Foreskin's Lament (Paperback)

~ (Author)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Fierce, funny, and subversively heartfelt...With his middle finger pointed at the heavens and a hand held over his heart, Auslander gives us Foreskin’s Lament. Mazel tov to him. And God? Well, he’ll survive.”
—New York Times Book Review

“Auslander writes like Philip Roth’s angry nephew... a scathing theological rant, a funny, oddly moving coming-of-age memoir, and an irreverent meditation on family, marriage, and cultural identity. God may be a bit irritated by this book, but I loved it.”
—Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children and The Abstinence Teacher

“A laugh-out-loud quarrel with God.”
—Newsweek

“A terrific book I was sad I read in so few sittings, because I wanted more.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“Hilarious, caustic, and surprisingly moving.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer

“Blasphemous and funny.”
— Newsweek

“A surprise and delight.”
—Boston Globe

“A fretful, self-effacing, bitter…hilarious story.”
—The Houston Chronicle

“Wryly comic.”
—New York Magazine

“Hilarious, caustic, and surprisingly moving.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer

“A very funny memoir.”
—GQ

“Lyrical, hysterical… funny and angry.”
—Cleveland Plain Dealer

“An audacious, poke-God-in-theeye memoir.”
—Miami Herald

Product Description

A New York Times Notable Book, and a “chaotic, laugh riot”(San Francisco Chronicle) of a memoir— first time in trade paperback.

Shalom Auslander was raised with a terrified respect for God. 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 didn’t struggle daily with the fear of God’s formidable wrath. Foreskin’s Lament reveals Auslander’s “painfully, cripplingly, incurably, miserably religious” youth in a strict, socially isolated Orthodox community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life apart from it. His combination of unrelenting humor and anger renders a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his faith and family.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade; Reprint edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594483337
• ISBN-13: 978-1594483332
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,266 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Movements > Orthodox
  #86 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > Jewish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Angry equals funny, May 16, 2009

By	Helene Hilborn - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is really funny. Obviously Auslander is an angry guy who has turned his anger into laughter. The reader benefits from his obvious paranoia in this well written view of his life growing up in a Jewish Orthodox home.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if ur a jew, you'll relate and laugh, May 4, 2009

By	Kadek Supadmi "ubuddhist" (Bali) - See all my reviews

I started laughing on the first page and didn't stop until the last page.
I read it in record time because it was like having a conversation with a Jewish family member. I only wish I had the strength SPOILER ALERT! to put down the book and back away from my family.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bitter and Brilliant, April 20, 2009

By	R. Karlin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I completely enjoyed every page of this book. Auslander's unique book takes belief in God one-logical-step-too-far into obsessive narcissism which is both heartbreaking and hilarious. While nothing is scacred enough to escape Auslander's razor sharp pen, ultimately, it is himself Auslander rips to shreds. If you like David Sedaris, you'll probably love this book.