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Our Eddie.
Winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal Honor award, this novel about the irreparable harm a maladjusted parent can do his family focuses on Eddie, the eldest son, and his relationship with an egotistical and insensitive father.
183 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 1969
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 2, 2021
To be perfectly and truthfully honest here, I was reading Sulamith Ish-Kishor’s 1969 novel Our Eddie (and which won a 1970 Newbery honour designation for Ish-Kishor) on Open Library and was actually and in fact only able to borrow it for an hour, which did result in me having to skim over much if not most of the author’s featured text. And while I guess I could have waited for Our Eddie to become available on Open Library for the standard fourteen days borrowing time period, I have so many current reading projects on the go that I quickly and decisively decided against this. So therefore, my pretty well not all that comfortable and positive textual feelings regarding Our Eddie should perhaps be taken with the proverbial grain of salt (as I certainly only managed to get but a very cursory general impression, enough for me to not feel at ease with regard to Our Eddie as a novel and Sulamith Ish-Kishor as an author, but in my opinion also not really sufficient for me to categorically not personally recommend Our Eddie).
However and the above having been said, I still do think that my rather massive negativity with regard to what I was reading in Our Eddie is definitely based on legitimate emotions and very personal levels of discomfort. For while the two narrators encountered in Our Eddie (Eddie’s friend Hal and after Hal and his family have moved Eddie’s sister Sybil) certainly do show just how verbally and emotionally abusive and seriously neglectful towards his children Mr. Raphel (Eddie’s father) consistently tends to be, the equally ever recurring ready excuses being made for this (and even though the children and in particular Eddie are clearly very much suffering), this does really and truly so hugely rub me the wrong proverbial way that I can only consider Our Eddie with two stars maximum (although if I ever do get the chance for a more in-depth and less time sensitive perusal of Our Eddie, perhaps I will be able to see more in Sulamith Ish-Kishor’s presented text than just poor Eddie’s tyrannical, dictatorial, insensitive and emotionally majorly abusive father, but indeed, my general reading impressions from skimming over Our Eddie most definitely are that Eddie’s father truly is a total and utter jerk for whom way way too many individuals keep making ridiculous and inherently to and for me silly and inappropriate excuses towards his horrid behaviour towards his nearest and dearest).
However and the above having been said, I still do think that my rather massive negativity with regard to what I was reading in Our Eddie is definitely based on legitimate emotions and very personal levels of discomfort. For while the two narrators encountered in Our Eddie (Eddie’s friend Hal and after Hal and his family have moved Eddie’s sister Sybil) certainly do show just how verbally and emotionally abusive and seriously neglectful towards his children Mr. Raphel (Eddie’s father) consistently tends to be, the equally ever recurring ready excuses being made for this (and even though the children and in particular Eddie are clearly very much suffering), this does really and truly so hugely rub me the wrong proverbial way that I can only consider Our Eddie with two stars maximum (although if I ever do get the chance for a more in-depth and less time sensitive perusal of Our Eddie, perhaps I will be able to see more in Sulamith Ish-Kishor’s presented text than just poor Eddie’s tyrannical, dictatorial, insensitive and emotionally majorly abusive father, but indeed, my general reading impressions from skimming over Our Eddie most definitely are that Eddie’s father truly is a total and utter jerk for whom way way too many individuals keep making ridiculous and inherently to and for me silly and inappropriate excuses towards his horrid behaviour towards his nearest and dearest).
September 1, 2020
Eddie is the oldest son in a Jewish family living in London (and then later NYC). He and his siblings suffer under the regime of a selfish and mentally-abusive father, and in the end that abuse causes more harm than any of them would have predicted. A good, strong story, with characters who are nicely developed (the father was so well crafted that I nearly threw the book across the room for getting so angry with his behavior). My one quibble is that it includes a framing narrative from the point of view of another character, which in itself is an okay thing, but the transition between the frame to the main narrator and then back to the frame is clunky and awkward. Otherwise, a fine read with a touching story.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
July 14, 2021Not for me... I tried, because Newbery, and otherwise important. And the Kirkus review and the dedication poem by the author appeal. But I just can't.
