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The Manor & The Estate
The Manor and The Estate—combined in this one-volume edition—bold tales of Polish Jews in the latter half of the nineteenth century, a time of rapid industrial growth and radical social change that enabled the Jewish community to move from the ghetto to prominent positions within Polish society.
817 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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109 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Bashevis Singer
551 books1,119 followersIsaac Bashevis Singer was a Polish American author of Jewish descent, noted for his short stories. He was one of the leading figures in the Yiddish literary movement, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978.
His memoir, "A Day Of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw", won the U.S. National Book Award in Children's Literature in 1970, while his collection "A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories" won the U.S. National Book Award in Fiction in 1974.
His memoir, "A Day Of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw", won the U.S. National Book Award in Children's Literature in 1970, while his collection "A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories" won the U.S. National Book Award in Fiction in 1974.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 8, 2025
I don't know how many installments this took in the 1953/4 Daily Forward, but it's certainly following the mode of leisurely serialization. Intended as a single "Manor" volume, Singer explains its publisher insisted, doubtless for slim profit-driven agendas, to split this into a second "Estate," unnecessarily.
So, the combined reissue solved that. It's hefty, episodic, and told with detached, epic restraint. I saw it (and "Family Moskat," which although later in chronology, the earlier 20c., preceded in its writing) called Tolstoyan. Makes sense, as it rarely lapses into antic jitters of some of his short novels or tales.
Well, there's mystic transport as devilish dreams on a rabbi's deathbed a fifth in, for instance. And towards the conclusion, the small-town committed flock to a supposedly wonder-working tzadik, while his assimilated urban cousins muse about mesmerism, a clever juxtaposition. Overall, this giant, multigenerational chronicle unfolds in a muted, modest, mundane manner. Realistic (albeit Singer's adroit at integrating a pull of reverie upon muddled minds), if largely stolid. Events resonate subtly, as Singer evokes a slow but steady transition from customs to post-1870 radical, "positivist" modernity, thoughtfully. It's a reflection on a passing away of generations as successors seek success.
It isn't until about halfway through the "Manor" part (if you're reading this in two sections, or about a third of the combined 2004 ed.) that the pace quickens. Warsaw-centered affairs of the heart join whispers of anti-tsarist plots. Decisions to abandon tradition take momentum, customary for Singer.
These interspersed chapters alternating between characters young or old, male and female, devoted or debauched, mostly of Jewish origin (if not practice), reminds me of Singer's posthumous (though composed around the same postwar period) "Shadows on the Hudson." I reckon the Moskat clan will parallel this structure. While their creator has been justifiably lauded for his imaginative exploration of folklore from the vanished realms of Yiddishkeit, I hold that also in sprawling epics over decades of change, with fewer dybbuks, hardly any nods to kabbalah, Singer demonstrates his power to enchant.
Singer masterfully articulates the difficulties of contemporary descendents of believers who, brought up or evolving into rational arguments against faith, nevertheless cannot shake off the sensation of a divine presence defying logic. Free will, the body vs the soul, the durability of what so many mock...
A Dostoevsky-ish figure, deep into "Estate," haunts margins; another tragic, self-righteous figure suddenly gets to sail for New York City; the narrative's first protagonist endures despite mortality. It doesn't sag, but certainly there's extended clashes and couplings which skirt soap-opera conventions.
Marrying, investing, eloping, bickering, flirting, praying, dying, dining: what you're expecting from a late-19c Polish Ashkenazi milieu, set in country comfort, but close to cities, full of secularism, as Jews find temptation alongside Gentiles to court, convert, and contend with in trade. Genially and steadily conveyed. Maybe a slight remove comes from bygone idiom, or Yiddish shares a stately, reserved air?
So, the combined reissue solved that. It's hefty, episodic, and told with detached, epic restraint. I saw it (and "Family Moskat," which although later in chronology, the earlier 20c., preceded in its writing) called Tolstoyan. Makes sense, as it rarely lapses into antic jitters of some of his short novels or tales.
