation... it's causing us to think... to lose connection with reality." (Ishi Ron)
• [16:01] "Doris for me was the lifesaver... In Judaism... tikkun olam... when each of us will do a small thing to correct the society, the world, it would be a better place." (Ishi Ron)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:11] – Describing the elite army unit and its unique role
• [03:02] – Author’s personal experiences with PTSD and addiction
• [04:27] – Why "Dog" is not a war novel, but a novel about aftermath and invisibility
• [05:49] – The symbolic importance of the dog
• [07:24] – The Geller nickname and spoon motif
• [09:00] – Why veterans don’t seek help; the role of shame and social invisibility
• [11:14] – Recent improvements in PTSD care and the need for further progress
• [13:07] – Disassociation, triggers, and the daily reality of PTSD
• [16:01] – The character Doris as a model of compassion and tikkun olam
• [18:32] – Details on book awards and future works

Conclusion

This episode offers a deeply human and unflinching exploration of trauma, recovery, and the power of connection. Ishai Ishi Ron discusses how personal experience and empathy shaped both "Dog" and his broader literary vision—inviting listeners to see the invisible and to consider small acts of kindness as crucial to healing and social transformation.