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What a beautiful and heart-wrenching story! This book covers so much familiar ground: Jewish life in pre-war BrownsvilleFirst generation not keeping ShabbosServing in the Pacific in WWIIBeing cut off from parents and, conversely, maintaining strained contact with parentsMoving away from Brooklyn and starting a new lifeTaking the new life so freaking seriouslyCutting off, and being cut off from, the old lifeBecoming a baal teshuvaAvigdor MillerThe Lubavitcher RebbeGod, God, God, God, God and more...
This book started out strong and interesting...mostly because it was about the Narrators parents. As it got more into the life of the Narrator himself, I found that I just didn't relate. I found him to be hypocritical and somewhat selfish and self-righteous. I couldn't connect with him and I couldn't empathize with his plight. I just wanted to get through the end. Religion is something personal and I can't stand when people push their choices and thoughts on others. Do what makes you happy - but...
An interesting memoir. Part faith exploration, part coming of age in an ultra religious Catholic family. Enjoyed the coming of age portion tremendously. The tales of the family and their ultra-Catholicism brought a smile to my face as I compared it with my own (not nearly so devout) Catholic up-bringing. The final portion of the book-the writer's struggle with his faith and his concurrent struggle with his relationship with his mother-left me with mixed emotions. I wanted him to get off his moth...
A moving memoir, grabs you heart and soul. Truly a fascinating story of one man's family and their journey from Jew to Catholic and then finally the son's return to Judaism. Although there is much talk of religion, the focus is really on family and how they can be torn apart and then brought back together.
Thank you Stephen Dubner for writing this book, a memoir of your parents, their journey, and your own. I found the story so fascinating that I could barely put it down. As a convert to Judaism from Catholicism, I was immediately intrigued by the story of Stephen’s parents who made the reverse conversion. Some believe that converts to Judaism are drawn to the religion because they are born with Jewish souls. I like to think so but then why can’t it be that converts out of Judaism have souls of ot...
Freakanomics coauthor Stephen Dubner’s parents were NYC Jews who during WWII fell in love with Catholicism, then each other. Their rejection of their superstitious Jewish parents is understandable, but they go full throttle—becoming super-Catholics—first Dorothy Dayniks, then anti-abortion activists. Eight children and a hardscrabble life on an upstate NY farm later, the father wrestles with depression and no career prospects. Dubner, the youngest sibling, grows up just as his parents are experi...
For anyone who has ever felt like a fish out of water. Beautifully written and wonderfully observed this man, who by intuition and sometimes happenstance discovers where his soul ultimately finds a place to rest.
This book was recommended by friends of the author who live in Duanesburg, west of Albany, NY. My husband knows the author's family. We grew up in that area, which added to the attraction of the book due familiarity of the landmarks and locations, e.g. the Carl Company in downtown Schenectady. It is an excellent book, describing the son's searching for his roots and exploring the intersections of the Catholic and Jewish faiths.
I read this book twice. Once when it first came out because I was reading everything Jewish while returning to my roots. I just reread it and have got much more this time because my journey toward my culture is more evolved. I won't tell the story as others have already told the fascinating story of Dubner's return to Judaism after growing up Catholic. I liked his story and I liked him. With all the family he has I thought I would get lost but I did only in that his storytelling is spellbinding....
Funny, endearing, engaging, honest, wise, and inspiring. The kind of book you want to read slowly so that you can let it absorb into your way of seeing the world.