Well, there's mystic transport as devilish dreams on a rabbi's deathbed a fifth in, for instance. And towards the conclusion, the small-town committed flock to a supposedly wonder-working tzadik, while his assimilated urban cousins muse about mesmerism, a clever juxtaposition. Overall, this giant, multigenerational chronicle unfolds in a muted, modest, mundane manner. Realistic (albeit Singer's adroit at integrating a pull of reverie upon muddled minds), if largely stolid. Events resonate subtly, as Singer evokes a slow but steady transition from customs to post-1870 radical, "positivist" modernity, thoughtfully. It's a reflection on a passing away of generations as successors seek success.
It isn't until about halfway through the "Manor" part (if you're reading this in two sections, or about a third of the combined 2004 ed.) that the pace quickens. Warsaw-centered affairs of the heart join whispers of anti-tsarist plots. Decisions to abandon tradition take momentum, customary for Singer.
These interspersed chapters alternating between characters young or old, male and female, devoted or debauched, mostly of Jewish origin (if not practice), reminds me of Singer's posthumous (though composed around the same postwar period) "Shadows on the Hudson." I reckon the Moskat clan will parallel this structure. While their creator has been justifiably lauded for his imaginative exploration of folklore from the vanished realms of Yiddishkeit, I hold that also in sprawling epics over decades of change, with fewer dybbuks, hardly any nods to kabbalah, Singer demonstrates his power to enchant.
Singer masterfully articulates the difficulties of contemporary descendents of believers who, brought up or evolving into rational arguments against faith, nevertheless cannot shake off the sensation of a divine presence defying logic. Free will, the body vs the soul, the durability of what so many mock...
A Dostoevsky-ish figure, deep into "Estate," haunts margins; another tragic, self-righteous figure suddenly gets to sail for New York City; the narrative's first protagonist endures despite mortality. It doesn't sag, but certainly there's extended clashes and couplings which skirt soap-opera conventions.
Marrying, investing, eloping, bickering, flirting, praying, dying, dining: what you're expecting from a late-19c Polish Ashkenazi milieu, set in country comfort, but close to cities, full of secularism, as Jews find temptation alongside Gentiles to court, convert, and contend with in trade. Genially and steadily conveyed. Maybe a slight remove comes from bygone idiom, or Yiddish shares a stately, reserved air?
June 1, 2021
I read this many years ago for my book group. Isaac Bashevis Singer was a Polish-born Jewish-American born in 1903 who is known for historical fiction stories depicting the history of 19th century Polish Jewry. He wrote in Yiddish and his books (including this one) were translated to English. I love reading historical fiction to learn about history. In this book, Singer created wonderful characters who represent different movements that were happening in 1860’s Poland at that time. Characters that represented the shift of Jewish history from the period of the tsars to the Enlightenment to when socialism and Zionist socialism emerged. The antisemitism of that time is also clearly depicted. When Singer wrote about battles or pogroms that happened, I found myself looking up for more information; looking at maps, etc., and learned so much history because this book covers many generations among a family. Singer is an amazing storyteller and even though I read this book many years ago, I have never forgotten what I learned.
December 24, 2017
This book is a sort of Polish version of East of Eden, a huge, sprawling, family saga, epic novel that shows life in Poland under Russian occupation, and the transitions going on in society during the 1800's. The political and historical events going on in Poland are not in focus in this book, because the story focuses on an Orthodox Jewish family that was initially self-isolated from the modern world. That isolation becomes increasingly tattered and fragmentary with each new generation, and even the older members of the family find themselves living in ways they could never have dreamed of during their isolationist Orthodox years. Most of the family still claims a Jewish identity throughout the story, but what that means changes a lot over the course of each person's life.
