Customer Reviews

The Red Heifer : A Novel (New York City History and Culture)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Don't let the novel's relative brevity fool you: This is, in its ambition, scope and its wealth of incidents and insights, a very big book indeed. It is an allegorical account, sometimes poignant, sometimes comic, sometimes almost mystical, of a Jewish boy's childhood and adolescence in New York's Lower East Side of the 1930s and 40s. Given the vividness and apparent authenticity of the descriptions of the sights, sounds and even smells of that time and place, one assumes that the novel is at least in part autobiographical. In any case, that is less important than how well "The Red Heifer" works as a piece of storytelling. Part Isaac Babel, part Henry Roth, part Isaac Bashevis Singer and part Saul Bellow, it is also an original. Recommended.

Dear Mr. Haber,

Thank you for writing this wholly satisfying, and life afirming story of growing up in the 1940's

I was 7 years old in 1941 (about the same age as the storyteller) in The Red Heifer.

I grew up in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, another Jewish enclave and attended Yeshiva Etz Chaim. My school was just around the corner on 13th Avenue from my 2 bedroom apartment in a 4 story walk-up.

After listening to me praise your book, some ask "What's it about?" I reply by asking them to imagine a combination of Huckelberry Finn and Catcher in the Rye set in New York.

You described my childhhod pefectly, as though you were by side. Your book brought back memories of my father leading the round table debate of current events around the kichen table. This was usually with my older sister and her friends. I absorbed these discussions and latter gave my now informed opions to the "gang" that was trying to make sense of our crazy world, with our limited knowledge.We hung out in front in front the Menorah Temple(the local pool hall and bowling alley) every Friday and Saturday night.

Although most the the incidents depicted in The Red Heifer didn't happen to me, I recognize all my childood friends.

I was already reading passages aloud from your book to my wife, when I came across the recipe for the "Gogl-Mogl". This nearly blew my mind. I was right back in the kitchen on 51st Street, third floor rear, diagonally across from the elevated portion the the BMT line of the subway. In the past when I described this concoction to my family, the thought it was just a family folk remedy. Thank you for reafrming a part of my childhood that was almost forgotten.

I apppreciate the work that went into writing this book,since my son has also written a book. ...

I really connected with this book . and I look foward to a sequel
Sincerely yours,

Lionel Press

I didn't even know cows could write.