Beware of God: Stories

by Shalom Auslander

Shalom Auslander's stories in Beware of God have the mysterious punch of a dream. They are wide ranging and A young Jewish man's inexplicable transformation into a very large, blond, tattooed goy ends with an argument over whether or not his father can beat his unclean son with a copy of the Talmud. A pious man having a near-death experience discovers that God is actually a chicken, and he's forced to reconsider his life -- and his diet. At God's insistence, Leo Schwartzman searches Home Depot for supplies for an ark. And a young boy mistakes Holocaust Remembrance Day as emergency preparedness training for the future.

Auslander draws upon his upbringing in an Orthodox Jewish community in New York State to craft stories that are filled with shame, sex, God, and death, but also manage to be wickedly funny and poignant.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Religion, Jewish, Humor, Judaism, The United States Of America

207 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Shalom Auslander is an American author and essayist. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Monsey, New York where he describes himself as having been "raised like a veal".[1][2] His writing style is notable for its Jewish perspective and determinedly negative outlook.

Auslander has published a collection of short stories, Beware of God and a memoir, Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir. His work, often confronting his Orthodox Jewish background, has been featured on Public Radio International's This American Life and in The New Yorker. In January 2012, Auslander published his first novel, Hope: A Tragedy.

Reviews

[Maciek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never heard of Shalom Auslander before picking up Beware of God, his debut collection of short stories. I approached the book without any specific expectations, but ended up reading them all during a surprisingly warm afternoon at the park. I'm happy that I've read it and that I discovered Shalom Auslander, as his book is a total hoot, and I really had a lot of fun while reading it. I'm now looking forward to reading more of Shalom Auslander, and I'm already eyeing his novel and memoir.

All fourteen stories collected here are - obviously - concerned with God and belief in general; it's difficult to classify them. I think that they'd be best described as a combination of parable with parody - a sort of satirical homage, so to speak. But what's most important is that these stories are funny - I have actually laughed out loud while reading this book, and the humor seemed to be cut out just for me - surreal, very satirical and quite dark, at times openly bordering on juvenile but never dumb (I know it sounds like a contradiction, but trust me - that's how it is). These stories contain a fair amount of profanity and swearing - but both are natural elements of language and everyday expression, and in Auslander's stories profanity comes naturally - it's not forced and put there for shock value, only to offend.

Since the book is concerned with God and The Allmighty himself is not only portrayed in these stories but appears as an actual protagonist in several of them. None of these stories come off as purposefully blasphemous and written purely to attack the religious - although they contain elements of recognizable (Jewish) theology the're not pointing it out and mocking it. If anything, they show how a religion can eat its own tail and become lost in the endless dogmas and rules of the book, disassociated from the God that it worships and the reality of the believers who follow it.

Having God as a protagonist is never easy, but Auslander pulls it off. How can we know the mind of God if he works in mysterious ways? However, if we're created in God's own image, doesn't it follow that He can be a bit like us? Can God not feel to well sometimes, and simply have a bad day when things don't go according to His divine plan? Can God say bad words? Well, here he can. We have an irritated and grumpy God having to arrange a drive-by to off a guy whom Death missed on his rounds; in another story God is a divine CEO who organizes a conference and has people go forward with proposals on how to make faith - and himself - more appealing in modern time. In another story, he becomes the annoying voice in a prophet's head, demanding all his wishes to be fulfilled and ultimately achieving the exact opposite result; In a highlight of the volume, a very religious and devoted man dies and discovers that God is literally a giant chicken - and is horrified by the thought of all the people who slobber on His Body every day, and begs to be allowed to go back and stop his wife and kids from going to the KFC.

Stories also focus on the relationship towards God, or those whom we perceive to be God - two hamsters argue theologically at how to best please their divine benefactor who seems to have forgotten to fill up their food - a teenage boy with raging hormones; in what is probably my favorite story a man called Epstein reads Kabbalah for Dummies and creates himself a Golem, whom he intends to be his faithful servant - one who would obediently do the dishes, the laundry, and all the things that Epstein - his creator, and therefore, God - doesn't really like doing. Things go very well, so well in fact that Epstein decides to create a second Golem - two servants are always better than one! - but this proves to be a fatal mistake, as both Golems are total fundamentalists, hopelessly devoted to pleasing Epstein. Even when he issues them a simple order, they argue endlessly between themselves as how it should be interpreted and can never come into an agreement, driving old Epstein crazy - but the vain bastard sort of had this coming, and by the end we feel sorry for the poor Golems rather than for the man who created them.

