Search
Search results
American Yiddish Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology
Benjamin Harshav and Barbara Harshav
Book
This remarkable volume introduces to the large English-speaking audience what is probably the most...
Does Your Rabbi Know You're Here?: The Story of English Football's Forgotten Tribe
Book
Ever since the children of penniless immigrants caught the train from Whitechapel to White Hart Lane...
Mike Birbiglia recommended Annie Hall (1977) in Movies (curated)
City of Vengeance
8.0
Rate It
Book
City of Vengeance is an explosive debut historical thriller, set in Renaissance Florence. ...
Historical Fiction Renaissance Italy Florence
The Sisters of Auschwitz
Book
They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and...
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Lilac Girls in Books
Oct 5, 2020
This novel is very nicely written, with interesting characters. In particular, the protagonist Caroline is beautifully formed, with a life that is fascinating for those who know little about how Americans tried to help those who became unwitting refugees in the US after Hitler invaded their homelands. However, we must remember that Holocaust novels are a dime a dozen. This is why I was hoping that this novel would be different, particularly since the blurb for this book talks about Christine and her helping two survivors of the women's camp Ravensbruck. Unfortunately, the detailed information about the two other women in this story, and their introduction to Ravensbruck was, in my opinion, too much back-story. Although retelling the grim and gory ways that the Nazis treated their prisoners is a necessary evil, I somehow felt that this book included these scenes only to evoke pity for these characters. I don't want to pity characters, I want to have empathy for them, to care about them, and the author let me down with this.
In addition - and I hope this doesn't sound racist or snobbish - as a Jew, I have a hard time with Holocaust novels that seem to outwardly ignore how the Nazis treated the Jews, and only focuses on the other "undesirables." I realize that the Nazis didn't only kill Jews, but they were their primary target, and to avoid that altogether was disingenuous, to say the least. However, I was glad that this book didn't focus on any overtly Christian themes, even though I believe that there is a market for Holocaust stories within the Christian Fiction genre (see my review of the novel The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron here http://drchazan.blogspot.com/2014/07/beauty-out-of-ugliness.html for more on my feelings about this).
Furthermore, the only Jewish reference I found in this novel was a passing reference to visiting the Ghetto and a remembrance of eating a Hanukkah delicacy. Unfortunately, the author didn't do her research properly, and the character said she remembered eating a type of doughnut that the Jewish bakers made for the holiday. Those doughnuts - known as "sufganiot" were never part of any Eastern European Hanukkah celebration at that time. In fact, sufganiot that are popular among Jews today, come from the Jews of North Africa and Arab countries. The word, sufganiot, comes from the Arabic and Hebrew words that mean sponge. While Jews in Poland did make something similar, their popularity as a particularly Hanukkah delicacy among Easter European Jews only coincided after Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews came together in Israel (i.e., post-1948). All of this is why I cannot give this book a rating of more than two and a half stars out of five, but I'm certain that it will find a much more sympathetic audience among non-Jewish readers.
In addition - and I hope this doesn't sound racist or snobbish - as a Jew, I have a hard time with Holocaust novels that seem to outwardly ignore how the Nazis treated the Jews, and only focuses on the other "undesirables." I realize that the Nazis didn't only kill Jews, but they were their primary target, and to avoid that altogether was disingenuous, to say the least. However, I was glad that this book didn't focus on any overtly Christian themes, even though I believe that there is a market for Holocaust stories within the Christian Fiction genre (see my review of the novel The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron here http://drchazan.blogspot.com/2014/07/beauty-out-of-ugliness.html for more on my feelings about this).
Furthermore, the only Jewish reference I found in this novel was a passing reference to visiting the Ghetto and a remembrance of eating a Hanukkah delicacy. Unfortunately, the author didn't do her research properly, and the character said she remembered eating a type of doughnut that the Jewish bakers made for the holiday. Those doughnuts - known as "sufganiot" were never part of any Eastern European Hanukkah celebration at that time. In fact, sufganiot that are popular among Jews today, come from the Jews of North Africa and Arab countries. The word, sufganiot, comes from the Arabic and Hebrew words that mean sponge. While Jews in Poland did make something similar, their popularity as a particularly Hanukkah delicacy among Easter European Jews only coincided after Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews came together in Israel (i.e., post-1948). All of this is why I cannot give this book a rating of more than two and a half stars out of five, but I'm certain that it will find a much more sympathetic audience among non-Jewish readers.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Esther: Royal Beauty (Dangerous Beauty, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Adonai has a calling and a purpose for each one of His children. Hadassah has been called to the royal palace, but in all of her greatest dreams and imaginings, she could never have guessed what His purpose was for her life.
