2020/5 Early Thoughts on Chaim Potok's The Book of Lights

[Jan]

This is the spot for early thoughts and reactions to or about The Book of Lights. No spoilers in this discussion, please.

[Jan]

I'm looking forward to reading this book. I've got another book going but went on and read the first 9 pages of this one and got a good feeling. A great poll winner!

I wanted to see if I could get started by listening while doing some exercises, but no audio version as far as I can tell. Although I have a used hardback, I found the book in the National Emergency Library and tried the computer-generated voice option. Don't do it! Awful! Did not give me any idea about this book or how good it might be. No to computer-generated narration of this one!

Anybody else started it? Did you react positively too?

[Pamela]

Almost done. Will post comments shortly.

[Jan]

You read it fast, Pamela! ...Of course I don't know when you started!

[M]

Thanks to whoever suggested this book. This is one in my personal home library so I can read it. Not Potok's best but interesting and the writing is great as always.

[Jan]

M wrote: "Thanks to whoever suggested this book. This is one in my personal home library so I can read it. Not Potok's best but interesting and the writing is great as always."

Glad we obliged, M!
I'm looking forward to it too, as I said. I was hoping it was one not everyone had read, compared to some of the others that were suggested.

[Jan]

...I meant, others of his that were suggested.

[M]

There's a common theme to all his books (orthodox misfits) including this one.

[Jan]

M wrote: "There's a common theme to all his books (orthodox misfits) including this one."

Will tune in to that when I start. Thanks, M.

[Jan]

Ha ha, I'm wondering if his books also share a common theme of the unlikely geniuses! (all male, too -- so far) But this is only my 2nd (plus saw one other one performed as a play). And since I've advanced from p. 9 to 17, I could be wrong about this one!

[Susan]

I’m not reading this month’s book. I’m not a big fan of the author, my personal opinion only, but I will attempt to read Nemesis, even if I have to read it directly online.

[Jan]

Susan wrote: "I’m not reading this month’s book. I’m not a big fan of the author, my personal opinion only, but I will attempt to read Nemesis, even if I have to read it directly online.

I'm a fan, or I think so, anyway. I read The Chosen some time before 2005, I think, and so possibly may have been a fan and find I am no longer. Just saw the play of My Name is Asher Lev, so if I was less than wowed, that might not be the author's fault. I will soon find out! 😉

My husband thinks that to read the Internet Archive books via a pdf, you have to download Adobe Reader or something like that. I haven't tried it. Because I'm not tech savvy, though, I fail to realize that there are other steps implicit between what he says and what I'd need to do.

[M]

Considering this is "The Book of Lights" is awfully dark. I'm a fan of Potok but honestly I prefer something actually light these days.

[Jan]

M wrote: "Considering this is "The Book of Lights" is awfully dark. I'm a fan of Potok but honestly I prefer something actually light these days."

Is it, really? I haven't gotten that far. Yes, the aura of sadness around him has already been mentioned. Will see how it strikes me!
Would The 188th Crybaby Brigade: A Skinny Jewish Kid from Chicago Fights Hezbollah suit you better, M?

[M]

Nope!

[Jonathan]

Through first 50 pages. Slow going but Potok never disappoints. So I feel he is giving us a lot depth in characters. Do not know how I did this but when I went for library loan I ended up with In the Beginning also by Potok. I was halfway through when I realized my mistake but I really enjoyed it.

[Jan]

M wrote: "Nope!"

You are a hard one to please! Looking forward to what you may add on the What Are You Reading thread. Also, it's about time for nominations once again, so who knows, could be you find one to read with the group, M!

[Jan]

Jonathan wrote: "Through first 50 pages. Slow going but Potok never disappoints. So I feel he is giving us a lot depth in characters. Do not know how I did this but when I went for library loan I ended up with In t..."

That's about where I am, Jonathan, and going to dive back in now...

[Jan]

I'm up to p. 167 now, and going strong.
Unlike some of you, the book grabbed me right from the start. But leading up to around p. 100, he (the author) almost lost me. It wasn't that the material was difficult or boring -- Talmud vs Kabbalah and all that -- it was the content and the way it was put. It was coming across to me so strongly as from our culture, and in that sense, was paralleling anti-Jewish critiques from our culture (the accusation of legalism, I mean), that it threw me. Glad I climbed back on, because the book is very good, now. And, moreover, I'm starting another book that may help with the issue at its root. Chaim Potok is an excellent writer.

[Jan]

M wrote: "Nope!"

Now I see that my earlier response had your comment on The Book of Lights confused with somebody else', M. 😁 Looking forward to your conclusions.