The Family Markowitz

by Allegra Goodman
The Family Markowitz  
published August 22nd 2005 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
binding Paperback
isbn 0374529396   (isbn13: 9780374529390)
pages 280
description The stories in this collection are so linked and consistent, the book is almost a novel. It tells the comic and endearing history of a family of arche...more
date added
01-04-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 127)



Rachel
Rachel rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
08/02/08

bookshelves: jewish-short-stories
Read in July, 2008
Once again, Allegra Goodman proves herself to be the master of the human psyche. I actually read these stories out of order- years ago, I flipped through "The Four Questions," as it was included in the Norton Anthology of Jewish American literature. I felt confident that I "knew" most of the characters from that Passover seder. Boy was I wrong.

Allegra takes us through 20 years of "slice-of-life" stories dealing with three generations of the Markowitz family, ...more
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Nan
Nan rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/29/08

bookshelves: fiction
I checked this book out from the library and left it on a plane. The library replaced it and I checked it out again. I'm happy to say that I finished the book and returned it to my branch without incident. This is a story of a family that has different family members trading off as the narrator. I really liked how you got a sense of the mother and her two adult sons. The first three chapters were fantastic. After that, things got a little chatty and seemed to be focused on odd details. I ...more
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ina
ina rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
01/15/08

Once again astute descriptions of people from Goodman - you have got to love them while loathing them. Don't expect action, expect thrilling descriptions of little situations, find yourself shaking your head at these people, but you recognize something of yourself and your crazy family in each of them.
Would have given it 3 1/2 stars if I could. Have to say that I preferred Intuition.
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Jessica
Jessica rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/24/07

bookshelves: library
Read in June, 2007
I really like Allegra Goodman. It's just that I like each book I read a little less. I started with her newest, Intuition, which is amazing. Then Kaaterskill Falls, which was great. Now, back further, The Family Markowitz. I like her writing a lot. But by the end of the book Ed Markowitz was driving me really crazy and it was hard to enjoy the book.
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Renee
Renee rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
10/31/07

An odd look into the dynamics of a family. At times I felt as though I was being given access to secrets that an outisder shouldn't be allowed to see or know.
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Jess
Jess rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/19/08

Read in May, 2008
Halfway in between short stories and a novel, this was mostly enjoyable but ultimately not quite satisfying - I like a full-fledged novel.
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Betsy
Betsy rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
01/18/08

Read in January, 2003
I have no recollection of this, but my notes say I read it. I didn't remember it right after I read it. So it must be forgettable.
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Amy
Amy rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
03/27/08

bookshelves: short_stories
Read in March, 2008
Goodman seems her best when she sticks to what she knows. Intuition is the only awkward novel of hers that i have read.
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Miriam
Miriam rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/01/08

I love funny books about Jews! And this is one! Her other books, not so much. But this one, great.
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Melanie
Melanie rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
07/31/08

Read in July, 2008
couldn't get into it. Just didn't really like the characters. perhaps they were too familiar?
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Notcathy
Read in February, 1999
"As short stories, boring; as a novel, pointless."
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Trin
Trin marked it as to-read (review of isbn 0671013882)
06/18/07

bookshelves: fiction, to-read
Since I loved Goodman's Intuition so much...
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Kara
Kara rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
11/12/07

 

kali
kali rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/11/07

 

Franziska
Franziska rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
10/08/07

 

Linda
Linda rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
08/27/08

 

Laura
Laura rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/14/07

Read in January, 2006
 

Anna
Anna rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
04/28/07

 

Eliana
Eliana rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/18/07

 

Rebecca
Rebecca rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
08/28/07

Read in January, 2002
 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.24 (97 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.27 (95 ratings)
number of reviews: 12






other editions

The Family Markowitz (Paperback)
The Family Markowitz (Hardcover)