Never, frankly, can there have been a more blasphemous book. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of. Not just because he s angry but also because he s so good at being angry. Mar 07, 2008 foreskin s lament is a displacement therapy, a moral blindness to evade the obvious. Now shalom auslander has entered the ring, flying off the ropes, prowrestling style, with his memoir, foreskins lament, a noholdsbarred affront to the gd whose name is never uttered. Not just because hes angry but also because hes so good at being angry. Foreskins lament is a rich and fascinating portrait of a man. Foreskins lament is a landmark play in the history of new zealand theatre.
Buy a cheap copy of foreskins lament book by shalom auslander. Foreskins lament has been on my shelf for ten years. A memoir, by shalom auslander if you wish richard dawkins could quip like david sedaris, then this is the misery memoir for you. A new york times notable book, and a chaotic, laugh riot san francisco chronicle of a memoir. Shalom auslander writes like philip roth s angry nephew. Throughout the book, auslander documents his struggle with writing something so blasphemous that it led to countless drafts dragged to the trash and deleted forever when the fear of punishment became too much to bear.
Feb 12, 2008 the funniest guest at jewish book week 2008. Foreskins lament reveals auslanders painfully, cripplingly, incurably, miserably religious youth in a strict, socially isolated orthodox jewish community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life apart from it. Auslander, a magazine writer, describes his orthodox jewish upbringing as theological abuse in this sardonic, twitchy memoir that waits for the other shoe to drop from on high. Auslander is the author of the short story collection beware of god and the acclaimed novel hope. Foreskins lament is a nonfictional coming of age story about shalom auslander, an orthodox jew raised in the 60s by a tyrannical father and a worried mother. The book begins with the author, who fled this insular world to work in new york city, discovering that wife orli, a fellow religious refugee, was pregnantan occasion to celebrate for many, but auslander, who grew up terrified of a vengeful god, saw it more like the setup to a cosmic joke. Sep 20, 2007 a short video for the book foreskins lament, by shalom auslander.
Oct 28, 2007 that could be the beginning of any number of jokes, or it couldve been a line from shalom auslanders new memoir, foreskins lament, a book that reads on one level like a 310page borscht belt. A short video for the book foreskins lament, by shalom auslander. His combination of unrelenting humor and anger renders a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling. Foreskins lament by shalom auslander books the guardian. Shalom auslander born 1970 is an american author and essayist. As a child, he went through the house and destroyed all the. He was a finalist for the 20032004 koret jewish book award for young writer on jewish themes. Foreskins lament by shalom auslander book detective.
Foreskins lament ebook by shalom auslander rakuten kobo. Foreskins lament isbn 9780330453547 pdf epub shalom. This memoir makes the god delusion look like a parish newsletter. Oct 07, 2008 a new york times notable book, and a chaotic, laugh riot san francisco chronicle of a memoir. He grew up in an orthodox jewish neighborhood in monsey, new york where he describes himself as having been raised like a veal. Ian sansom winces at shalom auslanders seriously funny diatribe, foreskins lament.
Portions of the book have been featured in various media, including the pri program this american life. Jerusalem is burning, and some are contemplating only the shape of the flames. Foreskins l ament is a nonfictional coming of age story about shalom auslander, an orthodox jew raised in the 60s by a tyrannical father and a worried mother. Memoirs used to be confined to dusty corners at the back of bookshops. A memoir by shalom auslander 320pp, picador, pounds 12. Foreskin s lament reveals auslander s painfully, cripplingly, incurably, miserably religious youth in a strict, socially isolated orthodox jewish community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life apart from it. An often breathtakingly irreverent look at religion and the humorous side of exorcising the past. He was taught to be very afraid of god and his wrath. Foreskins lament is a scathing theological rant, a funny, oddly moving comingofage memoir, and an irreverent meditation on family, marriage, and cultural identity. Foreskin s lament is a landmark play in the history of new zealand theatre. Since dave pelzer and frank mccourt came along, a decade or so. Even as he grew up and was estranged from his community, his religion and its traditions, he could not find the path to a life where he didnt struggle daily with the fear of gods formidable wrath. The debut of the freshest voice in jewish literature since phillip roth arrived on the scene.