October 27, 2019
Newbery Challenge 177/415. I found this book oddly easy to read and get through, but I can’t say I enjoyed the story. It’s about a domineering, cruel father, who doesn’t give his children what they need, including medical care. But the book somehow makes excuses for his behavior and neglect. I did appreciate that the story was about a Jewish family and had characters with MS. That kind of representation wasn’t usual in the 1950’s. Maybe that’s why it was a Newbery Honor? I wouldn’t recommend it.
July 3, 2021
I like the dedication:
The children of the poor and troubled
rarely do come to full growth; like
forced fruit, they blossom to early and
wither before they ripen.
Of these,
For these,
To these,
Whatever their age, country, color, or creed,
This story,
By one of these.
I expected the story to be mainly about Eddie, but Eddie was really just the linchpin in a story about a family's struggles in trying to survive, while being fettered to an uncaring father. I think that telling the story from two points of view, that of Hal and of Sybil, worked well. There were things that are better told from an inside perspective, and some things that are better viewed through an outsider's eyes... And since it was clear from the beginning that Hal and Sybil would end up together, it makes sense for it to be the two of them.
"Our father's a teacher," said Sybil. "He's a headmaster. Of the Hebrew school in the East End." She sounded proud of it and not proud of it, at the same time.
That one simple sentence says so much. The writing is excellent. Also, later, when Sybil describes the joy of going to a play, and the magic of seeing Sleeping Beauty, it really captures the wonder of childhood.
I ran out and went home. Maybe Mr. Raphel was wrong or maybe he was right, the way grown-ups think. I couldn't figure him out, because I remembered how the school kids hugged his hands and looked at him as if he were some kind of hero. But I felt sure that I would never like Mr. Raphel.
I think this is important; a person can be good to certain people but terrible to others, like Mr Raphel being good to his students but a bad father to his children. Being faced with this dichotomy is confusing and disconcerting. Children don't know what to make of it, and adults tend to cling to their prejudice--like how people who knew Mr Raphel professionally, couldn't imagine him being a bad person in his home life, and refused to believe it. I've also seen people who are wonderful parents, but they also happen to be racist a**holes. Whichever "side" of the person you knew first, it's always difficult to fathom the opposing side, because it's so inconsistent with the "truth" that you know. Our minds want to reconcile it, to make sense of it, but it *can't* be reconciled, and I think a lot of people just aren't able to come to terms with that. And yet, having the capacity to be good to certain people and horrible to others is a basic truth of human nature. It's not a question to be answered, just a reality to be aware of.
I see a lot of readers had a hard time getting through this book, because of the abusive father. I think the problem was deeper than that; Mr Raphel had put all his time, money, and attention into his teaching, at the expense of his family, because he believed that his teaching was more important. His upbringing had ingrained in him the belief that religion is the most important thing in life, and must always be placed first. He did what he had been taught was "right". The whole reason that he could act so callously, was because he *believed* he was doing the right thing. Of course he didn't feel any guilt or shame; he didn't think he had done anything wrong. The fact that *we* recognize it as wrong just shows that our upbringing has taught us that how we treat people is more important than religion. But when something is so ingrained in a person, they won't easily realize that there are other (perhaps better) ways of living. I'm glad that Mr Raphel finally overcame that in the end, and was able to give his daughters (and younger son?) a better life.
I came upstairs with her [Sybil]. I couldn't believe my eyes. Mr. Raphel had actually set the table for tea. He, who had always scorned to touch with his man's hands anything having to do with women's work!
He explained, a bit self-conscious, even a bit ashamed before me, I think. "Lilie will be coming home any minute from her class. She is always tired at this time, finds tea refreshing."
"You're not at school now, sir?"
"Oh, I have taken a Sabbatical leave."
"Papa," said Sybil, after a pause, "Hal might be able to get tickets for the opera. Can I go? I mean--is it required, by Jewish law, to wait?" [since she was in mourning.]