I liked this book. I could see why it was split into 2 books- it is a dense story with lots of characters and places and events, and after a while the different characters do tend to get easily muddled and confusing. Keeping track of which children were whose, and who married whom, and which characters knew each other or liked each other was tough, and a notepad might have been a useful reading aide for this book. I may reread it later, since I know I missed a few things towards the middle and not all of the family drama after that made much sense as a result. Also, I don't know a lot about Polish history, so I missed references to what was going on outside the family's dramas. Still, this was a good book, well written and well-translated, and worth reading in its entirety. It brings up all sorts of questions and ideas about identity, belief, and tradition, and shows an interesting side of Poland, the Orthodox Jewish community, that is a bit different from what I usually think of when I think about Poland.
I liked this book. I could see why it was split into 2 books- it is a dense story with lots of characters and places and events, and after a while the different characters do tend to get easily muddled and confusing. Keeping track of which children were whose, and who married whom, and which characters knew each other or liked each other was tough, and a notepad might have been a useful reading aide for this book. I may reread it later, since I know I missed a few things towards the middle and not all of the family drama after that made much sense as a result. Also, I don't know a lot about Polish history, so I missed references to what was going on outside the family's dramas. Still, this was a good book, well written and well-translated, and worth reading in its entirety. It brings up all sorts of questions and ideas about identity, belief, and tradition, and shows an interesting side of Poland, the Orthodox Jewish community, that is a bit different from what I usually think of when I think about Poland.
May 11, 2023
I.B. Singer's work is set in Poland in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Through the changes happening in Jewish family members' lives, Singer explores how the drastic changes in science and technology impact everyday lives. Our worldviews are influenced by society and it has real implications for our actions. Jews in Poland have lived for more than 800 years and their lives are characterized by religious traditions, every aspect of their lives has been controlled by religious beliefs. The moral beliefs they follow, the festivals they celebrate, and the role of men and women in the family were all influenced by religious beliefs. Things start to change as currents of modernity start sweeping Jewish lives, growing economic prosperity, and changes in science and technology forced ordinary Jews to question their religious beliefs.
The characters in this novel start questioning beliefs like if there is a creator, how do we know if the Jewish Torah is the only true way what about religious beliefs practiced by other religions? Scientific discoveries like Darwin's evolution, and understanding in astronomy question the idea of the existence of a creator. These doubts result in a confused state of these characters, if there is no creator and if there is no central importance to the ten commandments, if there is no idea of sin, how do we make everyday choices? Does this really help humanity, if everything is defined by chance events and there is no moral order behind that governs human actions then how do humans find meaning?
The novel begins with the failed revolution of the Polish aristocracy against the Russian rule present in Poland during that time. Although the Jews are not directly participating in this it affects their fortunes positively indirectly. The novel's central character Calman Jacoby takes over the running of a Polish estate confiscated by the Russian authorities after the failed revolution. Calman's fortune changes after this event, a pious Jew he becomes prosperous. The changes happening in Poland like the construction of railroads, contribute towards his riches. It is through following the lives of Calman and his family we understand the changes happening in Jewish life. It is a family saga in an epic scale, each member of his family and those they relate to their lives become a sort of microcosm of Jewish life in Poland.
Calman himself is torn between living a pious Jewish life, and also getting caught up in the drastic life changes happening around him. A man who till his end is constantly trying to grapple with desires, especially carnal ones, his life sees ups and downs. His economic prosperity gives him mobility in social status, he gets introduced to aristocratic Jews who are liberal in their lives. Yet he is never able to overcome his traditional Jewish beliefs. All of Calman's daughters' lives are impacted to varying degrees due to the changes happening in society. After the death of his wife, he marries Clara a Jewish frivolous woman, from the beginning Calman is aware of the stupidity of this decision. His conscience constantly warns him against the baseness of the woman, but he seems to be unable to control his desires and falls to her. This is a constant theme in the novel, men and women seem to be powerless against the desire that determines their destiny. Singer seems to be concluding that without a strict moral compass, human beings will fall for desire. This a very sober and sometimes depressing read that one gets by the constant failings of these characters. Clara till her death never seems to be able to live a content life, she is constantly falling in love and every time she gets closer to death she seems to repent but once she is healthy she is back to leading a life of frivolity. Calman's marriage with Clara ends in a disastrous manner, as she gets involved in incestuous relationships he is morally sickened by her baseness. Even after being separated from Clara, Calman is constantly struggling against carnal desires and passions. His only recourse seems to be to live a life defined by Jewish beliefs. Even if these beliefs might not be scientifically valid yet his life without them seems to be much worse.
Compared to Calman, Clara's life is one characterized by duplicity and falsehood. There is a fascinating episode in the novel when Clara falls out with her lover, they charge against each other and find out they both cannot agree on what is true. They confess that they cannot swear on a god as both of them do not believe in a god. This seems to be the problem for both of them. During this time in Poland among Jewish intelligentsia there are three major viewpoints about how Jews should try to change themselves. The socialists believe in the revolution they do not believe in religion or god and consider it exploitative. The modernists want Jews in Poland to assimilate with the Polish society by learning the language, learning science, and technology rather than believing that every wisdom is contained in the Torah. There are zionists who believe Jews should migrate to Israel and create a Jewish nation.
All these three viewpoints are represented in these novels. Somehow Singer does not seem to be so convinced by any of them. The character Ezriel represents this dilemma very clearly, he is a modern and enlightened Jew, and he moves to Warsaw and studies to become a doctor. He is married to Shaindel the second daughter of Calman. Ezriel in the early stages of the novel wants to reform and lead a life of a modern man, he disconnects himself from his father a rabbi himself, and he is ashamed of the Jewish ways of his wife. Yet all through the novel, he could never get convinced by the modern ways. His own sister gets herself involved in the socialist movement in Poland and is sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. He gets to see the conflicts among the socialist movements, their violent ways, and their complete lack of respect for their own forefathers is not to his liking. Ezriel himself gets involved in an affair with a widow, he is torn by guilt of his actions yet unable to overcome his desire. There is something seductive about the guilt that gives men pleasure, whereas a moral life looks boring and dull at the outset. Ezriel gets caught in this trap, and Shaindel in her later life is diagnosed with mental illness. She is admitted to an asylum, and Ezriel starts living with the widow. He visits her but she is caught up in her own fears and illusions. For Ezriel the mental illness that characterizes modern humans stems from a lack of belief and moral framework to lead life. The way Ezriel and his secret lover fool themselves and get involved in their secret desires showcases masterfully the complexity of the human condition.
Calman's other daughter Mariam Leiba's life is one that is completely tragic. She elopes with a gentile named Lucian, and becomes a Christian. Her family completely severs her ties. Her life with Lucian is tragic and sorrowful. Lucian is one of the characters in the novel who is completely sold to evil. Others in the novel seem to be oscillating between the extremes of good and bad. Lucian continuously cheats everyone, having multiple affairs, with no proper work he gets even jailed for murder. Lucian probably represents the extremes of human cruelty. In one of the poignant moments in the novel, Ezriel comes to meet Mariam Leiba on her deathbed. She warns Ezriel not to leave Shaindel, even though she is not aware of Ezriel's affair. She warns him that these things never end well. Mariam Leiba was the most beautiful and intelligent girl amongst Calman Jacoby's daughters, he suggests to her to marry a very pious man called Jochanan. She refuses to marry him, and in turn her younger sister Taipele marries Jochanan.
Jochanan is a mystic Hassid who is an extremely pious Jew, every moment of his life is dedicated to the study of the Torah. He is struggling with consumption at the end of the novel. He is considered a saintly person, Jews from different places constantly visit him. Did Mariam regret not marrying him or does she still prefer the struggle and suffering over the docile life of Taipele? At the end of the novel, we see Ezriel comes back to Jochanan and reconnects with the Jewish people. He asks Jochanan to teach his son the Jewish ways and the Yiddish life. Jochanan asks him have you seen the truth that you were looking for? and Ezriel responds saying no I have seen their lies.
These lines seem to reflect Singer's view, although religion might not have answered all the questions at least it gave certainty and consistency to its believers, modern science seems to be placing people in the no man's land.
