The Book of Stone

by Jonathan Papernick

A searing psychological thriller set in pre-9/11 Brooklyn in which a family’s dark history and an estranged son’s attempt to find meaning and purpose converge.

Matthew Stone has inherited a troubling legacy: a gangster grandfather and a distant father—who is also a disgraced judge. After his father’s death, Matthew is a young man alone. He turns to his father’s beloved books for comfort, perceiving within them guidance that leads him to connect with a group of religious extremists. As Matthew immerses himself in this unfamiliar world, the FBI seeks his assistance to foil the group’s violent plot. Caught between these powerful forces, haunted by losses past and present, and desperate for redemption, Matthew charts a course of increasing peril—for himself and for everyone around him.

From the author of The Ascent of Eli Israel and There is No Other, The Book of Stone examines the evolution of the terrorist mentality and the complexities of religious extremism, as well as how easily a vulnerable mind can be exploited for dark purposes. Lyrical and incendiary, The Book of Stone is a masterfully crafted novel that reveals the ambiguities of “good” and “evil”.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

389 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Jonathan Papernick's first collection of short stories The Ascent of Eli Israel was published by Arcade Publishing in 2002 and received a full-page review in the New York Times and a starred review in Publishers Weekly.

His second collection of short stories There is No Other was published by Exile Editions in the spring of 2010. Author Dara Horn wrote about There is No Other, "Every single story here delivers a knock-out punch that will leave you reeling long after you've put it down -- and revising your thinking on what life and love really mean."

In the summer of 2010, Papernick began hand-selling his books via pushcart at farmers' markets in New England and New York as Papernick the Book Peddler. The name is an homage to the classic Yiddish writer Sholem Yankev Abramovich, AKA Mendele Mocher Sforim (Mendele the Book Peddler.) Papernick the Book Peddler's motto is: Bringing Market-Fresh Fiction Directly to the People.

His novel The Book of Stone, was published in 2015. Award-winning author of The World to Come, Dara Horn called The Book of Stone, "Devastating, gripping and beautiful...Open this book carefully. You will close it changed."

Papernick's novel, I Am My Beloveds, a fictional exploration of a couple grappling with the complications of an open marriage, will be published in January 2022.

Author Lana Popovic Harper wrote, "I Am My Beloveds is a warm, funny, thoughtful, and often heart-wrenching portrait of a modern couple testing the boundaries of their relationship, while exploring the outer limits of their love for each other. It's an engaging and timely read, perfect for a generation of readers much more open to the allure (and pitfalls) of polyamory."

He is a senior writer-in-residence at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts.

Please visit www.jonpapernick.com to learn more or to invite Jon to speak or read.

Reviews

[Aditi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Jewish people and their fate are the living witness for the absence of redemption. This, one could say, is the meaning of the chosen people; the Jews are chosen to prove the absence of redemption.”
---- Leo Strauss, a German-American philosopher and philologist of ancient Greek text

Jonathan Papernick, a Canadian author, penned his debut novel called, The Book of Stone after so many successful short stories, that revolves around a man whose fate drastically changes after his father's death leading to religious as well as social extremism not only in his country but also within himself.

Synopsis:

A searing psychological thriller set in pre-9/11 Brooklyn in which a family’s dark history and an estranged son’s attempt to find meaning and purpose converge.

Matthew Stone has inherited a troubling legacy: a gangster grandfather and a distant father—who is also a disgraced judge. After his father’s death, Matthew is a young man alone. He turns to his father’s beloved books for comfort, perceiving within them guidance that leads him to connect with a group of religious extremists. As Matthew immerses himself in this unfamiliar world, the FBI seeks his assistance to foil the group’s violent plot. Caught between these powerful forces, haunted by losses past and present, and desperate for redemption, Matthew charts a course of increasing peril—for himself and for everyone around him.


Jonathan Papernick is a master-story-teller and that is quite evident from his novel, The Book of Stone that captures the story of a young man with no university degree or any bigger objective in his life. He simply had a top class pedigree- grandfather being a notorious gangster, and father being a famous judge. Matthew was depended on his father completely given the reason his mother deserted him when he was a young boy. But now his father is dead, Matthew seems like he lost his mind. Feeling clueless, lost in his father's extraordinary books from Shakespeare to Churchill to Dante, Matthew simply wanted one thing- to make something out of his sorry self after his father's death who wanted him to be famous and highly knowledge like him. Matthew's father's death opens a new world to him- the existence and the vulnerability of Jews in America. His life becomes a tornado when he joins his father's mission to eradicate the misery of all the Jews. It not only makes him fall in love one more time, but also gives him hope that he could finally make something out of himself. What Matthew didn't know that his father's so-called mission brings out the complex religious extremism ideas thus leading to terrorist acts. Read the book to see how Matthew's sad life engulfs him into danger, terrorism, love and hope.

Matthew Stone- this name will haunt you even after the end of the book. To be honest, I never read about such a broken up, mentally lost and depressed character, who even after so many failures tries to get back on his feet just to make himself valuable in front of his father's eyes. As they say, too much expectations can be fatal, similarly, Judge Stone expected more out of Matthew- who was a lost child from a very early age, which is mainly due to his mother's disappearance and his father's ignorance, and Matthew tried to live up to his father's expectations, thus throwing him on a dangerous path of terrorism and religious extremism.

The storytelling is brilliant and the plot evolves really slow, like in the beginning, I was really bored with Matthew's life being falling apart, and I silently started curing the author for putting Matthew- a lost soul- into so much sorrow and grief. But once he made up his mind to change the face of Jews in the world and give justice to the Jews by punishing the Arabs and the Islams, the story took a big and interesting turn, that kept us turning the pages till the very end. The plot simply captivated me which is very dark filled with complex Jewish beliefs and history of Jewish massacre from all over the world. The mystery part was enthralling as well as intriguing.Moreover, it was a complete roller coaster ride filled with thrills and some adrenaline rushing moments and actions.

Some will find that Matthew is trying to find himself by joining his father's footsteps, but I think Matthew is already lost and he didn't require to search himself, all he tried to do was to make something out of himself, so that he doesn't remain a failure in his dead father's eyes. Matthew's characterization is done brilliantly, skillfully and strikingly. His pain and sorrow depicted by the author is so raw that you can feel it's bitterness in your mind. There is also a bit of sexual overtone layered in the plot when Matthew falls for a Jewish girl. Matthew's relationship with himself can be really difficult for some to contemplate since his mind doesn't work like a normal human being. Overall, it's an engrossing book that not only follows the story of a lost soul but how extreme religious beliefs can lead to terrorism in the world.

Verdict: A must read book that not only provokes your mind to think but also an eye-opener about Jewish beliefs and radicalism.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Jonathan Papernick and his publicist for providing me with an ARC of the book, for an honest review.

[Rob Slaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free for review from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Despite the privilege of receiving a free book, I'm absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.

The nutshell view on this is that it's a complex character development novel that traces the evolution of a son after the death of his emotionally estranged father. The book describes itself as incendiary but I would call it more of a slow, methodical burn. It brings to the fore some very controversial ideas.
To the positive, the author has brilliantly portrayed the psychology of a young man in mental crisis. The protagonist demonstrates so many traits that could be pulled straight from the DSM and it is delightful and head-nod inducing as he manages to project his own needs on the facts of a situation. As a reader you never QUITE are sure which ideas are real and which ones are just Stone’s warped imaginings. The author's ending too, which is all of about 10 pages and hits you like a ton of matzah, leaves you nodding your head as all those long-held suspicions turn out to be justified. It’s a wonderful conclusion to an exceptionally complex novel.

To the positive, the story centers on a very contentious topic, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. At times the book goes on a length about the rightness of one side over the other and it does seem almost preachy. I realize this must be included to demonstrate the motivation of the protagonist but it can sometimes be rather wearisome. In that general vein, the narrative is a rather long one. It’s not a punch-filled action novel but rather a bit of a plod at times.

In summary, I enjoyed this book both much more and much less than I expected to. Its depths from a character development standpoint are profound. From an action/plot standpoint it's fairly middle of the road. If you like epic battles that are waged between the ears then I think you’re well served with this book. Everything else is just backdrop to that conflict in one man’s mind.


PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you'd want to know. I always aim to improve.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just received this book because a giveaway. I couldn't put it down. I found this book to be such a compelling read. The plot was so complex and interesting. Loved this book!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

My starred review appeared in the 4/15/15 edition of Library Journal:

Papernick's provocative debut novel (after two story collections) explores the motives of religious extremism and how it can attract those in search of identity. When Judge Walter Stone dies in his Brooklyn apartment, his listless son Matthew is forced to confront his checkered legacy—Walter left the bench in disgrace after "jurymandering" a trial in favor of an Israeli man who bashed a Palestinian-born shopkeeper to death; his grandfather Julius was a reputed gangster in the time of Meyer Lansky; and his mother left when Matthew was a child. Feeling adrift, Matthew loses himself inside his father's stacks of books, searching for a connection the two never shared when Walter was alive. His loyalties are soon tested when his father's business partner asks Matthew to release funds earmarked for a museum in his father's name—a museum that the FBI believes will be a front for a terrorist operation in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Drawn into a community of believers with a singular focus, Matthew claims his Jewish heritage for the first time, falling in love in the process. He makes a choice that will set him on the true path and finally gain his late father's acceptance. VERDICT This intelligent and timely thriller is told through a Jewish prism, but Papernick's persuasive insights into the nature of fanaticism and its destructive consequences could be applied to any ideology. Highly recommended.

Copyright ©2015 Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the good fortune of being given a sneak peek of this brilliant and masterfully crafted literary thriller due out this spring from Fig Tree Books. Thanks to Papernick's commanding prose and deep knowledge of Jewish thought, I was immediately sucked into the clever and enthralling plot centered around Matthew Stone, whose complicated psychology lies firmly outside the DSM, and whose character is one I will never forget. Could not put this novel down. Lyrical and incendiary, indeed.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book really stimulated the mind about Jews Arabs and America and New York .it is a complicated story of father and son

[The Jewish Book Council]

Review by Philip K. Jason

[Nicky Enriquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Papernick weaves an intriguing and timely tale of a broken man faced with the grief of the looming legacy of his father. Matthew Stone is pathetic, pitiful, and loathsome all at once (It takes great writing to evoke such emotion from one character). I was taken by the sensational labyrinth of Matthew's search for himself and the raw need to find his place in the world. An innovative "thriller" that is smartly written and an eye-opener to the cultural radicalism, of which I am completely ignorant.

[Eponine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could barely read past the first page. Often, I place much weight on the first line of a novel and hope that it might hook the reader at first glance. However, Papernick's prose sounds as if he had the thesaurus.com window open throughout his writing process and threw in pretentious word choice for the sake of adding legitimacy to a weak work. I doubt this constitutes as an "epic" literary work. I wish him luck with his future endeavors.

[Erika Dreifus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm part of the team at Fig Tree Books that will be helping readers get to know this book next spring. Boy, is it a provocative read. You'll see, in due course. Meantime, fasten your seatbelts, because this novel will take you on *quite* a ride.

[Denice Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

In these troubling times of terrorist attacks on innocent people, The Book of Stone: A Novel is particularly timely and disturbing.
Matthew Stone could never do anything right by his father, a man who could never find a good thing to say to or about his son. Matthew has an interesting family line. His father was a Jewish judge who was forced from the bench after fixing a trial in favor a Jewish extremist, who, by the way, was guilty. Matthew’s father spent considerable time and money financing the Jewish resistance in Israel and here in the United States. Yes, there is a Jewish resistance in the United States. Matthew’s grandfather was a mobster.
When his father dies, Matthew is left alone (his mother had not been in his life since he was a child) and suddenly he feels he must find some connection to his father. Wearing his judicial robes and surrounded by his father’s books, Matthew searches for meaning in his life through the margin notes he finds in his father’s books. Little by little he is drawn into the world of the Jewish resistance, a group he is desperate to gain the respect of, and they want him because he alone has access to the millions of dollars his father hid from the group.
Slowly Matthew is dogged by the FBI while he desperately seeks the approval of the Jewish Resistance. He will do anything to gain their confidence as he substitutes their acceptance for his father’s.
This book doesn’t try to explain how young people find themselves drawn into fanaticism, it examines one aspect of how it COULD happen. And reading this you can see how easy it really is to indoctrinate someone who is vulnerable. This book doesn’t give us answers, it creates more questions. Scary stuff, indeed.

[Joanne Garbato · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Stone is a very well written psychological thriller.Matthew Stone is a vulnerable young man with a history of mental illness.His father,former disgraced judge Walter Stone who he had a strained relationship with,has passed away leaving Matthew alone with no family.Wanting to connect with his father and make him proud Matthew becomes immersed in his father's vast book collection,looking for guidance and meaning.Matthew is also befriended and taken advantage of by a group of people his father was acquainted with,an extreme religious terrorist group.I became completely engrossed in this book and recommend it.

[Bill H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

You'd never know that Hemingway and the realists following him have created generations of readers suspicious of sentences overloaded with adjectives and adverbs. Perhaps pumping up the style fits a protagonist who mourns a father he really didn't know, binges on pills and alcohol, and makes increasingly bad decisions. His self-loathing rubs off on the reader. If that's not enough, Papernick feeds your worst cynicism about those who direct young Jewish idealists willing to resort to terror to strike back at Palestinian politicians and their American friends. I only finished the novel because I was writing a review of it--see https://www.facebook.com/worldlittoday

[Joey Gremillion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories where, when I finish reading, I think about the characters, no matter how secondary or background they maybe, at first read. One of the best compliments that you can give an author is to psychoanalyze his characters. The Book of Stone left me wanting to know more about Matthew, his father, and CERTAINLY his mother and his frenemy, Pinky. Papernick's book is very timely. Religious fanaticism and extremism are found in nearly all religions. The Book of Stone will be discussed in social circles and book clubs. KUDOS

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was unlike anything I had read before and gave me a better understanding into the mind of terrorists. I think I would have gotten more from the book if I had a better understanding of Jewish history, but I learned a lot.

[Vykki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really complex book. I enjoyed the story and got caught in the characters. I found myself rereading parts because I couldn't believe what was happening. I won this book on good reads.

[nikkia neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex and intriguing, made me think for a while after I read it about the themes in the book.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't expect the ending. Held my interest from start to finish.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

So impressed at this clever, intense global story! Such a great read and perspective into another world within the secret walls of New York City.

[Ellis Shuman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readers will have no sympathy for protagonist Matthew Stone, who spends much of this novel whining and aching to be a mass murderer.

I have this habit of starting to read a book without looking at its back cover. Or in the case of an e-book quickly downloaded, I dive into the first chapter without bothering to check its description on Amazon. This habit may have been a mistake in the case of The Book of Stone by Jonathan Papernick (Fig Tree Books, May 2015).

The marketing text says this: “The Book of Stone examines the evolution of the terrorist mentality and the complexities of religious extremism, as well as how easily a vulnerable mind can be exploited for dark purposes.”

What that description doesn’t tell you is that the religious extremism is Jewish extremism and the blood-thirsty terrorists involved make Meir Kahane’s followers in the Jewish Defense League seem like kindergarten teachers.

The problem with this book, however, is not its examination of terrorist mentalities but the main character of the story. Matthew Stone, son of a famous, although disgraced judge; and grandson of a Meyer Lansky-like gangster; is probably the least likeable protagonist you’ll ever meet. The younger Stone has spent his life “chasing after disastrous sexual entanglements, clutching the sinking lifeboat of hopeless relationships and cheap marijuana highs” so much that The Book of Stoned is a more appropriate title. When not smoking weed, or drinking booze, or self-mutilating himself, or nearly strangling his girlfriend, or threatening to kill his mother, Matthew treats us to a whiny obsession-filled monologue that becomes more disturbing with each repetition.

One reviewer said that the book follows “a nice Jewish boy’s slow slide into madness,” but there is nothing nice at all about Matthew Stone. At one point we do feel some sort of a connection to him. This is during a flashback to the time he spent in Israel, recovering from a mental breakdown. We actually root for the young man when he falls in love with an Israeli Arab woman, but the minute he stands her up and readily submits himself to his father’s belt whipping, we again realize that Matthew Stone has never been a “nice Jewish boy.”

The author utilizes a jumpstarted word game to make us better understand the guy. “Change a couple letters in Stone, he thought, you had alone; change another, you had atone; split that word, you had at one.” But despite Matthew’s return to the Jewish fold in time to say Kaddish for his father and join High Holiday services with their “mysterious rhythms and eternal cadences”, no atonement is possible for his numerous sins.

Matthew is about to commit suicide when we first meet him; he later becomes an accessory to the murder of a friend; and by the end of the book he volunteers to commit mass murder. As readers we cannot sympathize with his struggles. We wish we could part company with Matthew Stone much sooner than the book’s conclusion. A surprise twist at the very end may be the only reason to force one’s way through the lengthy narrative.