Mr. Raphel's brows began to contract and his eyes to snap in the old way, but he stopped. He said, slowly, "The Law... The Law is to live by." He paused a long while, his eyes dull and far away. Then he came to, and looked at us again, and said, with some difficulty, "I think there will be the opera La Juive, next month. If you go to that, I would like to know what the story is about."
I like that ending. Out of a tragedy, comes hope for a better future.
The children of the poor and troubled
rarely do come to full growth; like
forced fruit, they blossom to early and
wither before they ripen.
Of these,
For these,
To these,
Whatever their age, country, color, or creed,
This story,
By one of these.
I expected the story to be mainly about Eddie, but Eddie was really just the linchpin in a story about a family's struggles in trying to survive, while being fettered to an uncaring father. I think that telling the story from two points of view, that of Hal and of Sybil, worked well. There were things that are better told from an inside perspective, and some things that are better viewed through an outsider's eyes... And since it was clear from the beginning that Hal and Sybil would end up together, it makes sense for it to be the two of them.
"Our father's a teacher," said Sybil. "He's a headmaster. Of the Hebrew school in the East End." She sounded proud of it and not proud of it, at the same time.
That one simple sentence says so much. The writing is excellent. Also, later, when Sybil describes the joy of going to a play, and the magic of seeing Sleeping Beauty, it really captures the wonder of childhood.
I ran out and went home. Maybe Mr. Raphel was wrong or maybe he was right, the way grown-ups think. I couldn't figure him out, because I remembered how the school kids hugged his hands and looked at him as if he were some kind of hero. But I felt sure that I would never like Mr. Raphel.
I think this is important; a person can be good to certain people but terrible to others, like Mr Raphel being good to his students but a bad father to his children. Being faced with this dichotomy is confusing and disconcerting. Children don't know what to make of it, and adults tend to cling to their prejudice--like how people who knew Mr Raphel professionally, couldn't imagine him being a bad person in his home life, and refused to believe it. I've also seen people who are wonderful parents, but they also happen to be racist a**holes. Whichever "side" of the person you knew first, it's always difficult to fathom the opposing side, because it's so inconsistent with the "truth" that you know. Our minds want to reconcile it, to make sense of it, but it *can't* be reconciled, and I think a lot of people just aren't able to come to terms with that. And yet, having the capacity to be good to certain people and horrible to others is a basic truth of human nature. It's not a question to be answered, just a reality to be aware of.
I see a lot of readers had a hard time getting through this book, because of the abusive father. I think the problem was deeper than that; Mr Raphel had put all his time, money, and attention into his teaching, at the expense of his family, because he believed that his teaching was more important. His upbringing had ingrained in him the belief that religion is the most important thing in life, and must always be placed first. He did what he had been taught was "right". The whole reason that he could act so callously, was because he *believed* he was doing the right thing. Of course he didn't feel any guilt or shame; he didn't think he had done anything wrong. The fact that *we* recognize it as wrong just shows that our upbringing has taught us that how we treat people is more important than religion. But when something is so ingrained in a person, they won't easily realize that there are other (perhaps better) ways of living. I'm glad that Mr Raphel finally overcame that in the end, and was able to give his daughters (and younger son?) a better life.
I came upstairs with her [Sybil]. I couldn't believe my eyes. Mr. Raphel had actually set the table for tea. He, who had always scorned to touch with his man's hands anything having to do with women's work!
He explained, a bit self-conscious, even a bit ashamed before me, I think. "Lilie will be coming home any minute from her class. She is always tired at this time, finds tea refreshing."
"You're not at school now, sir?"
"Oh, I have taken a Sabbatical leave."
"Papa," said Sybil, after a pause, "Hal might be able to get tickets for the opera. Can I go? I mean--is it required, by Jewish law, to wait?" [since she was in mourning.]
Mr. Raphel's brows began to contract and his eyes to snap in the old way, but he stopped. He said, slowly, "The Law... The Law is to live by." He paused a long while, his eyes dull and far away. Then he came to, and looked at us again, and said, with some difficulty, "I think there will be the opera La Juive, next month. If you go to that, I would like to know what the story is about."
I like that ending. Out of a tragedy, comes hope for a better future.