Foreskins lament by shalom auslander, paperback barnes. Even as he grew up and was estranged from his community. Even as he grew up, defying and eventually being cast out of his community, he could not find his way to a life in which he wasnt locked in a daily struggle with him. Feb 06, 2009 foreskins lament is a nonfictional coming of age story about shalom auslander, an orthodox jew raised in the 60s by a tyrannical father and a worried mother. Shalom auslander came recommended to me for his first book, a collection of stories called beware of god, but it wasnt until i was amused by a column he wrote for the guardian newspaper that i realised i would like to read a book by him. According to shalom auslanders foreskins lament, the jewish life is a long round of godgiven oppression, says hilary spurling. That could be the beginning of any number of jokes, or it couldve been a line from shalom auslanders new memoir, foreskins lament, a book that reads. He grew up in an orthodox jewish neighborhood in monsey, new york where he describes himself as having been raised like a veal, a reference to his strict religious upbringing. Auslander, a contributor to this american life and the author of a book of stories called beware of god 2005, grew up in a strict orthodox. Nominated for the koret award for writers under thirtyfive, he has published articles in esquire, the new york times magazine, tablet, the new yorker, and has had stories aired on nprs this american life. The real tragedy of the book is not the family tragedy that auslander.
Oct 01, 2007 shalom auslander, the author of foreskins lament, believes in a god who is not pleased when someone writes an angry and very funny book about leaving the orthodox jewish community. Foreskins lament a memoir by auslander, shalom riverhead. Shalom auslander writes like philip roths angry nephew. Foreskins lament by shalom auslander houston chronicle. In foreskins lament, auslander wrote of his mother, who was the belle of the misery ball, and his father, who was angry and uncommunicative. Billed as a laugh riot, foreskins lament is actually the deeply sad account of a jewish boy growing up in an orthodox household. Shalom auslander was raised with a terrified respect for god. Fortunately, he published a memoir earlier this year, which goes by the unmistakable title of foreskins lament. Oct 21, 2007 now shalom auslander has entered the ring, flying off the ropes, prowrestling style, with his memoir, foreskins lament, a noholdsbarred affront to the gd whose name is never uttered. Read foreskins lament a memoir by shalom auslander available from rakuten kobo. Foreskins lament, by shalom auslander riverhead, 2007. Filled with dark, bitter humor about family and the jewish faith, it comes across as a kind of portnoy light, except i remember laughing a lot when i read rothss book.
Foreskin s lament is a scathing theological rant, a funny, oddly moving comingofage memoir, and an irreverent meditation on family, marriage, and cultural identity. Foreskins lament reveals auslanders youth in a strict, socially isolated orthodox community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life, isbn 9780330453547. Feb 29, 2008 buy foreskin s lament at the guardian bookshop. His work, shalom auslander is an american author and essayist. This acclaimed book by shalom auslander is available at in several formats for your ereader.
Uploaded by booksalecataloger6 on september 26, 2011. Foreskins lament is a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his faith, his family and his community. Foreskin s lament is a nonfictional coming of age story about shalom auslander, an orthodox jew raised in the 60s by a tyrannical father and a worried mother. Jerusalem is burning, and some are contemplating only the shape of. Funny, fierce and subversively heartfelt with his middle finger pointed at the heavens and a hand held over his heart, auslander gives us foreskins lament. In the end, foreskins lament is as much an exorcism as a memoir, a big middlefingerintheair to the man upstairs. The book chronicles his upbringing as an orthodox jew and his efforts to break free from it. The book chronicles auslanders upbringing as an orthodox jew and his efforts to break free from this world. Foreskins lament by shalom auslandera book that makes the god delusion look like a parish newsletter, writes nicholas lezard.
Book detective an independent book search and recommendation engine. Foreskins lament a memoir, by shalom auslander seven. Foreskins lament is a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his faith, his family and his. Foreskins lament is a displacement therapy, a moral blindness to evade the obvious. Shalom auslander, the author of foreskins lament, believes in a god who is not pleased when someone writes an angry and very funny book about leaving the orthodox jewish community. Foreskins lament by shalom auslander overdrive rakuten. His combination of unrelenting humor and anger renders a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his. Foreskin s lament is a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his faith, his family and his community. Auslander has published a collection of short stories, beware of god and a memoir, foreskins l ament.