[Sue]

I happened to start three novels recently that all had as main protagonist a Jewish man (American) who was very out of touch with being Jewish. In the first, The Doorposts of Your Houses and on Your Gates, by Jacob Bacharach, the characters were so self-absorbed & ultimately uninteresting, that I didn't finish the book. The second, The Family Tabor, by Cherise Wolas, I found absorbing & moving, a really outstanding novel. In both of those books, the main protagonist was middle-aged, & he was surrounded by other important characters – spouse, children, grandchildren, colleagues, &c. And in both of them, he received some kind of "vision" in the course of the story.

The third one is The Book of Stone, by Jonathan Papernick. This protagonist is a young man, whose tyrannical & overbearing father has just died. Matthew Stone has always disappointed his father, but apparently his father has left behind some mission that Matthew needs to accomplish – something to do with supporting settlements in the West Bank. I was finding the writing somewhat repetitive, & Matthew's actions not completely believable, but I was intrigued enough to keep reading. But then I got to a flashback scene in which Matthew, then about 20, was living in Israel & was involved with a Christian Arab girl of whom his father disapproved. His father came to Israel to take him away from the girl – and Matthew lets his father whip him with his belt. Matthew actually takes off his pants, lies on the couch, & takes the whipping. That was it. I'm done with this book!

[Rochelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a real problem writing this review. I had a real problem reading this book. First, let me say the positive aspects. It is well-written. Its portrayal
of its protagonist's inner life is powerful. It offers insight into forces that might drive one to religious extremism and even terrorism. Once one gets through the painfully slow first chapters, the plot becomes engaging. And it has a dramatic and unexpected ending.

But I hated this book. It was painful watching our protagonist making bad choices and becoming increasingly brutal.
Beyond that, I had a problem reading this as a Jew. Like the author, I am certainly aware of and decry Jewish fanatics who feel all is justified in the name of religion/ protection of the Jewish nation. Unfortunately, except in polemical anti-Semitic literature, I have rarely seen such vivid portrayal of Jews as cruel and hypocritical. For almost the entire book, there seem to be no one for whom Jewish identity had any meaning who was not also distasteful and/or criminal. I certainly can acknowledge the artistry of the author who surely wanted to leave us with a feeling of repulsion toward such fanaticism but it was a painful read... and I fear there are readers who think that this segment of the Jewish population represents the mainstream rather than the fringe of Jewish society.

[Monty · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated reading this book. I especially despised Matthew Stone. The portrayal of him as a vulnerable individual susceptible to influence was exceptionally effective in that my loathing for the character was complete well before his descent into radicalisation. Well written and indeed compelling . But I enjoyed this as much as the prospect of slamming my head into a brick wall.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The synopsis sounded interesting but I just couldn't get into the story or the characters. DNF

[Linda Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a newer book, it is set in Brooklyn, NY, pre 9/11.

Matthew Stone is a troubled young man who lived with his father until his father’s recent death. He has chosen a path that has brought him to this point alone, his friends having long ago moved on; the woman he loved turned free in the Middle East, all because of his overbearing father. When he finds the apartment he shared with his father has been ransacked, he quickly gathers up his father’s beloved books and suddenly a friend from his past shows up and bids Matthew to move in with him, although the apartment is big, it is not in the best of neighborhoods.

Stone begins reading his father’s books, trying to get to know the man when he realizes that most of the books have entire passages underlined, with hastily scrawled annotations near them. Suddenly, Stone, as he is known by most people, believes his father is communicating with him. When Stone realizes a man that was at the graveside service for his father is following him, he does everything to get away from the man, only to be caught up with. This man, Zohar, is an FBI agent who believes that the area Jewish people are setting up a terrorist attack at the upcoming Palestinian celebration.

Stone checks Zohar out on the internet, only to learn that it appears Zohar, also Jewish, seems to find Jewish plots everywhere, so he scoffs at the man, taking up with the one man he believes was his father’s true friend Reverend Seligman.

Before Stone realizes what he has gotten himself into, he has set up his friend Pinky for a death sentence and driven the girl he has fallen in love with away. Can he stop what he had originally thought his father wanted of him before its too late, or will he become known as a terrorist in his own land?