The characters in this novel start questioning beliefs like if there is a creator, how do we know if the Jewish Torah is the only true way what about religious beliefs practiced by other religions? Scientific discoveries like Darwin's evolution, and understanding in astronomy question the idea of the existence of a creator. These doubts result in a confused state of these characters, if there is no creator and if there is no central importance to the ten commandments, if there is no idea of sin, how do we make everyday choices? Does this really help humanity, if everything is defined by chance events and there is no moral order behind that governs human actions then how do humans find meaning?
The novel begins with the failed revolution of the Polish aristocracy against the Russian rule present in Poland during that time. Although the Jews are not directly participating in this it affects their fortunes positively indirectly. The novel's central character Calman Jacoby takes over the running of a Polish estate confiscated by the Russian authorities after the failed revolution. Calman's fortune changes after this event, a pious Jew he becomes prosperous. The changes happening in Poland like the construction of railroads, contribute towards his riches. It is through following the lives of Calman and his family we understand the changes happening in Jewish life. It is a family saga in an epic scale, each member of his family and those they relate to their lives become a sort of microcosm of Jewish life in Poland.
Calman himself is torn between living a pious Jewish life, and also getting caught up in the drastic life changes happening around him. A man who till his end is constantly trying to grapple with desires, especially carnal ones, his life sees ups and downs. His economic prosperity gives him mobility in social status, he gets introduced to aristocratic Jews who are liberal in their lives. Yet he is never able to overcome his traditional Jewish beliefs. All of Calman's daughters' lives are impacted to varying degrees due to the changes happening in society. After the death of his wife, he marries Clara a Jewish frivolous woman, from the beginning Calman is aware of the stupidity of this decision. His conscience constantly warns him against the baseness of the woman, but he seems to be unable to control his desires and falls to her. This is a constant theme in the novel, men and women seem to be powerless against the desire that determines their destiny. Singer seems to be concluding that without a strict moral compass, human beings will fall for desire. This a very sober and sometimes depressing read that one gets by the constant failings of these characters. Clara till her death never seems to be able to live a content life, she is constantly falling in love and every time she gets closer to death she seems to repent but once she is healthy she is back to leading a life of frivolity. Calman's marriage with Clara ends in a disastrous manner, as she gets involved in incestuous relationships he is morally sickened by her baseness. Even after being separated from Clara, Calman is constantly struggling against carnal desires and passions. His only recourse seems to be to live a life defined by Jewish beliefs. Even if these beliefs might not be scientifically valid yet his life without them seems to be much worse.
Compared to Calman, Clara's life is one characterized by duplicity and falsehood. There is a fascinating episode in the novel when Clara falls out with her lover, they charge against each other and find out they both cannot agree on what is true. They confess that they cannot swear on a god as both of them do not believe in a god. This seems to be the problem for both of them. During this time in Poland among Jewish intelligentsia there are three major viewpoints about how Jews should try to change themselves. The socialists believe in the revolution they do not believe in religion or god and consider it exploitative. The modernists want Jews in Poland to assimilate with the Polish society by learning the language, learning science, and technology rather than believing that every wisdom is contained in the Torah. There are zionists who believe Jews should migrate to Israel and create a Jewish nation.
All these three viewpoints are represented in these novels. Somehow Singer does not seem to be so convinced by any of them. The character Ezriel represents this dilemma very clearly, he is a modern and enlightened Jew, and he moves to Warsaw and studies to become a doctor. He is married to Shaindel the second daughter of Calman. Ezriel in the early stages of the novel wants to reform and lead a life of a modern man, he disconnects himself from his father a rabbi himself, and he is ashamed of the Jewish ways of his wife. Yet all through the novel, he could never get convinced by the modern ways. His own sister gets herself involved in the socialist movement in Poland and is sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. He gets to see the conflicts among the socialist movements, their violent ways, and their complete lack of respect for their own forefathers is not to his liking. Ezriel himself gets involved in an affair with a widow, he is torn by guilt of his actions yet unable to overcome his desire. There is something seductive about the guilt that gives men pleasure, whereas a moral life looks boring and dull at the outset. Ezriel gets caught in this trap, and Shaindel in her later life is diagnosed with mental illness. She is admitted to an asylum, and Ezriel starts living with the widow. He visits her but she is caught up in her own fears and illusions. For Ezriel the mental illness that characterizes modern humans stems from a lack of belief and moral framework to lead life. The way Ezriel and his secret lover fool themselves and get involved in their secret desires showcases masterfully the complexity of the human condition.
