NEW READING FOR SHORTER DAYS

            NEW YEAR READING.

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Where ever we are, books seem to be around us. The first thing I pack for a holiday is a book. When you are alone , a book is your best friend… it does not answer back and can be put out of sight when ever you have read enough.

I feel one of the most exciting moments in my life was the day I could read.. The pleasure and joy of reading books, magazines, newspapers, catalogues and even a dictionary, still excites me.

Here are a few of the good books we have had in the book club lately.

“EVERY HOME NEEDS A BALCONY”           BY RINA FRANK.

This was originally written in Hebrew and we are lucky it has been translated for us to enjoy.

It is the story of a young Rumanian Jewish immigrant in the 1950s, set in Haifa. It is a portrait of the poverty, struggles and the social and historic climate of the time  We are  given  a delicate and  deep insight to real  issues they dealt with.

Life was tough, the country was growing and the  daily battles to survive were mingled with laughter and tears.  This is the story of a neighborhood and a nation.   It is being called the Israeli “Kite Runner” . It is a great book to give to a young adult……………. An insight for them about the early days in our land.

“ALONE IN BERLIN”  BY HANS FALLADA {HIS REAL NAME WAS RUDOLF DITZEN.}

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This is the story of a German couple in Berlin, who are active in illegal activities. They become anti Nazi when their son is killed in France in 1940. It is an amazing document of the ordinary German , the resistance of the of the small man.  The everyday scenes, like putting bread on the table, the bouts of drinking, that leave people in a haze are sad. They try to be activists to give voice to their anger and frustrations.

 The author Fallada, has written other books you might know, “Wolf among wolves” and “Drinker”  and the book that brought him success “Little Man – what Now?”

“AS A PALM TREE IN THE DESERT”     BY ZVI ANKORI.

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 This is written by the historian, writer and professor, Zvi Ankori.

His first novel was ‘”CHESTNUTS OF YESTERYEAR” .

“As a Palm in the Desert” takes us on a journey across five

Continents, spanning half a century and three generations. We  read about the Revolutions, the Holocaust and  the early days of the foundation of our state ISRAEL . The  history and life in TARNOW in Ukraine, is the most fascinating and descriptive reading. I loved the stories, the customs and the fact that the characters, sites, dates and events are all authentic.  This autobiography of an individual becomes the collective biography of an entire generation…..simply fascinating and wonderful reading.

“LOST” BY  DANIEL MENDELSOHN

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A search for six of six million. The holocaust was such a large operation, that we can never finish with the stories of horror, destruction and loss. Here is a book that tells of the story of a single family’s fate. The investigations, the letters, the early stories of beautiful families, are all woven into a large tapestry that is written in the most fascinating way. History, cultures, joys, sadness, laughter and tears are part of the story of the Jewish community of BOLECHOW , POLAND {NOW UKRAINE}

This is a wonderful book to read, to learn about an era we did not experience and to gain the knowledge in a most thought-provoking  story.

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“FREEDOM”    BY JONATHAN FRANZEN.

======================================================A fascinating  epic of contemporary  love and marriage. The story captures the temptations and burdens of a free society…………… too much liberty, too much of everything.

 We read into the thoughts of the teenager, the young married, middle age, the suburbs and the struggles of a confused world.       This writer wrote “THE CORRECTIONS” about postwar American family life. It received much public attention.

This is a book of over five hundred pages and the first part is about the people, families, their life style and environment   And then if becomes an  analysis of what could be changed, what should be done and why we have  to do what is not always convenient. We have to see the bigger picture, the vision for our children and grandchildren, how to save this planet, which ideas to implement.

I find this very interesting reading because it is the America we hear about…………

Please send me names of good books you have enjoyed. Send them to my email address…………….

rona@kruger.co.il

Have a good week and love and light

Rona