[Jo Evangelista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was the recipient of the pre-released, unedited version of The Book of Stone. Jonathan Papernick is an eccentric author, with fully realized style. However, while reading this book, I identified a multitude of problems. The most important thing to realize (Which I did not before reading this book) is that, in order to obtain the full effect of the story, it is important to have a menial understanding of Jewish culture. Both the history and politics of Jews are deeply intertwined with this book,and I, being inept at this religion, found it hard-going. Secondly, the novel is quite devoid of tone. While the mood is sound, neither the author nor the protagonist seem characterized, and both fluctuate between real emotions and uneven thoughts. While the ending was profound, it was nowhere near memorable nor exceptional. In many ways, it seemed like a cheesy adventure movie, rather than an intense, romantic psychological thriller. Those seen which hovered on the edge of erotica seemed ill-placed, and lacked form. I found this book hard reading, and probably would not recommend it to anyone, save certain religious extremists. However, I am holding out for a more developed, edited version. I received this book as part of Goodread's First Read giveaway.

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wavering between 2 and 3 stars, but I'm leaving it at 3 because the writing was actually very good. It's probably not even fair to only give it 3 stars -- the plot was not enjoyable, the main character was hard to follow, and I know the fact the book made me squirm is actually a really strong selling point. I just can't bring myself to rate it higher since I found absolutely NO pleasure in the read, and rather thought, "When will this be over?"

Let me reiterate: I think those feelings were all intentional. Stone's character is purposely hard to read because he is mentally unstable. This both adds to and detracts from the overall message, I think -- he is clearly a man looking for some sort of meaning, and therefore finds meaning in everything he looks at. Having him get tangled up in a terrorist plot is both convenient and fitting -- but perhaps a bit dangerous in the way that it portrays extremists as easily manipulated people who just happened to latch onto those ideas.

Anyway, I can appreciate what Papernick did, and the twist of who the terrorists were was definitely great. I just can't say I looked forward to picking up this book until I was within 100 pages of the end and thought, "I can get through this now!"

[Gwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was (one of my) bookclub reads, and if ever I wish I could be there for discussion, this might be it.
Matthew Stone seems to miss obvious significance -- an FBI agent named Zohar? a religious zealot named Brilliant? a romantic interest named Dasi (short for Hadassah) -- and live in paranoia. Or stupidity, I'm not sure which. In flaunting his father's name and wishes, he creates a life of drugs, alcohol, and few true friends. He is easily lured into a fantastical world, and too easily is swayed ... by his mother, by the FBI, by an old family friend ... all of whom may or may not be telling the truth. By not asking questions (a very Jewish trait), he misses the mark, and reality, again and again. Just when there's hope that maybe it will work out -- he's not as stupid as we feared -- well, he is.

Would a man who is his father's son, and spent time in Israel, need holidays and religious rituals explained? Would a person who's Orthodox dress and act in such a provocative manner? And take what is a joke (for tashlich) literally?

Much fodder for discussion, about religion, practice, peace in the Middle East, and relationships.

[World Literature Today]

"From the beginning, Jonathan Papernick thrusts the reader into the middle of a very disorganized life. Matthew Stone, suicidal, somewhat dependent on alcohol and drugs, is forced into sorting out the legacy of his late father, whom he truly did not know. The appeal of the novel lies in plot and theme: the mystery-intrigue elements, the depictions of Jewish worship, prayer, and family life, and the full-voiced rationales for the settlement movement and terrorist actions—the latter never quite qualified by a closer look at major outcomes. The Book of Stone, finally, is less about Stone than the moral options presented to him and the personal consequences of his decisions and actions." - W.M. Hagen

This book was reviewed in the January 2016 issue of World Literature Today magazine. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2...

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to really get sucked into the book but I'm glad that I didn't give up on it.

While slow at first The Book of Stone brings you into a world of espionage, revenge, and deceit. The story picks up as Matthew mourns the loss of his father and finds himself being pulled in different directions. Not sure of who to trust Matthew goes barreling through the story - obnoxiously at times - and makes sense of it all.

I think I was most impressed that I didn't see the twist coming. From Matthew being a scapegoat to Dasi not knowing. While Matthew's need to possess Dasi felt like it came on rather quickly it added an interesting perspective to the story. I also would have liked to know what happens to Matthew in the end.

Overall I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up this book but it went beyond any expectations.