Calman's other daughter Mariam Leiba's life is one that is completely tragic. She elopes with a gentile named Lucian, and becomes a Christian. Her family completely severs her ties. Her life with Lucian is tragic and sorrowful. Lucian is one of the characters in the novel who is completely sold to evil. Others in the novel seem to be oscillating between the extremes of good and bad. Lucian continuously cheats everyone, having multiple affairs, with no proper work he gets even jailed for murder. Lucian probably represents the extremes of human cruelty. In one of the poignant moments in the novel, Ezriel comes to meet Mariam Leiba on her deathbed. She warns Ezriel not to leave Shaindel, even though she is not aware of Ezriel's affair. She warns him that these things never end well. Mariam Leiba was the most beautiful and intelligent girl amongst Calman Jacoby's daughters, he suggests to her to marry a very pious man called Jochanan. She refuses to marry him, and in turn her younger sister Taipele marries Jochanan.
Jochanan is a mystic Hassid who is an extremely pious Jew, every moment of his life is dedicated to the study of the Torah. He is struggling with consumption at the end of the novel. He is considered a saintly person, Jews from different places constantly visit him. Did Mariam regret not marrying him or does she still prefer the struggle and suffering over the docile life of Taipele? At the end of the novel, we see Ezriel comes back to Jochanan and reconnects with the Jewish people. He asks Jochanan to teach his son the Jewish ways and the Yiddish life. Jochanan asks him have you seen the truth that you were looking for? and Ezriel responds saying no I have seen their lies.
These lines seem to reflect Singer's view, although religion might not have answered all the questions at least it gave certainty and consistency to its believers, modern science seems to be placing people in the no man's land.
Want to Read
September 4, 2024Reason read: botm Septemer 2024, Reading 1001. The story is set in Poland during the late 19th century and is the story of Calman Jacoby, a pious Jew, his daughter's and their husbands. During this time period, the Jewish large family is breaking up and Jewish people are becoming modernized. I think it is an important book but I did not like most of the female characters. Apparently the author is showing us the limitations of women during this time. I did not like most of these women, I did not like Claire because she was a spendthrift with lose morals, I did not like Zelda and Shaindel, etc as they manipulated their husbands with wretched moods. During this time, Russia has taken over and Calman was able to take over managing the Manor which led to his becoming wealthy and all the troubles that come with wealth. It also shows how commerce has ebbs and flows suh as railroads need to be built but then they no longer do. Calman was a respected man until he gained wealth. He was regarded because of his wealth but lost some of the favorable respect he had enjoyed. Isaac Bashevis Singer won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978.
"One's own children were born of pain, but grandchildren were sheer profit."
"...various materialistic theories, and Darwinism in particular, had put almost all values in jeopardy: the soul, ethics, the family."
"One's own children were born of pain, but grandchildren were sheer profit."
"...various materialistic theories, and Darwinism in particular, had put almost all values in jeopardy: the soul, ethics, the family."
July 15, 2022
Nice read , despite being a 1950s book easy to read and one can know the Polish life and Jews struggle
November 30, 2023
An amazing story !
Love it !!
Love it !!
April 27, 2025
Glad read this in kindle as otherwise i would have struggled to keep track of so many characters. Full of humanity
November 27, 2015
I have enjoyed Singer's short stories immensely, so when I read in the NYTimes (I think) that someone was considering creating an opera of The Manor / The Estate, I tried to get it from my library. Ultimately, this required an interlibrary loan, and the copy I received had obviously never been read. In retrospect, this makes sense.
