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Al Hirshen

Goodreads Author

Born

New York, The United States

Website

https://www.alhirshen.com/

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction, Travel

Member Since

June 2019

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Al Hirshen has led an unusual life. He is the son of a Jewish immigrant family who learned street smarts in the Bronx, helping out at his father’s candy store, working as a waiter in the Catskills to pay for his schooling, and ultimately becoming a lawyer. He was a participant in many of the pivotal changes of our times – as a Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division Lawyer in the 60’s, then as a pioneering anti-poverty lawyer and the creator of the first public/private partnerships in the Carter Administration. After the breakup of the former Soviet Union, he was among the first USAID (United States Agency for International Development) consultants to work in Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Albania.

Always ready for a new challenge and ad Al Hirshen has led an unusual life. He is the son of a Jewish immigrant family who learned street smarts in the Bronx, helping out at his father’s candy store, working as a waiter in the Catskills to pay for his schooling, and ultimately becoming a lawyer. He was a participant in many of the pivotal changes of our times – as a Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division Lawyer in the 60’s, then as a pioneering anti-poverty lawyer and the creator of the first public/private partnerships in the Carter Administration. After the breakup of the former Soviet Union, he was among the first USAID (United States Agency for International Development) consultants to work in Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Albania.

Always ready for a new challenge and adventure, Al travelled the world, was a successful international development consultant, and even tried his luck at movie production in Hollywood. For nine years he worked as a consultant to the leadership of Indonesia, living as a Jew in the world’s largest Muslim country during that nation’s turbulent transition to democracy.

Al’s memoir is far more than a travelogue: it shares a razor sharp awareness of the changing world we inhabit. He has a rare sense of humor and a profound love of life, the world, and people. His writing conveys a deep appreciation of the beauty around us, of friendship and the transcendent spirit of humanity, with sadness for the ways we mistreat each other. As a recovering alcoholic, father, grandfather and a husband in a happy third marriage, Al sees himself as an “ordinary man”, a human being blessed to live life fully in an imperfect, yet stunning world.

“This book is a vibrantly alive, candid, and compelling memoir of a son of Jewish Immigrants from the Bronx, an intensely restless soul, ever in search of the next adventure, driven to making the world a better place along the way.”

-Thelton Henderson, Judge (Ret.) United States District Court

“A beautifully written, gripping, and amusing memoir, full of psychological insights, humor and world-wisdom. Al Hirshen has the determination, chutzpah, self-irony, and heartfelt generosity of a true lover of life.”

-Kim Chernin, author of In My Mother’s House

“The title of this memoir may at first glance resemble a kited check; but there is more than enough in the bank of Hirshen’s life story to cover two books. Not since Sybille Bedford’s The Faces of Justice have I encountered such sharply observed stories of public life in the trenches.”

-Richard Buxbaum, Ralston Professor Emeritus of International Law, UC Berkeley Law School

“Al Hirshen weaves a remarkable tale of people, places, and events. His reflections on his illness and his recovery into the life of sobriety are rich and helpful. These are good words, written by a good fellow.”

-Fr. Tom Weston SJ., 12-Step Retreats, Renewal Ministries ...more

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Al Hirshen's Blog

J Weekly Review

"Al Hirshen is one of those natural raconteurs whose friends react to his anecdotes about his adventures by saying, “You should write a book!”

Read the rest of the review by clicking here:

https://www.jweekly.com/2019/10/22/or...

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Published on December 03, 2019 09:54

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Al Hirshen’s books

Average rating: 4.9 · 10 ratings · 7 reviews · 2 distinct works

	The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir: Bronx Boy, Social Justice Attorney, Carter Administration Official, International Development Official, and Hollywood Producer by Al Hirshen (Goodreads Author), Renate Stendhal (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.90 avg rating — 10 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Housing law and urban poverty: 248.5 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars