Customer Reviews

The Book of Murray: The Life, Teachings, and Kvetching of the Lost Prophet

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And No Flash Photography!

I was afraid, when I started listening to this book, that it would be a collection of stale and obvious jokes about religion. But by the end of disk one, I was hooked. I ended up listening to the whole thing twice. Not that it was hard - it's only two disks long.

TBOM follows an unlikely prophet, Murray son of Irving, from his youth and his call by God (via fire-resistant sheep) through his unlikely prophethood. Murray is a schlemiel who is pious, but not all that bright - as his mother insists hopefully, who tests poorly. Murray needs lots of coaching from his amanuensis and partner in holiness, Lenny. The biblically literate will enjoy figuring hearing allusions to the story of Moses, Samuel, Amos, Isaiah and even Jesus. For instance, Murray is renowned for his mighty works - including turning water to wine. But when the wine was found to be Manischewitz Extra Malaga, he turned it back to water. The biggest treat was hearing the book read. Yash Kimmelfarb did a terrific and very funny job is the book's reader.

Author David Bader has created a funny and lovable collection of nitwits and nincompoops to lampoon ancient biblical stories and contemporary Jewish culture- from Murray and Lenny to Loofa the goat herder, to Belshazzar (yes, that Belshazzar)the Bar Mitzvah boy, to the Meshuggenites to warlike King Joe-bob. Fun, especially if you appreciate Jewish humor.

I wouldn't say this is better than The Bible, but it's definitely funnier. Much funnier. Bader, the author of Haikus for Jews: For You, a Little Wisdom, claims to have found this scroll on a golf course in Boca. Quite a scroll it is, dense with zingers, enough for several books here. It tells the story of a nebbish called upon to be a prophet, who finds greatness giving advice, kvetching, and performing occasional miracles. My personal favorite: Murray's love poetry ("My beloved is like a dairy goat...") There is lots of Jewish shtick, most of it hilarious. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this, any more than you need to be Christian to enjoy Monty Python's Life Of Brian. The language, the characters, the story. . .all highly recommended.

The Book of Murray is a wonderful and warm hearted, good natured parody of the Old Testament style, e.g., to paraphrase, Murray's wife, Francine, finding herself barren, goes unto to Mount Sinai to consult Yahweh and then unto Cedars-Sinai for a second opinion. Hilarious throughout. Jewish humor at its best. Take time to read amazon's excerpts.

Bader takes quality pokes at Jewish tradition and culture. Maybe it's kicks. I know I'm going to hell for spending money and turning on lights on the Sabbath. Even eating bacon on Yom Kippur. But thanks to David Bader's books, I don't care anymore.