The Pigskin Rabbi

by Willard Manus

New in paperback. In this ribald comic novel, a young rabbi becomes quarterback for the New York Giants and within months all the world (or most of it) seems to be converting to Judaism. Anyone who feels even one shred of affection for the traditions of Judaism, who understands the power of professional sports to mold public opinion-and anyone who loves a good laugh-will be enthralled and delighted by The Pigskin Rabbi. Ezekiel "Ziggy" Cantor becomes (by a very strange sequence of events) the superstar quarterback of the New York Giants, drilling passes with godlike accuracy, kicking miraculous field goals, playing out of pure love of the game, and catapulting the team toward invincibility. Ziggy's Judaism, formerly a burden in gentile society, now becomes the apparent source of all good. His teammates-convinced of the luck of the Jewish-start eating kosher food during games, prepared by Ziggy's kindly grandmother. They call plays in Yiddish. Ziggymania hits town. Fans chant lustily in Yiddish. Gucci-made Giants yarmelkehs are all the rage. New York takes Ziggy to its heart-he is a homegrown hero. Even his grandmother becomes a celebrity. Judaism is hip, it's in , and is all-empowering. An over-the-top farce full of unforgettable characters, an irreverent sports novel with a theological underpinning- The Pigskin Rabbi will have people of all faiths convulsed with laughter. "A vastly entertaining fable. . . . Anyone who doesn't fall for Manus's spirit and sly jokes has a hard heart indeed."- San Francisco Chronicle Willard Manus is the author of Mott the Hoople , among other books. His plays have been produced in London, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Los Angeles, Washington, and New Orleans. He is a member of the American Theater Critics Association, and writes on blues and jazz for several magazines. He lives in Los Angeles. "How does a rabbi convert the entire U.S. to Judaism? The answer, of course, is by becoming a football hero. A wild tale . . . Hilarious . . . Manus has a wonderful sense of humor."- Publishers Weekly CHAPTER 1 See Shrdlu. See Shrdlu run. See Etoain Shrdlu, the Albanian placekicker, boot a fifty-four-yarder and win the

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly predicatble plot, but totally charming and endearing. Good Othodox boy loves football, abandons his rabbinate to play football in Europe, is scouted by the NY Giants, and madness and hilarity (not to mention hate and anti-Semitism) ensue.

I found this book by chance; I had gone to the Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch with sue_librarian, and it was lying smack in the middle of a display for Jewish Heritage Month. The cover illo: an Orthodox man in football garb and holding a football, being hoisted aloft in a chair, much the way the groom is at a Jewish wedding. Only the people doing the hoisting are huge guys in football garb.

Very fun read, and I honestly could not put it down. I laughed out loud several times during its reading, and highly recommend it. Oh, the only improvement it could have had would have been if they had included a glossary for the Yiddish & Hebrew words (not too many, and can sort of be picked up from context) for non-Jewish readers. Don't let that stop you from reading it, however; if any of the ethnic words stop you, you can always ask me to explain them, or you could probably even Google them. At any rate, it's a fun ride, and I sincerely hope you take it!

[Grace Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, crafty and simply written, but some odd editing choices, plus flubs in the plot line and inconsistencies in the Jewish laws they talk about marred it for me.