Humor is obviously a very subjective thing and a book like this will not appeal to every reader, but I believe that it deserves a wider audience than it has so far enjoyed. Beware of God is short and funny and bound to entertain those who don't fear the possibility of having some of their sensibilities ruffled - buy or borrow it, read it, laugh and share it with your friends, but maybe don't bring it to your Bible study group just yet.

[Arwen56 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Questa raccolta di racconti ha un grandissimo pregio: è breve.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of mine lent me this book after i had lent him Auslander's ' A Foreskin's lament '. They are a collection of short stories with the common theme of God. If you are of a nervous disposition as far as God centred stories are concerned then i would advise you to avoid these but if, like me, you bank on God actually having a good sense of humour then read these. The language can be a little choice and Auslander is certainly not backward in coming forward in the ' speaking as you find ' stakes but I found them very thought provoking and if they made me rather uncomfortable at some times then maybe that is a good thing. Some really deep issues occur but are treated in a humourous way and I found fascinating the flights of fancy resulting from 'Death' having failed, in one of the stories, to kill the hero and the extra work that gave God who had to re-mould the lives of others who came into contact with someone whom they never should have met. Re-telling of Charlie Brown story, Good grief; the Almighty as a chicken or should that be Chicken, What might have happened to Noah in 21st century America and assorted attempts to understand the mysterious ways of God. The last story about the creation of golems was, for me, astoundingly unsettling and I am not quite sure why but I found, on the whole, this was a goodread !

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly irreverent recovering Orthodox Jew. Did I mention that he's funny as hell? One word: YES.

[Anangsha Alammyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book with zero expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by Shalom Auslander's dark, witty humor. This is a collection of 14 short stories centering around the theme of God. Though they raise several important questions, none of the stories seem to be written with the intention of mocking religion or those who take hope in Faith. Rather, this is more of a debate on how religion can often be misrepresented, and if you don't infuse your own instinct and logic with it, some parts can come and bite you in the head.

This is a delightful little book filled with surprisingly funny, heartwarming moments. I knew nothing of Jewish traditions, but this was like an eye-opener. I enjoyed the little insights into the author's mind. The characters are a motley bunch, and in some stories, God themselves is the protagonist. Definitely unexpected, but certainly enjoyable. This is a great collection of short stories to read on a lazy weekend. It will make you question a lot of your beliefs, but it will also make you laugh out loud when you least expected to.

[Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of the pandemic, I've ended up watching the most TV in my long life, and I came across a show on Showtime, Happyish. I was blown away with it's original, searing humor that the creator/writer Shalom Auslander so deftly connected with so many great cultural/literary ideas, spiced with exquisite surrealism. I was pissed there was only one season and figured it was too fresh and creative to garner more.

I looked up Shalom online, noted his background and the books he's written and bought BEWARE of GOD story collection and his memoir, "Foreskin's Lament."

I just finished BEWARE OF GOD and I loved it. I laughed out loud behind a mask, sitting in a park, at each page of "Bobo the Self-Hating Chimp" who seemed to spark a potential cult with his suicide. His"Holocaust Tips for Kids" was a somber, thought-provoking riff that echoed Slaughterhouse Five for me. I loved each story and am looking forward to receiving the memoir any day now.

I believe that like Willy Loman, attention must be paid this man, and I will be introducing as many as I can to his work. I wish him great luck with all his future creative endeavors, which I look forward to reading/viewing.

[Elliot Ratzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beware of Shalom Auslander, he’s working out a childhood of bad theology. We know from his superior memoir “Foreskin’s Lament” that he grew up in an abusive household in a superstitious ultra-orthodox community. All of his lingering anxieties and resentments against God-according-to-the-blackhats come out in these stories: a callous God as a complaining gangster, a big chicken, instructing some schmuck to build an ark from supplies at Home Depot. Rabbinic culture is aptly parodied. Auslander has a great sense of timing, and these pieces feel like they were translated from the Yiddish. Yet most seem forced and forgettable, operating on one-note jokey set-ups: the Peanuts characters in a war of religion, hamsters waiting for their human master to feed them, etc. This is not great literature, but may be a momentary salve for those also abused by religion. The last story, about a domestic Golem gone astray is the best, but none hold a candle to Mike Gold’s “Jews without Money” (1930).