Hadassah (Esther) is a Jewish girl living in the royal city of Susa, in the great land of Persia, ruled by all powerful King Xerxes. Orphaned at a young age, her cousin Mordecai and his wife Miriam raise Hadassah as their own daughter. King Xerxes’ wife Vashti has defied him. His advisers suggest that she be dismissed as Queen, or the women of Persia will begin to treat their husbands the same way. The King becomes lonely however, and therefore sends out a nationwide search for a new wife. When everything has been arranged for Hadassah’s marriage to a local Jewish man, her world is turned upside down. Brought to the palace against her will, will she please the King and become his Queen? Or will she live out her life anonymously in the harem?
Being a familiar Bible story to me, Esther: Royal Beauty was a relaxing book to read, because I knew how it would end. Angela Hunt did a wonderful job filling in the spaces of the story that have been left up to our imagination. I enjoyed learning a little bit more about King Xerxes as well. I read the book of Esther in the Bible after I finished this book and was pleasantly surprised to know that the author was very accurate with the interpretation. She even quoted word for word dialogue found in the New Living Translation. Very intriguing to anyone who enjoys bringing more life and depth to traditional Bible stories.
I received a free copy of Esther: Royal Beauty from Bethany House Publishers and a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Hadassah (Esther) is a Jewish girl living in the royal city of Susa, in the great land of Persia, ruled by all powerful King Xerxes. Orphaned at a young age, her cousin Mordecai and his wife Miriam raise Hadassah as their own daughter. King Xerxes’ wife Vashti has defied him. His advisers suggest that she be dismissed as Queen, or the women of Persia will begin to treat their husbands the same way. The King becomes lonely however, and therefore sends out a nationwide search for a new wife. When everything has been arranged for Hadassah’s marriage to a local Jewish man, her world is turned upside down. Brought to the palace against her will, will she please the King and become his Queen? Or will she live out her life anonymously in the harem?
Being a familiar Bible story to me, Esther: Royal Beauty was a relaxing book to read, because I knew how it would end. Angela Hunt did a wonderful job filling in the spaces of the story that have been left up to our imagination. I enjoyed learning a little bit more about King Xerxes as well. I read the book of Esther in the Bible after I finished this book and was pleasantly surprised to know that the author was very accurate with the interpretation. She even quoted word for word dialogue found in the New Living Translation. Very intriguing to anyone who enjoys bringing more life and depth to traditional Bible stories.
I received a free copy of Esther: Royal Beauty from Bethany House Publishers and a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Night Song: A Story of Sacrifice (World War II Liberator #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Compelling and heart wrenching, Tricia Goyer tells the story of the orchestra of Mauthausen. This orchestra, composed of famous Jewish musicians, was forced to play for their lives in the concentration camp.
We see the war through many different views in Night Song. Evie, a young Viennese woman who is involved with the resistance and witnesses the liberation of Mauthausen. Nick, an American medic who is in love with Evie and will travel to the ends of the earth to find her. Otto, an SS Soldier whose thirst for power and riches overwhelms him. Finally, Jakub, a young Jewish prisoner whose magnificent talent brings hope and joy to those he is around.
The story begins in December 1941, Evie and her family must return to Vienna due to the German occupation. The following 3 1/2 years are a combination of sorrow, pain and loss for all of our characters. But where Nick, Evie, and eventually Jakub, find their strength in the Lord, Otto finds his through the "Ancients", the mystical power supposedly behind Hitler's reign. Otto is never satisfied, he always wants more. Our other characters have to sacrifice so much, yet they know that the Lord is leading them and taking care of them. In the end we discover that the wealth and power of this world can not compare with a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ.
