Kaaterskill Falls

Zusatztext Praise for Allegra Goodman: "The brushstrokes seemingly casual yet sure! always the exact—and unlikely—equivalent of a shadow or reflected gleam."—Anna Shapiro! New York Newsday "An astonishing display of virtuosity."— Los Angeles Times on Total Immersion "Exceptionally well written: funny! wise! keenly observed....One of the most maddening and recognizable families to come along in years...an enchanting book."—Michiko Kakutani in The New York Times on The Family Markowitz Informationen zum Autor Allegra Goodman Klappentext NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A richly textured portrait . . . an intimate look at a closed Orthodox community.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review   NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • A  NEW YORK TIMES  NOTABLE BOOK   It is 1976. And the tiny upstate New York town of Kaaterskill Falls is bustling with summer people in dark coats, fedoras, and long, modest dresses. Living side by side with Yankee year-rounders, they are the disciples of Rav Elijah Kirshner.   Elizabeth Shulman is a restless wife and mother of five daughters; her imagination transcends her cloistered community. Across the street Andras Melish is drawn to Kaaterskill by his adoring older sisters. Comforted, yet crippled by his sisters’ love, he cannot overcome the ambivalence he feels toward his own children and his young wife. At the top of the hill, Rav Kirshner is nearing the end of his life. As he struggles to decide which of his sons should succeed him—the pious but stolid Isaiah or the brilliant but rebellious Jeremy—his followers wrestle with their future and their past.   With this community, Allegra Goodman weaves magic. The nationally bestselling author of  The Family Markowitz  crafts a tale of family and tradition—one that confirms this author’s place as a virtuoso of her generation. Leseprobe The synagogue is crowded with men, and warm despite the November chill outside. When Isaac arrives for services on Friday evening, he sees neighbors and friends all clustered together in the entryway. The Kollel students are coming in from the little chapel where they study. Dressed alike in their rumpled black suits, carrying their great black-bound books, they pass through the crowd into the main sanctuary where the older men are arriving, businessmen coming from downtown, the storekeepers from the neighborhood, the retired grandfathers. Young and old mix together, and their languages mix: English and German, a little Hebrew, a little Yiddish. Isaac does not notice the mixture; he grew up with it, and he understands all the languages equally. "Did you hear that the Rav is holding his office hours again?" "No, I didn't know." "He's holding them on Tuesdays again." "The same hours?" "Yes. Of course, he's limiting his visitors, but baruch hashem, he's well enough." The men speak cheerfully. For of course this is good news. Isaac is annoyed at himself for being troubled by it. He walks into the sanctuary; and, as the service begins, he tries to put the talk out of his mind. He stares intently at the pages in front of him, although he knows the prayers by heart. He closes his eyes as he sings and tries to concentrate on the words. Lechah dodi likras kallah, pinei Shabbas nikabelah.   Come, my friend, to meet the bride; let us welcome the Sabbath. And he turns with the other men toward the door of the synagogue. All of them bow to the door expectantly, as if, like a bride in white, the Sabbath were coming to walk down the aisle between them. They sing as if to make it so. When the short Kabbalat Shabbat service ends, Isaac closes his tiny siddur and puts it into its blue velvet tallis bag. Quickly he walks out into the chilly evening, the air filled with voices, "Good Shabbes, good Shabbes," the streetlights shining brig...

Produktdetails

• Autoren: Allegra Goodman
• Verlag: Dial Books
• Sprache: Englisch
• Produktform: Taschenbuch
• Erschienen: 10.08.1999
• EAN: 9780385323901
• ISBN: 978-0-385-32390-1
• Seiten: 336
• Abmessung: 133 mm x 203 mm x 18 mm
• Serie: Random House Publishing Group
• Thema: Belletristik > Erzählende Literatur