October 3, 2016
This book was unclear to me, it seemed to be about everything and everyone at once, except about only one person at the same time. Most of the other reviewers are saying they didn't like it, and I don't really either, except I do.
The writing was great, clear and crisp sentences and beautifully arranged words, but the story altogether was confusing, it is one I must read again to fully understand what is happening. Eddie desperately wants to impress his Father, but it seems that about everything is against him.The main struggle for Eddie is that His father is a very close minded very strict jewish man who refuses to believe the real reason Eddie keeps losing his Jobs.
At the same time this book seems about Eddie, I want to believe it is more about the father, and the changes he goes through, even though most of this story is told through Eddie's younger sister Sybil, who is a very loving girl who only wants her family to be happy, like it used to be.
This book is not an easy sit down and relax book, the book is told with many arguments and many troubles, but also with the fight to live, and to be happy, and to love.
The writing was great, clear and crisp sentences and beautifully arranged words, but the story altogether was confusing, it is one I must read again to fully understand what is happening. Eddie desperately wants to impress his Father, but it seems that about everything is against him.The main struggle for Eddie is that His father is a very close minded very strict jewish man who refuses to believe the real reason Eddie keeps losing his Jobs.
At the same time this book seems about Eddie, I want to believe it is more about the father, and the changes he goes through, even though most of this story is told through Eddie's younger sister Sybil, who is a very loving girl who only wants her family to be happy, like it used to be.
This book is not an easy sit down and relax book, the book is told with many arguments and many troubles, but also with the fight to live, and to be happy, and to love.
June 1, 2017
1970 Newbery Honor Book
This book is told by two narrators. We are introduced to the Raphel family when Hal accidentally walks into their house. He becomes fast friends with their oldest boy, Eddie (whom the book is titled after). After Hal moves away, Eddie's sister Sybil takes over as narrator for most of the book.
The book is first set in England where the Raphel family squeaks by on their father's meager salary as a Hebrew teacher. The father can be a harsh man and is also a Zionist. Their father has a bit of a breakdown, so he travels to America at the encouragement of doctors and starts a new school there. Eddie, meanwhile, becomes man of the house and tries to supplement the family's income by getting jobs. He later has an accident which leaves him with a severe limp. The family then moves to America when Mr. Raphel sends for them.
I found it hard to get into this book as I'm not Jewish, so it only rates 2 stars with me.
This book is told by two narrators. We are introduced to the Raphel family when Hal accidentally walks into their house. He becomes fast friends with their oldest boy, Eddie (whom the book is titled after). After Hal moves away, Eddie's sister Sybil takes over as narrator for most of the book.
The book is first set in England where the Raphel family squeaks by on their father's meager salary as a Hebrew teacher. The father can be a harsh man and is also a Zionist. Their father has a bit of a breakdown, so he travels to America at the encouragement of doctors and starts a new school there. Eddie, meanwhile, becomes man of the house and tries to supplement the family's income by getting jobs. He later has an accident which leaves him with a severe limp. The family then moves to America when Mr. Raphel sends for them.
I found it hard to get into this book as I'm not Jewish, so it only rates 2 stars with me.
August 19, 2015
I kind of agree with one of the reviewers that compared this to The Chosen. However, in that book I liked both boys AND both dads for the most part. However, in this book I really didn't like any characters, except maybe Syble. I didn't really like the story either. I think it was supposed to be touching, but to me none of the characters really seemed real to me. The words were well-written, but the story was not. Just not me, and I didn't like it.
September 10, 2012
I am not sure why is was a Newbery Honor book.
September 24, 2019
Interesting look into a family; but sad.
July 31, 2023
There was never enough backstory given for the reader to understand or infer why the father cared more about his poor students than his own family. If he was such a stanch Zionist- why was his family so casual about Jewish practices? I knew Eddie might have been ill, but all of a sudden his uncle’s family was taking him to a specialist- he was getting an operation- and they tell his sister he died on the phone? None of the characters except Sybil were described very well so I was not invested in any of them. The title character especially. The dynamic change with the father at the end was not written well and was very anti-climatic. This story had the bones to be a good story, but the end product had no flesh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2023
I appreciated the historical aspect of this book. I also loved Lilie, she was the hero of this story and the reason this book gets a higher rating from me. In fact, I would love this book if it had been written from her perspective rather than the other two we got.