[GONZA · Rating 2 out of 5]

alcuni di questi racconti sono dei capolavori con delle battute fantastiche [una su tutte: Hai problemi con l'Io? prova con Dio], altri niente di che; complessivamente il primo libro di Auslander era meglio, ma solo perchè a forza di ridere uno si sentiva male, qui, la risatina esce sempre, ma contenuta

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, hilarious, dark, existential, and irreverent, this collection of shorts by Shalom Auslander takes on Jewish biblical doctrines and faith practices with stories ranging from the comically absurd to the absurdist fable. All fourteen gems contained within this brilliant little book involve His Heavenly Majesty, the human condition, and refreshingly offbeat humor that will make you laugh out loud.

Auslander's upbringing as an Orthodox Jew is reflected in all of his stories. Of course, I have my favorites including: Prophets Dilemma, God is a Big Happy Chicken, It Ain't Easy Bein' Supremey, and The War of the Bernsteins. But I liked them all. In this day and age of flashed "moral" indignation and panic - which has killed much comedy because we're so afraid of offending - Auslander's stories are reminders that it's okay to laugh at being human. And that might be the highest power with which we can survive our lives. In fact, it's critical to our well being. So read this book and re-embrace the notion that it's okay to stop taking life so seriously.

[Dan Blaisdell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever, quick read. A lot of funny stories and a few thought provoking ones.

[Sharon Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entire book filled with Auslander's irreverent wit and dark humor. His truth cuts deep. Sorry I didn't find him sooner. But glad I have plenty of catch-up reading to do.

[Roberto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il libro è una raccolta di racconti brevi, pieni di ironia e di sarcasmo nei confronti di Dio e della religione. Contrariamente al solito, sotto osservazione qui non c’è la religione cristiana, bensì quella ebraica. L’autore, di origini ebraiche, fa riferimento a dogmi, versi ed espressioni non tipiche della religione ebraica, comunemente a noi poco note.
I racconti brevi consentono di spaziare tra svariate ambientazioni e temi differenti, cercando di passare in rassegna i dubbi che normalmente si presentano alla coscienza dell’uomo comune.

Lo stile irriverente e graffiante di Auslander ironizza un po’ su tutto: su dio, sui divieti e timori di punizioni e privazioni tipici della tradizione ebraica, sull’osservanza della Tradizione con i suoi gesti ripetitivi e senza senso.
A volte l’ironia è irriverente, come nel racconto “Dio è un grosso pollo felice”, in cui il protagonista, deceduto, scopre con sorpresa che dio non è altro che un pollo enorme che vive senza curarsi del destino dell’umanità. O quando Schwartzman, protagonista del racconto “Il dilemma del profeta” è costretto a rivolgersi ad uno psicanalista perché estenuato dalle insistenti richieste di dio relative alla costruzione dell’arca, di un altare e di tutte le altre incombenze descritte nel vecchio testamento. Oppure quando dio deve selezionare agenzie stampa per la propria campagna pubblicitaria.

Bello lo stile di Auslander, che ci fa immedesimare nelle situazioni più strambe e nei personaggi più disparati, dall’adolescente con tempesta ormonale allo scimpanzé che improvvisamente prende coscienza di sé e della sua condizione. Sicuramente l’immagine di dio che ne risulta non è delle migliori; ma i racconti alla fine sono un ottimo spunto per la riflessione.

Belle le idee e bello lo stile; ma purtroppo l’effetto finale l’ho trovato un po’ noioso. L’ironia, sempre presente nel libro, dopo un po’ che si legge perde il suo impatto, il punto di vista dell’autore diventa chiaro dopo poche pagine e l’interesse pian piano va scemando. Soprattutto se si sono già letti altri libri dello stesso tipo dello stesso autore, quali ad esempio “Il lamento del prepuzio”

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, the obvious thing to say (because it is true) is that this book is a good mix of Woody Allen and Chaim Potok. It is true because it is funny (in a Jewish way), like Allen's short stories, and also knowledgeable about Ultra-Orthodox Judaism (in a Jewish way), like The Chosen or Asher Lev. But, really, it's not actually as funny as Woody Allen. And it doesn't say anything as interesting about Orthodox Judaism as Chaim Potok does. So, if you like Woody Allen and Chaim Potok, you would probably like this. But, then, not as much as you would enjoy re-reading Woody Allen or Chaim Potok.

