In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist

[Jan]

Hey, summer's going fast enough already. ;)

This folder's for discussion of our August selection. I haven't begun yet; it's on the way via inter-library loan. Hoping to get a peek soon.

[Lilo]

Jan wrote: "Hey, summer's going fast enough already. ;)

This folder's for discussion of our August selection. I haven't begun yet; it's on the way via inter-library loan. Hoping to get a peek soon."

Sounds very interesting, but I am so terribly backlogged with all my reading and other want-to-dos and have-to-dos that I won't be able to participate in this group read.

[Jan]

I know what you mean, Lilo. But better too many books than too few! ;)

...Has anyone started this one yet?

[Lilo]

Jan wrote: "I know what you mean, Lilo. But better too many books than too few! ;)

...Has anyone started this one yet?"

I am ashamed to admit it, but I have been gnawing on Fritz Stern's "Five Germanys I Have Known" since April. The book is highly interesting but very difficult for me to read. (Complicated tapeworm sentences, a vocabulary that busts my ESL horizon, and last but not least, a small print that my eyes keep complaining about. And even with this small print, he book has 531 pages.)

[Jan]

Lilo, you are taking one for the team!(Urban Dictionary definition: "The act of someone willingly making a sacrafice for the benefit of others.")

[Lilo]

Jan wrote: "Lilo, you are taking one for the team!(Urban Dictionary definition: "The act of someone willingly making a sacrafice for the benefit of others.")"

Well, I promise to write a review when I am done with the "sacrifice".

[Paul]

The book dragged until the last quarter of of book.

[Jan]

Paul wrote: "The book dragged until the last quarter of of book."

It was after perusing the various reviews that I went the route of inter-library loan rather than acquiring this book--which I can do later if my conjectures are wrong and I decide it's a must-have. It's not the cost. It's that I'm confronting the downsizing of my book collection anyway. And I wasn't enamored of July's book. Songs for the Butcher's Daughter was a different matter. My library had it but I wouldn't return it until I'd bought a copy.

[Jan]

My inter-library loan for this came through today. Better late than never!

[Jan]

I finally read this. If you go to "bookshelf," find In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist," and click on "view activity," you'll see my review and those of other members.

I thought it was a pretty fast read throughout, so, for me, it moved along. However the story line was simplistic, obeying the theme that with God, all will come out well in the end. That doesn't mean I didn't respond to it. I did. That's why I thought it was Jewish inspirational fiction. But I don't necessarily want my emotional buttons to be pushed like that.

I liked it best for some of the Talmudic stories and sayings that I had never heard. So, I guess, a simplistic story--with a conventional ending :( --that served to teach something bigger.

[Jan]

There are two separate discussions for this book. The other one began sooner and has more views, so will lock this one. Any added comments can go on the other thread. It's in the same folder: 2015 Books/Discussions