Count to a Thousand

by Caroline Goldberg Igra

"Count to a Thousand" is a poignant novel about an American expatriate whose insular life in Israel is shattered by unanticipated events.

After two decades in Israel, American born and bred Victoria still struggles to make peace with her relocation to Israel. She constructs a purposefully insular life in a coastal community analogous to the one she’d expected to live back in the United States, replete with conventional activities associated with American suburbia and expat friends that share the same acerbic, oftentimes critical, attitude to their surroundings. Cracks in this bubble-like existence begin to emerge with her elder child’s induction into the Israeli Defense Forces, and a succession of unexpected events, ultimately collapse the fragile equilibrium she's managed to attain, crushing any remaining pretense of ambivalence toward her adopted country and forcing her to reassess her allegiances.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2018

About the author

I grew up in Philadelphia, attended Brown University, and collected graduate degrees at the University of Michigan and the Institute of Fine Art, NYU. After relocation to Israel, I continued to develop my academic career by teaching at both the University of Haifa and Hebrew University, publishing scholarly articles, and most excitedly reviving the lost career of Polish artist, J.D. Kirszenbaum. This project culminated in exhibitions at the Museum of Art, Ein Harod, and the Museum of the Jewish People, Tel Aviv as well as a major monograph of the artist which Slate Magazine Claimed Book of the Year in 2013. A few years ago I decided to turn my attention to non-academic writing, starting off with a blog named "Stuck in the Middle" that captured my experience as an American living in Israel, advancing to include several published pieces and culminated in my first novel, Count to a Thousand. I'm presently working on a new novel about mothers and daughters.

Reviews

[Madeleine Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria is married with children and living in Israel, but constantly struggles to settle down and is torn between returning back to work in her native America and staying in Israel. Living there isn't as simple as she imagined and she struggles with the language, culture and the attitudes of the locals.

Things become even more difficult when her son Ben is called up to do his army duty and she lives life on tender hooks waiting to get the reassuring call from him to say he's ok. As a mother I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like with a child serving in an army and note being able to make contact with them, praying constantly for their safe return from a mission.

This well written story is about the connections we make to places and people and discovering what really matters.

" You know, the minute Ben started his service things began to change for me. It was like someone shook up the snow dome of my life"

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank-you to Ms. Goldberg Igra for providing a copy via #Goodreadsgiveaway.
Honest review is entirely mine:

This was a wonderful read. Writing was solid.
I was hoping for an insider's view of Israel when I selected this; and Igra delivers.
This is & isn't about war/conflict.
It's about love & identity.
The book from the start brought the tension of a mother picking her son up for leave while doing his 1000 days of service. The adjustment of an American expat living in the promised land... and things aren't always so promising.

The voice of Victoria (captured eloquently in 3rd person) underlies the struggles of all women while highlighting the unique circumstances of living in constant fear of conflict. The covert pressures to accept, to learn Hebrew, to belong, to adapt, the social & cultural elements that go unsaid, but apply steady pressure to conform or you remain an outsider are presented in a wonderful layered story of family & friendships.

My only disappointment was in an attempt to add layers, Igra may have included too many of her friends perspectives. I felt this was Victoria's story, but the cut-aways to the other expats situations distracted. It was interesting to see collectively they shared the struggle to adapt; but, I almost felt that should have been part of a different story. The ending was very well-done. It didn't sell out to happy endings, but gave Victoria closure where needed.

There is a lot of material to work with. Igra has chosen to highlight modern women living in Israel. Women who often come up against sterotypes, the pressure of family-clan dynamics & the need for personal fulfillment. A career vs. a job. I absolutely felt the tension between Victoria & Guy as they navigate the larger bumps in what is presented as a solid, happy marriage.

Would I read this book again? In a heartbeat.
Would I like to see more books by Igra? Definitely.
The voice of Victoria was sublime. I resonated with me for its struggles to maintain normalcy while navigating the challenges of life in Caesarea, Israel.

[Cheryl Sokoloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book begins with Victoria waiting at the train 🚊 station in #Caesarea for Ben, her eldest son. He’s returning for the weekend from the army, and Victoria still can’t get used to the idea that Ben is serving in the #IDF, no less, in a combat platoon. Truthfully, she knows that she never fully immersed herself into life in #Israel. Her husband Guy, always tried to push her. But she had certain limitations, especially when it came to risky situations. For example, waiting at a traffic light 🚦 beside a bus 🚌 was not something she could ever get comfortable with. Not to mention, the career sacrifices she had to make, are always somewhere in the back of her mind. So it’s no wonder, that she is questioning herself, “How did I ever accept this kind of life?” Count to a Thousand is Caroline Goldberg Igra’s debut novel. I picked up the book and just could not put it down. The writing is absolutely beautiful. Caroline is an American expat herself, originally from #Philadelphia, she made Aliyah, as a young adult, and lives with her family in #Caesarea. I highly recommend this #📚. #5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #5🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 #israelidefenseforce #aliyah #expat #beachread #summerread #summerread2020 #beachreads @count_to_a_thousand #inside #1000days

[Lori Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This intimate and moving account of an American ex-pat living in Israel and trying to adjust to a very different culture is engrossing from page one. We follow Victoria as she tries to find home halfway across the globe. Though she raises a beautiful family, and surrounds herself with like-minded ex-pat friends, she continually struggles to find a sense of belonging and to come to terms with sacrifices she is forced to make in her career. More importantly, with her son’s conscription into the Israeli army, she must confront the realities of sending children off to war.

Igra’s portrayal of a mother’s anguish is powerful and heartfelt; her depiction of a woman’s doubts about the life choices she’s made honest and engaging. Count to a Thousand is beautifully written -- Igra captures the dynamic of female friendship perfectly, and has a knack for evoking a sense of place and a way of life. In the end, Victoria is forced to make the most difficult choice of all. I couldn’t put this book down.

[Gina Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a deeply felt novel about adjusting to life in a foreign country, feeling like an outsider in your adopted environment and longing to go back to your home country. Ms. Igra uses evocative language and snapshots of different times and different characters to capture the experience of an American woman who finds herself in Israel after falling in love with an Israeli. She raises a family with him and carves out a place for herself in a thriving expat community. When her eldest is conscripted into the army and put directly in harm’s way, she has to face the most serious of her concerns about her adopted country and make some tough decisions. As an American who has often daydreamed about living abroad, it was fascinating to me to see the pluses and minuses of the expat life.

[Melissa Eisenstat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book felt like having a close girlfriend tell me her personal story. I'm married to an American, not a parent (unfortunately) and have always lived in the US (although I've spent significant time abroad). Nonetheless, this story describing the many bonds that make one's life worth living wherever one is completely resonated with me.

[Jamie Fortunoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It is a moving, emotional story of an American Expat's life in Israel and the struggles of having a son in the IDF. The characters are relatable and the emotions spot-on. It is a story that is gripping, moving, sad and humorous all at the same time. I didn't want to put it down. I recommend it highly!

[debra L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Easy to read; interesting subject matter. . The writing and editing I felt could've been a bit better-- but should provide interesting discussion for book club.