Review: The Chosen by Chaim Potok
by Jenners • 10/31/2009 • 3 Stars, C Titles, Fiction, Historical, Literary, P Authors • 11 Comments
Last week, I came across a neat meme over at Pudgy Penguin Perusals called Show Me 5 Saturday. The meme is hosted by That’s A Novel Idea (and is where you can hook up your post if you decide to do the meme). The meme is pretty simple, and I thought it would be a great vehicle for knocking off some of the book reviews that I don’t have time to write “full-fledged” reviews for. With 19 reviews waiting to be written, I’m desperate to get out from under this pile! For the meme, you answer the following questions, with the number indicating the number of answers you will provide.
1 Book you read and/or reviewed this week: The Chosen by Chaim Potok
2 Words that describe the book: Father-son relationships
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met: 1. Setting: 1940s Brooklyn 2. Reuven Malter—a teenaged Jewish boy whose father is a well-known Jewish scholar but is a loving, ever-present and liberal presence in Reuven’s life 3. Danny Saunders—a teenaged Jewish boy whose father is a Hasidic Jewish leader who is raising Danny “in silence”
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it: 1. I liked the author’s ability to describe and create a very specific time and place. 2. I disliked the long sections on Talmudic scholarship that went way, way over my head. 3. I liked how the friendship develops between Danny and Reuven and how the opinion you have of Danny’s father changes at the conclusion of the book. 4. I liked getting an insider’s look at a religion and community I know little about—Judaism and Hasidic Judaism.
5 Stars or less for your rating? I gave the book 3 stars. It is on many high school required reading lists, but I think it would be a hard read for anyone without some kind of background in Judaism as there is lot of “technical” stuff that was hard to follow at times. I did read this during the recent Read-A-Thon, and my opinion of it might be colored by reading it in this context as it wasn’t the most reader-friendly book for a long day of intense reading!
Why and Where I Got The Book
I read this book as part of my own Take A Chance Challenge. This was the book I read for my “Birth Year Book.” This part of the challenge asks you to:
Find a book that was published or copyrighted in the year of your birth. Read the book and write about it.
The Chosen was copyrighted in 1967, which was the year I was born. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have read this book if it wasn’t for this challenge! I got my copy from Paperback Swap.
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I agree with you about the background in Judaism being helpful. I remember when we read it in high school, we had a list of Hebrew vocab from the book. Luckily one of people in my AP English class was Jewish and could explain a lot of it to us–but there were parts where even he had no idea, because it was strictly that branch of Judaism (I think it was Hasidic?).
I read the book not long after it came out! (I was in junior high). I remember thinking it was powerful and I like it. It was a much talked-about book at the time.
Please stop by, I have an award for you.
I can't believe you got through this book! I never would have made it. The meme looks like fun.
This sounds like a terrific idea for a meme as well as a good idea of how to do an alternative book review – at last I've found THE challenge I'm going to take part in.
I've also read the book though it was many moons ago, perhaps now is the time to re-read it as I'm sure I enjoyed it (it's still on one of the book shelves, always a good sign) Thanks for that bit of information Elizabeth, I had no idea it had been made into a film so must see if we can order it.
This sounds like a terrific idea for a meme as well as a good idea of how to do an alternative book review – at last I've found THE challenge I'm going to take part in.
I've also read the book though it was many moons ago, perhaps now is the time to re-read it as I'm sure I enjoyed it (it's still on one of the book shelves, always a good sign) Thanks for that bit of information Elizabeth, I had no idea it had been made into a film so must see if we can order it.
You should watch the movie – I actually watched the movie first, for a class in college, and found it to be quite powerful. I read the book later, and agree – it was not an easy read.
I love Kaye's comment about what Sandra said! I agree with you that for the readathon lighter is probably better (not that I've done the readathon myself but if I did I would go for lighter and I would definitely avoid any books copyrighted in 1967!) :–)
OMG! You were born in 1967? So was my oldest daughter. Awww, you could be one of my "baby chicks". I'm so glad to see you participating in this meme. I love it! Sandra, at Fresh Ink Books commented , "how much more do you need to know anyway?" Valid point. One smart lady, that Sandra. I hope you join us every Saturday from now on. Have a great week.
Oh my goodness, I am sorry that you only thought this book was a three. I have read it twice! It is one of my absolute favorites. I definitely gave it like a 5+.
If parts of this were over your head, I suspect they'd be way over my head.