In a way, then, this book is kind of like the third-closest ice cream parlor to your house. On most measures, there's nothing wrong with it. But, honestly, you're never going to actually go there again because there are two ice cream parlors that are closer. Here, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories, but there's no chance that I'm ever going to read them again.

The best story, by far, was the one where the guy creates some golems who worship him, but in a really Jewish way so that they argue about everything he says and get it all wrong. The worst story was about Chicken because -- and who could have expected this? -- the story where the deity is a giant chicken was actually really trite. Also, the book was really short, but by the end it was already starting to feel repetitive.

Overall, as someone once said (I forget who), each story in this book (like life itself) is full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it's all over much too quickly.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, witty, concise and edgy.
Naturally, considering the background of Shalom Auslander, most of the stories in the book deal mainly with aspects, views, history and stories from Judaism; though to say only that much would not suffice to pay the content credit. The way in which the stories were conveyed weren't difficult to read, but the things learned from them are well worth the time invested; this is because of the various references to historical events (the holocaust and more), terms (many Jewish and Muslim), places (Charlie Brown's town, Heaven, A cage in an apartment, a zoo and more), ideas (displayed in wacky and admiral ways - I don't want to spoil anything), characters (hamsters, prurient and conscious apes, God, Death, Lucifer, pestering angels and more).
It's understandable how someone/some people may take offense from such a work, but the story-telling and creativity skills of the author far outweigh the negatives considered or least breakeven.
A good read indeed.

[Anita Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I’ve only ever heard Shalom Auslander speak about serious subjects, like the existential fear he at times experienced when he decided to distance himself from his Orthodox Jewish upbringing. I started reading this book knowing that he was a man steeped in Judaism, but I had no idea how flat out funny he is. He writes with a wry sense of humor, a startling awareness of the human condition and a sharp prose that somehow manages to be both a tiny bit jaded yet steeped in sentimentality. Not an easy feat, to be sure. Read my entire review here: http://ireadoddbooks.com/ire/beware-o...

[Vin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you weren't afraid of GOD before you read this book, you may suffer a bit of retributive paranoia afterward. My favorite piece was the Charlie Brown allegory. Auslander should be writing for the late night comics if he's not already...

[Ben Thurley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is, for mine, a very uneven collection of satirical short stories which take aim at orthodox Jewish belief. God, in these stories, is tired, distracted, absent, or – indeed – a chicken. There's a few enjoyable conceits and some interesting engagement with topics relating to religious belief and practice. In a recast Genesis narrative, a chimp, Bobo, comes to self awareness and the experiences of guilt, shame and regret that are part and parcel of that foundational narrative. In "Somebody Up There Likes You", God, Satan and Death argue over the best ways to kill people in an age where access to technology and medicine are making deaths, and the religious reverence associated with death, less prevalent.

I enjoyed "The War of the Bernsteins" in which a husband becomes increasingly and obsessively observant to clear his path to the World To Come while the wife prepares a different kind of exit. There's also a blunt and brutal poignancy to the fragmentary, "Holocaust Tips For Kids".

But I have to say the whole collection doesn't live up to the promise of these two stories. The satire is just too heavy-handed and the "comedy" just too obvious to really work for me.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
You don't have to be a lapsed Orthodox Jew to understand and appreciate this book, but I'd imagine it helps. Even the "mostly secular Jew" thing I have going on helps a bit.

I first encountered the work of S. Auslander on This American Life, mostly enjoying his autobiographical stuff, but also (I believe) the story about God being a chicken that appears in this petite volume. Maybe also the one about the hamsters.

This book is much smaller than I had expected, literally: as tall as a mass market paperback, about as wide as a trade, with the larger typeface and margins of a trade. That is to say- it is a very short book. The book comprises fourteen very short stories, many of which read like fables. Or parables. Not a lot of hidden depth there, it's all out in the open. Each story is a hit-and-run, leaving the reader both amused and uncomfortable, but knowing exactly what the discomfort is about. No need to ruminate too much. It's a quick read.

[Tony Lawrence]

A former Orthodox Jew writes short stories about the absurd, the irreverent, and (probably) blasphemous!

It probably helps to fully appreciate these stories (Auslander’s debut?) if you have a Jewish background, and a [catholic] sense of humour … but they are still wickedly funny without. The butt of the jokes are very Jewish; anxiety about their relationship with God and observance (Mitzvot) resulting variously in spiritual doubts, guilt, shame, fear, disillusionment etc. God makes several appearances; as a big chicken, a somewhat inept assassin, and bizarrely a Snoopy parable involving a battle between the Schulzians and Pumpkinites. There are sentient hamsters, a God aware ape, and a judgemental dog, golems, reluctant prophets … did I say it was irreverent?!

[elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Auslander's thinking and his brand of humor. In this small book of short pieces he visits some of his odder thoughts on religion. There is the person who finds what everyone considers the oldest copy of the Old Testament, but he can't find a buyer because there is something written across the top with defies what people have believed about this book for millennia (not saying because it would be a spoiler).
Then there is the story of G-d and Death krevtching how hard it's gotten to kill people off (now they have vaccines!). And let's not forget the nebbish who makes not one, but two Golem, who not only annoy him but fight with each other.
I am a big fan of Auslander, this is a great travel book, I read the entire book on my bus commute to work. Humorous and thought provoking.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't have to be Jewish to understand these stories, but it certainly helps.

I had never heard of Auslander before a friend recommended this book to me, but it looks like he wrote an OTD memoir called Foreskin's Lament. Reading a couple reviews of that reveals that he grew up Orthodox in an abusive family dynamic and that his relationship with G-d replicates that same dynamic--G-d definitely exists, and he's definitely malevolent most of the time, so the most you can do is curse at the heavens and occasionally try to make bargains, and hope that G-d doesn't decide that the thing you really need to do is kill me a son.

That perspective on G-d is aptly reflected in the title, which is a fair guide to the stories within. Sometimes G-d is absent, and sometimes he's malevolent, and sometimes he's vengeful, and sometimes he's indifferent, and sometimes he's just stressed about all the work he has to do it keep things running. But love? Compassion? Justice? Are you sure you've got the right god here?

My favorite story was probably the final story in the collection, "It Ain't Easy Bein' Supremey," where an ordinary man gets a copy of Kabbalah For Dummies, follows the instructions for making a golem, and Baruch Hashem it succeeds. The golem is a marvel, able to accomplish all of his chores easily and make his life more convenient in every way, but it's very concerned about the proper way to do things. Once a second golem appears, they begin to argue about exactly what "doing the laundry means." What counts as a "color" in terms of separating colors from whites--must the entire garment be colored, or is part of the garment sufficient? What sort of detergent should be used, and how much? If the wrong detergent is used does the garment still count as "washed"?

If you know anything about halakha, you know how this goes.

My second-favorite story was "Holocaust Tips for Kids," which was a big list of what to do in the event of another Shoah as thought of by a young boy. Gems of wisdom like "You need to be in good shape for the Holocaust" (due to all the running and hiding) or "If there's ever a Night of Broken Glass where you live, leave," or "Nazi dogs don't go to Heaven," mixed in with mundane observations about the neighbors, a plan to escape to Florida and from there to Israel, digressions about Houdini's Jewish background and ability to escape all situations and Bruce Lee's ability to use martial arts, and worries about how likely his goyish neighbor would be to side with the Nazis. It was a really good portrayal of a child who knows that something is serious because he's been repeatedly told so by the adults in his life, but doesn't really grasp what that seriousness means.

"Smite the Heathens, Charlie Brown!" is about the death of Charles Schulz and how the characters split into rival Shulzian vs. Pumpkinite factions and nearby launch a holy war against each other. A lot of this story I was indifferent to, but the scene of Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown while decrying the cycle of violence saved it for me:

Lucy says: "Maybe one day, in some distant utopian future, we can stop this hideous cycle of violence once and for all."
Lucy pulls the ball away and Charlie Brown falls flat on his back.
"That's a beautiful sentiment," says Charlie Brown.
"I'm a beautiful person," says Lucy.

In some distant utopian future, but why even try now?

I also liked "Somebody Up There Likes You," about the miraculous survival of Mr. Bloom from a car wreck that should have killed him--except it turns out that it definitely should have killed him, he was supposed to die six months ago, and G-d has to leave Heaven to take the matter personally in hand. The image of G-d as a scheduler of universal death, increasingly annoyed as human technological progress makes it harder and harder to use once-sure-fire means like plague or heart attack, was the best part of the story.

