Jonathan Garfinkel, born in Toronto, living in Berlin, is an award-winning poet, playwright and prose writer. His genre-bending work bridges the personal and the political, and is often inspired by his travels to far-flung places, with an eye toward the humorous and absurd. His memoir Ambivalence: Crossing the Israel/Palestine Divide (Viking 2007) was published to critical acclaim in five countries. Garfinkel gained international recognition as a playwright; his plays as well as his poems and essays were widely awarded. His work in Georgia can be considered the starting point for his first novel In a Land without Dogs the Cats Learn to Bark (House of Anansi Press Inc 2023). The title is described as "a breathtaking novel, told swiftly, with depth and dark humor, maintaining the balance between a dramatic family story and a political thriller". It starts in the mid-1970s and unfolds rapidly into the 2000s, a time when many things (politically) seem possible – including for the young Georgian artist Tamar, who tries to succeed in the West.

Jonathan Garfinkel reads from In a Land without Dogs the Cats Learn to Bark on April 19, 2024, at the festival Literatur & Wein (reading from the German translation: Christoph Mauz).

Citizenship: Kanada
Lives in: Berlin
Residence: April - May 2024