A Soldier's Diary · October 7th & Beyond

Dual Reality

A diary from October 7th and beyond

Written by a young paratrooper. In war.

Not to tell a story of heroism, but because he had to get out what was inside.

📖 Coming soon on Amazon

A portion of every copy supports reservists returning home.

Dual Reality book cover
scroll
"I will never forget
what I don't understand."
From the book
About the book

Two worlds, at once.

Dual Reality was scripted by a soldier and written in war. It holds two parallel worlds at once: serving in the IDF reserves since October 7th, through Gaza, Lebanon and beyond, and the quiet, ordinary life waiting back home.

"A digest of undigested emotions."

Tal wrote it between operations, scribbling on scraps of paper and stuffing them into his vest, not to be seen for months. The writing is raw, because it had to be. His patriotism is organic; his love for the land and its people is private, not declarative.

Short poems and original illustrations, written by a self-declared "simple soldier."

From the pages

A few lines

I asked for justice to rule,
swore that was my fighting fuel.
I promise to make it right —
even if I get lost in the fight.
Days of Darkness
I am sorry, friend, but no glory.
I wish this was a different story.
Maybe one not written in blood,
something that could be understood.
A Different Story
Maybe the rain
will wash away the red stains.
October 8th
Here there is no hero,
only people with no ego.
We are a simple sketch in Your frame —
You are painting, and adding the names.
The Bigger Picture
Inside the book

The illustrations

Every poem is paired with a hand-drawn illustration: quiet, spare, drawn in the same places the words were written.

IllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustration IllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustrationIllustration
In a destroyed kibbutz, he finds a lost dog.
He never mentions the people who are gone.
He just gives it water, opens a can of food,
and apologizes to it, too, for letting it down.
Kfar Aza · October 8th
Behind the pages

Every illustration holds a real moment

The book pairs quiet hand-drawn illustrations with the moments that inspired them. Behind each drawing is something Tal actually lived.

Illustration of the dog in Kfar AzaThe illustration
→
The real lost dog in Kfar AzaThe real moment

A lost dog in the ruins of Kfar Aza. He gave it water, opened a can of food, and apologized for letting it down, too.

Tal in uniform, Lebanon
Tal · last reserve round, Lebanon
Tal speaking on stage
Tal's lecture
With his unit
October 7th
The author

Tal Hoch

"Hey, I'm Tal. One like everyone else."

Tal is a paratrooper in the IDF reserves and a student of Business & Entrepreneurship at Reichman University. A year ago he was living and working in New York and backpacking through South America, with a return ticket in hand.

On October 7th, instead of that flight, he put on a uniform for his first-ever reserve duty, and served through Gaza, Lebanon and beyond. In the long nights between operations, he began to write. Not for a book. Just to survive.

Those words became Dual Reality. The Hebrew edition has reached hundreds of readers and grew into talks and gatherings across Israel.

"One of many. A paratrooper, a regular guy, a small soldier."

What readers say

From the Hebrew edition

The Hebrew edition has already reached hundreds of readers across Israel.

★★★★★

"I bought it for my husband, who came home from the reserves. He read it in one breath and said: this is exactly what I feel, but could never put into words."

Ronit A. · verified reader
★★★★★

"As a reservist myself, this book made me feel that someone finally understands. Thank you, Tal."

Alon D. · verified reader
★★★★★

"Written straight from the deepest rooms of the heart. He captured every emotion a fighter carries but can't express."

Ron S. · verified reader
★★★★★

"I read it in one night. Honest, raw, and moving, and the illustrations add so much. A book for everyone."

Alma S. · verified reader
★★★★★

"Someone sent me a single line from the book. I ordered it that evening. Now I'm the one sending lines onward."

Shachar H. · verified reader
★★★★★

"I bought it for my father. He called two hours later, his voice breaking, just to say thank you. A rare book."

Rotem G. · verified reader
★★★★★

"Short lines that say more than whole books. I keep it on my nightstand and open it when words fail me."

Noa B. · verified reader
★★★★★

"My son is still in the reserves. Reading this, I finally felt I could glimpse what he can't tell me. Every family should have it."

Yael M. · verified reader
★★★★★

"The illustrations stopped me cold. You feel the quiet between the lines. I've already bought three copies as gifts."

Daniel K. · verified reader
The cause behind the book

Every copy gives back

A portion of every single copy of Dual Reality goes directly to Sfat HaYam, helping reservists find their way home.
Sfat HaYam, healing by the sea

Sfat HaYam

Breath, water, and a way back.

Sfat HaYam ("The Shore") was born during the war. It walks alongside IDF reservists and bereaved families on the hardest road of all: the one back to ordinary life. Through workshops of breathwork, freediving and cold-water immersion, it helps them build personal anchors and the tools to carry what they've seen.

It's the quiet answer to the question at the heart of this book: what we really needed wasn't someone with the right words. It was someone who would simply be there.

2,000+participants so far Since 2023born during the war
Questions & answers

Good to know

What is Dual Reality about?
It's a diary of short poems and hand-drawn illustrations, written by a young IDF paratrooper during the war that began on October 7th, 2023. It holds two worlds at once: the front line, and the quiet of ordinary life back home. Raw, honest, and written in real time, not after the fact.
Where can I buy it?
The English edition will be available exclusively on Amazon, in both Kindle and paperback. It's launching soon, follow @tal_hoch to hear the moment it goes live.
Is this the English version of the Hebrew book?
Yes. Dual Reality is the English edition of the Hebrew מציאות כפולה, which has already reached hundreds of readers across Israel. You can see the original at metziotkfula.com.
Who wrote it?
Tal Hoch, a paratrooper in the IDF reserves and a student at Reichman University. He wrote the book in the long nights between operations, not for publication, but to process what he was living through.
Where do the proceeds go?
A portion of the proceeds from every copy supports Sfat HaYam, a project that helps IDF reservists and bereaved families find their way back to routine. Learn more at sfat-hayam.com.
Who is the book for?
For anyone who wants to understand what this time really felt like, not from the news, but from the inside: reservists and their families, people who love Israel, and readers who are simply moved by honest writing. It also makes a meaningful gift.
What will I find inside?
Short poems paired with original hand-drawn illustrations. It's meant to be read slowly, a page at a time. Many readers finish it in one sitting, then return to it again and again.
Can I order copies in bulk, or invite Tal to speak?
Yes, for bulk and organizational orders, speaking engagements, or any other question, email talbooks12@gmail.com and Tal will get back to you personally.

Still have a question? Write to talbooks12@gmail.com

Let's keep moving forward

Dual Reality

A story of loss, choice, and what we carry forward.
📖 Coming soon on Amazon · Kindle & Paperback

Follow @tal_hoch to know the moment it's live.