From The Writer's Almanac:It's the birthday of Chaim Potok (books by this author), born in the Bronx (1929). His parents were immigrants from Poland, and he grew up in a strict Orthodox Jewish culture. When he was about 14 years old, he happened to pick up a copy of Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, and it changed his life. He said, "I lived more deeply inside the world in that book than I lived inside my own world."
How amazing that the novel would have such a profound effect on an Orthodox Jewish boy. That the book had the same effect on me, with a background in the Roman Catholic Church, is not so surprising. Of course, I was much older when I read the book. Waugh has a way of writing that makes his characters come to life, and we are drawn into the lives of the characters and care about what becomes of them. I loved Potok's novel, The Chosen, and I just now placed the sequel, The Promise, on my wish list to buy in the future. I may have already read the book, but, as with The Chosen, which I've read more than once, the sequel may be well worth another read.
I would recommend going onto his third book 'My Name is Asher Lev' too. All three books have been inspirational to me, I'm just about to read through them again. I was discussing The Chosen just yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThanks, theme. I planned to get to "My Name..." eventually, but I'll add the book to my list now upon your recommendation.
Deletethemethatisme is exactly right: "My Name..." is in fact probably Potok's best book. I know I read The Promise many years ago, but while I remember a good deal about The Chosen, which I read almost at the same time, I can't remember a single thing about The Promise beyond its name.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Potok was for a time editor of the Jewish Publication Society, and as such served as secretary to the committee responsible for translating Kethuvim (Writings) for the modern JPS translation of the Scriptures.
Maybe I should buy and read "My Name..." first, then, but I'll read both in due time.
Deletekishnevi, I read of Potok's association with the JPS at Wikipedia when I looked him up after the note on today being his birthday. He was quite a scholar.
I enthusiastically agree with everyone about Asher Lev. I'd also recommend In the Beginning. Potok's writing is luminous and timeless; thanks for bringing him to mind anew.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Prairie Soul. I see I have a reading list. :-) Actually, I'm wondering why I didn't read Potok's other books, since I enjoyed "The Chosen" so much that I read it twice.
Delete