Till We Say Goodbye

by Nahum Sivan

Iraq, the beginning of the 20th century. A young Jewish man receives a threatening prophecy: he will have several sons and a single daughter, but she will go blind, and would be sacrificed for the boys. As the years pass, he gets married, immigrates to Israel with his family, and forgets all about the prophecy. Until the day when Maggie, his only daughter, is diagnosed with leukemia.

This is the first hand, true story of the author, the eldest son of this family. He unveils his extraordinary childhood and sheds new light on the saga of the Iraqi Jews' immigration to Israel. He gracefully describes the hardships and wonders of life in this new land, while the menacing ancient prophecy lies always in the background...

Genres: Fiction

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2014

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read this book war has again plagued the middle east. An unusual but enjoyable read highlighting the fate of immigrants

[The Literary Maven · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this based on a true story "family novel," the narrator, Nahum tells of his family's past and present. Born in Iraq, but raised in Israel, Nahum shares the adventures of his childhood, his mandatory time in the Army, various occupations, and his family's struggle with his only sister's illness. The novel begins with a flashback into his parents' past, a fortune teller's predictions that sadly come true in the end. The novel is not told in chronological order, but rather weaves episodes from throughout Nahum's life with the difficulties the family faces in coping with his sister's illness. Despite the sadness of his sister's death, the novel ends with a joyous birthday celebration for Nahum's mother, attended by generations of his family, and a touching note from the hospital staff who cared for his sister.

The novel was an interesting look into a part of the world and time period I know little about. Learning about traditions and customs of Jews and Arabs through Nahum's stories was interesting. He also shared some very humorous events from his childhood. One evening, he and a gang of friends startle a man sleeping outside to escape the heat of his house. During a day at the nearby sea, one friend encourages the others to jump into the freezing waters, all the while telling them how warm it is. On a day in town, the friends place a brick inside a cardboard box and wait for a passerby to kick it. I could easily picture these mischievous boys and their antics made me laugh. I did struggle at times with the author's writing style which jumped around from past to present without always connecting the events.

[Jessica Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This father found out that he was going to have many sons and only a single daughter. The daughter was to have problems that need to be over come. The father knew years in advance and had to live with the knowledge he held inside of him.

This book is a true story and it is very well written. I love how the author makes me feel things every step of the way. This book will not only bring up emotions, but it will also teach you things you never knew before!

I received this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion/review/feedback.