Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Wisdom and Wit in the Wild West

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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I loved, loved, loved this "graphic novel" (not so much a novel but a collection of stories). The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey is a collection of Jewish folktales told as Western adventures featuring Rabbi Harvey of Elk Spring Colorado. Rabbi Harvey's stories involve his own travels and encounters with double-crossers and odd types like the boy who insists he is a chicken, as well as moral dilemmas brought to him for his rabbinical ruling. Since I'd read/heard some of the stories previously, I am assuming that many of them are based on traditional Jewish folktales but some seem to be original stories. It's a nice mix and all are deftly and humorously illustrated, with funny asides from the rabbi, onlookers, even the occasional animal or inanimate object (when a traveling merchant attempts to cheat a woman out of a bag of money he is supposed to deliver, throwing only one coin on the table, the head on the coin wonders, "Why am I not surprised?"

There is a distinct Jewish flavor to the tales, set in a neverland of all-Jewish Western towns, and I definitely recommend this book for older kids and adults alike who want a fun and easily digested book of Jewish stories. But even for non-Jews, this is an entertaining book of stories with moral points of view, told with a sense of humor. HIghly recommended, this one is a keeper for me and I sincerely hope there are more Rabbi Harvey books to come.

By far the best book about a rabbi in the old West ever written, it is both extremely funny and surprisingly wise. Harvey himself is an irresistible character who typifies the book's balance of wit and thoughtfulness perfectly. The quirky art is quite charming and the sepia toned palate is remarkably evocative. This would be a great book for entertainment or education: young readers in search of fun would get a little wisdom thrown in and adults looking for some intelligent reflection would get a great deal of laughter as a bonus. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

The stories here serve up some of the best short (and very short) "wisdom stories" of the Yiddish tradition, presented in the unfamiliar environs of the Old West of the USA. Arguments are settled, bullies get their comeuppance, and the good guys (the ones with the black yarmulkes) win. A great intro to Jewish short stories and novels, and much of it is very funny (even if you can see the punchline coming from 200 cubits.) Get your kids (and the kid in you) interested in Jewish Literature in a painless fashion.

This is one of the most intelligent and delightful books I've read in a long time. The stories are charming, filled with wit, wisdom, and humor. And the illustrations are wonderful. You'll continue smiling long after you've finished reading. Rabbi Harvey's wisdom is for people of every religion. I look forward to his next adventures.

This is the first in a so-far three volume series of humorous tales told with cartoon-type graphics. The hero of the tales is Rabbi Harvey the old-style bearded rabbi and sometimes sheriff in the 1880s, in Elk Spring, Colorado, in the Old West, in a city that seems to be inhabited by Jews, since no non-Jews appear in the tales. There are ten stories in this first volume that are based on old Jewish humorous and morality tales that appear in such places as the Talmud and Chassidic lore. Some of the ten tales are composed of several stories stitched together, as when Rabbi Harvey tells a reporter of many instances where he cleverly resolved disputes and the story about when the rabbi took a trip and had no place to eat or spend the Shabbat.

The stories have the same punch lines as appears in their source, but the graphics, settings, and the frequent added witticisms that Sheinkin inserts add humor. Frankly, I am familiar with the originals of all the ten stories but I still found them enjoyable because of the Sheinkin additions and the quaint way that Rabbi Harvey acts. It is also funny to see how Sheinkin pictures the saintly rabbi. His eyebrows are thick and connected and seem like a ribbon across his forehead.

In one of the tales, Sheinkin shows how Rabbi Harvey first came to Elk Spring and defeated the criminal gang leader "Big Milt" Wasserman, who threatened young Rabbi Harvey: "Tell me something about yourself. If it's true, we'll shoot you. If it's a lie, we'll hang you." There are also stories about how the rabbi cured a boy who was convinced that he was a chicken and acted as this bird, how he proved to a woman that a person is wiser if he is not handsome, and others.

This book is really great. It is perfect for kids and adults, and you don't need to know anything about religion to enjoy it. When I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down until I was finished. The stories are simple, straightforward, and funny. I especially love the drawings. Many of the hidden details in the pictures made me laugh out loud.

A collection of deliciously odd, stylized drawings, dry wit and perfectly paced mini-morality tales that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rabbi Harvey starts out an undistinguished neophyte and ends up taming the West with wisecracks and Talmudic wisdom, even as he's forced to think on his feet to cheat death. I'm not Jewish, but I loved this book and can't wait until my daughter is old enough to meet Rabbi Harvey.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I read the first time a while back. The antics of Rabbi Harvey and the jaunty style of Sheinkin's art are sure to appeal to all types of readers. The stories are insightful and illuminating. I didn't find Rabbi Harvey very convincing as a Rabbi or very Jewish, but he's engaging enough to carry the book.

My biggest problem with the volume (remedied in subsequent books of the series), is that Sheinkin doesn't make clear the sources of all these stories. Breslov parables and tales of the Chofetz Chaim are lumped together, with no explanations of their meanings or origins. Frankly, if you didn't already know the stories Sheinkin incorporates into his book, or forgot to read the description of the book on the cover, you might not be able to tell that they are not his original stories. In Pirkei Avos (The Ethics of Our Fathers) Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi teaches that quoting the source of a piece of Torah wisdom brings greatness into the world. Quoting your sources is the Jewish thing to do!

I recommend the book, particularly if you are going to look up the source materials for these stories or for an introduction to the wisdom found in the Jewish heritage.

I havent read the whole book yet, but what I have read are some very meaningful stories with hilarious illustrations. As a matter of fact, some of the characters illustrated look very much like some of the rabbi's I know. This makes the book an excellent conversation piece for display on my coffee table, and since I am a Jewish cowboy of sorts, it is even more fitting to be in my book collection.

This book is a riot! He actually has 2 books and I've read them both. Well worth the money.