I just could not even with the male ego in this book. Both the father's and Eddie's.
I just could not even with the male ego in this book. Both the father's and Eddie's.
August 24, 2023
This book reminded me a lot of The Chosen by Chaim Potok. It is not the same, the story is quite different, but the variations of Judaism, the Zionism of the 1960s, the struggles between Father and son as seen from an outside perspective. I found this book completing and touching.
October 3, 2022
This was too compelling for me to put down. I could personally relate to much of it.
June 29, 2024
Multiple Sclerosis. And hebrew.
January 1, 2015
“He was rather a quiet boy, but thinking-quiet, or noticing-quiet, not dull quiet…He didn’t talk very much at any time, but he was always “with” you. He was really “a bit of blue sky” to us all, something from the world outside our house…”
“…Mama had accustomed her from babyhood to getting up early, taking a bath—nowadays she took a cold shower—and being served a hearty breakfast by Mama, then going off in plenty of time, neat and fresh. Unquestionably Lilie was The Child; the rest of us were unavoidable accumulations. But the poor girl paid a sad price for it; all the burdens, all the insoluble problems, were confided to her.”
“…I don’t think it means Pa doesn’t care. I think it means, he doesn’t want to believe it. He can’t bear to believe it.”…”Pa never went to the hospital to fetch Thad, after the kid had his tonsils out. When the letter came to get the kid, he left it on a dresser. When I found it I grabbed my wool scarf and went to the hospital, but Thad had simply walked out all by himself and gone home. Without even a scarf to wind around his throat…Pa can’t face these things.”
“…Mama had accustomed her from babyhood to getting up early, taking a bath—nowadays she took a cold shower—and being served a hearty breakfast by Mama, then going off in plenty of time, neat and fresh. Unquestionably Lilie was The Child; the rest of us were unavoidable accumulations. But the poor girl paid a sad price for it; all the burdens, all the insoluble problems, were confided to her.”
“…I don’t think it means Pa doesn’t care. I think it means, he doesn’t want to believe it. He can’t bear to believe it.”…”Pa never went to the hospital to fetch Thad, after the kid had his tonsils out. When the letter came to get the kid, he left it on a dresser. When I found it I grabbed my wool scarf and went to the hospital, but Thad had simply walked out all by himself and gone home. Without even a scarf to wind around his throat…Pa can’t face these things.”
October 26, 2023
The story starts from Hal's perspective as he meets the Raphel family. He becomes friends with Eddie and Sybil. Mr. Raphel is not a good dad. He is obsessed with Zionism and teaching his students Hebrew and obeying Jewish customs, and he doesn't show anyone in his family love. The story changes to Sybil's perspective for the bulk of the narrative, and the family moves from London to New York City. The mother has some sort of degenerative disease, maybe M.S., and Eddie seems to have the same thing.
A lot of the time I don't care for realistic fiction because I personally don't think it ages well, but I think this one was all right. It's a pretty heart-breaking tale of a family who suffers in large part due to Mr. Raphel not being a caring and concerned husband and father, only caring for his law-oriented religion. He doesn't realize what his family means to him until it's too late. I thought the narrative switching from Hal to Sybil and then back to Hal at the end was a little disjointed, and yet I did like this book.
A lot of the time I don't care for realistic fiction because I personally don't think it ages well, but I think this one was all right. It's a pretty heart-breaking tale of a family who suffers in large part due to Mr. Raphel not being a caring and concerned husband and father, only caring for his law-oriented religion. He doesn't realize what his family means to him until it's too late. I thought the narrative switching from Hal to Sybil and then back to Hal at the end was a little disjointed, and yet I did like this book.
May 19, 2015
Reading this story made me really sad after I finished. While the story and characters were realistic, the character development felt a bit flat and I wasn't clear on why it started with one character then switched to another; I guess so the story could 'wrap-up' well in the end?
See: The Chosen by Chaim Potok
See: The Chosen by Chaim Potok
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