It took me a little longer to read this book, only because it was so emotional for me that I had to put it down and take a break. Tricia Goyer does a beautiful job of depicting the horrors and sorrows of the camps and all those who were affected by it, without being gory. It made my heart ache for those who lived and died in this hell. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys World War II fiction. You will not be disappointed!
We see the war through many different views in Night Song. Evie, a young Viennese woman who is involved with the resistance and witnesses the liberation of Mauthausen. Nick, an American medic who is in love with Evie and will travel to the ends of the earth to find her. Otto, an SS Soldier whose thirst for power and riches overwhelms him. Finally, Jakub, a young Jewish prisoner whose magnificent talent brings hope and joy to those he is around.
The story begins in December 1941, Evie and her family must return to Vienna due to the German occupation. The following 3 1/2 years are a combination of sorrow, pain and loss for all of our characters. But where Nick, Evie, and eventually Jakub, find their strength in the Lord, Otto finds his through the "Ancients", the mystical power supposedly behind Hitler's reign. Otto is never satisfied, he always wants more. Our other characters have to sacrifice so much, yet they know that the Lord is leading them and taking care of them. In the end we discover that the wealth and power of this world can not compare with a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ.
It took me a little longer to read this book, only because it was so emotional for me that I had to put it down and take a break. Tricia Goyer does a beautiful job of depicting the horrors and sorrows of the camps and all those who were affected by it, without being gory. It made my heart ache for those who lived and died in this hell. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys World War II fiction. You will not be disappointed!
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Hadassah, Queen Esther of Persia in Books
Nov 4, 2019
One of the great heroines of the Old Testament, Hadassah was a beautiful, graceful young woman who put her faith in God and her guardian, her cousin Mordecai.
She dreams of marrying Shamir, a tall, handsome, studious young man who is the rabbis son. Her heart beats faster when she hears the sound of his deep voice as he reads the Torah. And she hopes that he will visit Mordecai soon to present a betrothal request. Then, an upheaval in King Xerxess palace changes everything. Queen Vashti has been banished and an edict goes out for all qualified young virgins throughout the empire to be taken to the palace as he searches for a new queen. Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. To hide her identity as a Jew, he tells her to go by the name of Esther. Since he works as a record-keeper at the kings gates, he can keep tabs on how she is doing. Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia imagines what life was like for the woman who saved her peopleand perhaps found love in the process.
The author has done an amazing amount of research for this book. She has brought new life to the Biblical book of Esther. This informative and entertaining novel will touch the hearts of many readers.
I enjoyed this novel greatly, as it did open my eyes to the customs and the history that was custom during that time. The author gives the reader an interesting and accurate look into the book of Esther, from the Jewish viewpoint. It brings the reader into the life of a young Jewish girl in the reign of King Xerxes. I truly enjoyed this book, that teaches us about Gods providence, prayer and trust in God.
This is a read that I highly recommend.
She dreams of marrying Shamir, a tall, handsome, studious young man who is the rabbis son. Her heart beats faster when she hears the sound of his deep voice as he reads the Torah. And she hopes that he will visit Mordecai soon to present a betrothal request. Then, an upheaval in King Xerxess palace changes everything. Queen Vashti has been banished and an edict goes out for all qualified young virgins throughout the empire to be taken to the palace as he searches for a new queen. Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. To hide her identity as a Jew, he tells her to go by the name of Esther. Since he works as a record-keeper at the kings gates, he can keep tabs on how she is doing. Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia imagines what life was like for the woman who saved her peopleand perhaps found love in the process.
The author has done an amazing amount of research for this book. She has brought new life to the Biblical book of Esther. This informative and entertaining novel will touch the hearts of many readers.
I enjoyed this novel greatly, as it did open my eyes to the customs and the history that was custom during that time. The author gives the reader an interesting and accurate look into the book of Esther, from the Jewish viewpoint. It brings the reader into the life of a young Jewish girl in the reign of King Xerxes. I truly enjoyed this book, that teaches us about Gods providence, prayer and trust in God.
This is a read that I highly recommend.
Protestants Abroad: How Missionaries Tried to Change the World but Changed America
Book
They sought to transform the world, and ended up transforming twentieth-century America Between the...