Several of the stories are a single joke spun out into a larger narrative. "The Metamorphosis" features Motty's body below the head transformed into a goy construction worker, and the entire story is rabbinic debate about whether he's allowed in the synagogue, whether his old friends can still be friends with him or not, whether the fact that his head is still Jewish counts and if so how much, and so on. "Prophet’s Dilemma" is about how if you listen to G-d once, his demands of you will never cease and so the best thing to do is just ignore him if he calls. "Heimish Knows All" is about a young boy's obsession with pornography and his dog as the stand-in for G-d, who knows all and sees his sins.

There's not a single story in here where G-d is someone I'd actually want to meet or deal with in any capacity, which matches with Auslander's personal ideas of him. And the one-note stories were like Onion articles where the headline contains the entire joke and the rest of the story is just beating the joke repeatedly until it dies. But the good stories elevate the collection.

Probably still not going to read the OTD memoir, though.

[Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely good story collection.

Bobo knew how they felt. Look at us, Bobo thought, shaking his head sadly. A bunch of fucking monkeys. Where is our dignity? Where is our pride? Where are our pants? ("Bobo the Self-Hating Chimp")

I do like the deep irony. Also I think this is deeply spiritual.

Mrs. Epstein slammed the washer shut and stormed out of the room.
"Delicate or permanent press?" the golem called out after her.
* * *
"Epstein clearly said to separate whites and colors," said Golem One.
"I don't disagree with that," said Golem Two. "I disagree with how you interpret the word 'colors.'" ("It Ain't Easy Bein' Supremey")

[frida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una serie di racconti sul rapporto tra l'essere umano e Dio, illustrato con sguardo beffardo e sarcastico in tutte le sue contraddizioni, fino al ridicolo. Non tutti i racconti sono allo stesso livello ma di sicuro ognuno troverà il suo: alcuni sono davvero memorabili.
I riferimenti alla religione ebraica possono essere oscuri per chi non la conosce ma, a parte il fatto che nell'era di Google si risolve velocemente, il tema è universale così come la chiave con cui può essere letto al di là della religione specifica del caso. Perchè in fondo la religione resta una produzione umana e non può che riflettere tutte le imperfezioni, stupidità compresa, del suo creatore.
Divertente.

[Courtney Ferriter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auslander's stories in this collection are light, humorous, and definitely blasphemous. Some of them are cleverer than others, but most of the stories share the same theme of religious clashes (whether within the same religion or those of differing religions/sects) that lead to stagnation, lack of progress, and lack of communication. I thought the last story in the collection about the golems ("It Ain't Easy Bein' Supremey") worked especially well for demonstrating this point.

[Keerthi Vasishta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wacky and irreverant, Shalom Alexander's collection is certainly entertaining. The absurdity of action and faith showcased by the author is remarkable, especially with the experiments with form. The weird style is not off-putting however, remaining accessible to most readers.
Unfortunately, at many points it felt like none of the stories had a third-dimension, which may well have been intentional but contributes to negating the overall impact of the collection.

[Les75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irriverente, dissacrante, blasfemo, sboccato, irrispettoso, sardonico, cinico, ironico: in breve, questi gli aggettivi con cui è possibile descrivere lo stile di questi racconti brillanti e surreali. Chi meglio di un ebreo può ridicolizzare l'intransigenza dell'ebraismo più ortodosso? Con Auslander, la lezione di Woody Allen è ben assimilata e ancora più sviluppata.

[Maurizio Manco · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Se vi dovesse mai capitare di sentire nella testa una voce che vi dice di essere Dio e che benedirà voi e i vostri figli e i figli dei vostri figli, fate finta di non averLo sentito." (Il dilemma del profeta, p. 118)

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable and fun book that springs forth from the loins of the Judaic traditions, such as wisdom teachings, speculating about the nature of God, and relating to God as one does toward an angry uncle. The short stories are witty, fun, and surprising. I found myself laughing out loud.

[Nefele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertente, ha un’ottima vena cinico satirica, ma a volte non è così comprensibile (ho saltato un intero capitolo per questo). Più che altro varia un bel po da un capitolo all’altro, alcuni sono ganzissimi, altri sanno di poco.

[Sparky Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds me of a quote from Will Sennet: "I believe in God, but I do not worship him, I think he's made my life unspeakably difficult"

No skips, all bangers. God is a Big Happy Chicken is intensely good and the glimmering, redemptive story of the bunch.