I simply could not read more than a few pages of this (800-page) book without falling asleep. I had a really hard time engaging with most of the characters. Many were quite unsympathetic and unfortunately, two of the most annoying got the lion's share of the pages. I don't have to like the characters in a book to feel it is worth reading, but these characters didn't really have an arc -- they just kept repeating the same stupidities until they died. I don't need 400 pages of some sociopath kvetching about how life has been unfair to them as they go about wreaking havoc on all those around them. I guess it struck me that the character expositions skimmed along the top, which is fine in a short story but not appropriate for a long novel. I realize that this view of Singer's character treatment puts me at odds with many readers, including the Nobel Prize committee, but I'll stand my ground.
I did learn something about Polish history in the late 19th and early 20th century, so that was good. Singer evoked the life of the Hasidim, the difficulties of Polish aristocracy under Russian rule, and the philosophical struggles of young Jews trying to figure out how and how much to assimilate. Many of their concerns -- social equity, freedom of speech, animal rights -- are still with us.
One suggestion: if you decide to read this book, create a set of family trees as you go along. There are about 40 significant characters in this book and they are related to each other in complicated ways. If you don't want to find yourself thinking "Who the h*l is Sonya?" this chart will come in handy.
I simply could not read more than a few pages of this (800-page) book without falling asleep. I had a really hard time engaging with most of the characters. Many were quite unsympathetic and unfortunately, two of the most annoying got the lion's share of the pages. I don't have to like the characters in a book to feel it is worth reading, but these characters didn't really have an arc -- they just kept repeating the same stupidities until they died. I don't need 400 pages of some sociopath kvetching about how life has been unfair to them as they go about wreaking havoc on all those around them. I guess it struck me that the character expositions skimmed along the top, which is fine in a short story but not appropriate for a long novel. I realize that this view of Singer's character treatment puts me at odds with many readers, including the Nobel Prize committee, but I'll stand my ground.
I did learn something about Polish history in the late 19th and early 20th century, so that was good. Singer evoked the life of the Hasidim, the difficulties of Polish aristocracy under Russian rule, and the philosophical struggles of young Jews trying to figure out how and how much to assimilate. Many of their concerns -- social equity, freedom of speech, animal rights -- are still with us.
One suggestion: if you decide to read this book, create a set of family trees as you go along. There are about 40 significant characters in this book and they are related to each other in complicated ways. If you don't want to find yourself thinking "Who the h*l is Sonya?" this chart will come in handy.
August 5, 2009
There is complicated family history to this book. My own.
My father, as you will see from an enlarged view of the cover, was one of the translators. There was a long and bitter dispute with Singer. I still have the correspondence between them.
It took me years to even give Singer a chance I disliked him so much personally, because he really hurt my dad. But it was all resolved, if posthumously. This is great, as is Enemies: A Love Story.
My father, as you will see from an enlarged view of the cover, was one of the translators. There was a long and bitter dispute with Singer. I still have the correspondence between them.
It took me years to even give Singer a chance I disliked him so much personally, because he really hurt my dad. But it was all resolved, if posthumously. This is great, as is Enemies: A Love Story.
Read
August 28, 2015A brilliant delve into the myriad complications of traditional Jewish family life on the eve of a secular revolution and anti-Semitic holocaust. Isaac Bashevis Singer's legacy is his insightful view of a world that kept holy the Sabbath amidst extreme hardship.
June 23, 2008
Fascinating look into the conflicting forces in the jewish community in poland in the late 1800's.
August 18, 2008
I read both but I liked the Estate more because it included such an interesting description of sex addiction. Great book, I felt good reading it.
Read
July 17, 2011what a writer!!!!
March 19, 2016
Excellent book. The historical approach, the characters and thoughts are world class. One of my top. Have ordered the rest of his books, too. Changing of a society.
Must read.
Must read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews