The Mathematician's Shiva by Stuart Rojstaczer

[Holly R W]

This book looks at a family whose matriarch, Rachela, is a mathematical genius. She, her husband, father and brother suffer great hardships and terrors in their homeland of Poland/Russia during Stalin's reign. Through cunning and determination, they manage to emigrate to Madison, Wisconsin. There they raise Sasha (Rachela's son) and Bruce (Rachela's brother's son). The parents become mathematics professors. Rachela's brother (Shlomo) becomes a liquor distributor. Anna, a ballet dancer who defects to the U.S. from Russia as a young adult, becomes part of the family. Throughout their lives, their identity as Eastern European Jews remains intact. Rachela continues to go to an Orthodox shul and is part of the sisterhood there. For Sasha's parents, their other iron-clad identity involves being academic mathematicians. Rachela especially, is considered brilliant.

For much of the book, Sasha is the narrator. His mother dies and the family is required to sit shiva, which is the traditional Jewish way to mourn. What ensues is no ordinary shiva. Rachela was thought to know the solution to the Navier-Stokes problem, which had baffled serious mathematicians for years. Due to this, hordes of Rachela's colleagues camp out in the house of mourning, looking for clues and inspiration to solve this mathematical challenge. Sasha has his hands full, trying to properly grieve for his mother while at the same time trying to handle the rather selfish (and often wacky) mathematicians who invade the home.

The story is enriched by its portrayal of a unique culture, strong characters and its combination of pathos, affection and satire. The story was written with a lot of humor in it.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Amy]

I enjoyed this too! Glad to see it getting some attention. Well done review, Holly.

[Holly R W]

Thanks, Amy. I really did like this book. It reminded me of my street where I grew up and some families in the neighborhood. I'm glad you enjoyed this too!

[[deleted user]]

Wonderful review. This is another one I have on my Trim the TBR and I'm waiting for that number to come around.

[Holly R W]

Thanks, Rachel.