Tuesday, November 27, 2012

JERUSALEM MAIDEN by TALIA CARNER

This is a very beautifully written book about the little know sect of Jews who lived in Jerusalem,  Israel during the dying days of the Ottoman Empire pre-WWI.    They were the Haredi Jews. They are almost cult like in their Orthodoxy.  They consider themselves the Jewish people's emissaries to the holy city and devote their entire life to worshipping Gd.  

This is the story of Esther Kaminsky.  The story begins in 1911.  Esther is eleven and has been raised to believe that she is one of the elite Jews who will save all the Jews by following all the very strict rules and regulations imposed upon them by their holy books and rabbis. Growing up in poverty, she is taught that as a Jewish girl living in the Holy City, it is her role and responsibility to marry an Orthodox man and hasten the coming of the Messiah, by having as many children as possible.  Esther struggles against these expectations and also against the commandment no to make idols.   When Esther discovers her amazing artistic talents, she struggles with believing that they are Gd's gift to her or believing what her religion tells her is a mortal sin. 

The book is very engaging.

Monday, November 19, 2012

AN AVAILABLE MAN BY HILMA WOLITZER

This is a very tender and funny novel.  The author mines the unpredictable fallout of suddenly becoming single later in life, and the chaos and joys of falling in love the second time around.  

The main character is Edward Schuyler, a modest and bookish, sixty-two year old science teacher who is widowed and finds himself ambushed by female attention.  

He begins dating, torn between his loyalty to Bee's memory and his growing longing for connection. 

Just when he thinks that he has the game figured out, a chance meeting proves again that love arrives when you least expect it. 

The novel celebrates the endurance of love and its thrilling capacity to bloom anew.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

FORGOTTEN COUNTRY BY CATHERINE CHUNG

This is a very interesting story about inner relationships in a Korean family.  The story line doesn't go very far, but the characterizations are very interesting.  I enjoyed the intense love-hate relationship between the sisters.  It was fascinating to see why this family moved to America and how they were rejected.  The husband-wife relationship and family relationships, once they moved back to Korea, because the dad had cancer were also fascinating.

Friday, November 9, 2012

THE TIME KEEPER BY MITCH ALBOM

This is a truly excellent fable.  It is the story of a timekeeper.  The real value is that it tells the value of time and how to live in the moment.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

THE SECRET KEEPER BY KATE MORTON

This is an excellent novel!!!!   It's a real page turner!!!!!

It starts in 1961 when Laurel, hiding in her tree house is the witness to a strange man coming up the walkway of their farm.    He has "found" her Mother who is carrying Laurel's baby brother, Jerry.  Laurel's mother kills the man and Laurel is the witness to something that the family never discusses.

Years later as the mom is dying Laurel unravels this amazing World War II story.  It's the story of Jimmy, Vivian, Dolly and Henry and the setting is World War II during the German bombing of London.

An amazing story!!!!!!!