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"Potok writes powerfully about the suffering of innocent people caught in the cross-fire of a war they cannot begin to understand....Humanity and compassion for his characters leap from every page."
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
As the Chinese and the army of the North sweep south during the Korean War, an old peasant farmer and his wife flee their village across the bleak, bombed-out landscape. They soon come upon a boy in a ditch who is wounded and unconscious. Stirred by possessiveness and caring the woman refuses to leave the boy behind. The man thinks she is crazy to nurse this boy, to risk their lives for some dying stranger. Angry and bewildered, he waits for the boy to die. And when the boy does not die, the old man begins to believe that the boy possesss a magic upon which all their lives depend....
From the Paperback edition.
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
As the Chinese and the army of the North sweep south during the Korean War, an old peasant farmer and his wife flee their village across the bleak, bombed-out landscape. They soon come upon a boy in a ditch who is wounded and unconscious. Stirred by possessiveness and caring the woman refuses to leave the boy behind. The man thinks she is crazy to nurse this boy, to risk their lives for some dying stranger. Angry and bewildered, he waits for the boy to die. And when the boy does not die, the old man begins to believe that the boy possesss a magic upon which all their lives depend....
From the Paperback edition.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
68 people are currently reading
1337 people want to read
About the author
Chaim Potok
72 books1,866 followersHerman Harold Potok, or Chaim Tzvi, was born in Buffalo, New York, to Polish immigrants. He received an Orthodox Jewish education. After reading Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited as a teenager, he decided to become a writer. He started writing fiction at the age of 16. At age 17 he made his first submission to the magazine The Atlantic Monthly. Although it wasn't published, he received a note from the editor complimenting his work.
In 1949, at the age of 20, his stories were published in the literary magazine of Yeshiva University, which he also helped edit. In 1950, Potok graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English Literature.
After four years of study at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America he was ordained as a Conservative rabbi. He was appointed director of Leaders Training Fellowship, a youth organization affiliated with Conservative Judaism.
After receiving a master's degree in English literature, Potok enlisted with the U.S. Army as a chaplain. He served in South Korea from 1955 to 1957. He described his time in S. Korea as a transformative experience. Brought up to believe that the Jewish people were central to history and God's plans, he experienced a region where there were almost no Jews and no anti-Semitism, yet whose religious believers prayed with the same fervor that he saw in Orthodox synagogues at home.
Upon his return, he joined the faculty of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and became the director of a Conservative Jewish summer camp affiliated with the Conservative movement, Camp Ramah. A year later he began his graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and was appointed scholar-in-residence at Temple Har Zion in Philadelphia.
In 1963, he spent a year in Israel, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on Solomon Maimon and began to write a novel.
In 1964 Potok moved to Brooklyn. He became the managing editor of the magazine Conservative Judaism and joined the faculty of the Teachers’ Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary. The following year, he was appointed editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society in Philadelphia and later, chairman of the publication committee. Potok received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1970, Potok relocated to Jerusalem with his family. He returned to Philadelphia in 1977. After the publication of Old Men at Midnight, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He died at his home in Merion, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2002, aged 73.
In 1949, at the age of 20, his stories were published in the literary magazine of Yeshiva University, which he also helped edit. In 1950, Potok graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English Literature.
After four years of study at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America he was ordained as a Conservative rabbi. He was appointed director of Leaders Training Fellowship, a youth organization affiliated with Conservative Judaism.
After receiving a master's degree in English literature, Potok enlisted with the U.S. Army as a chaplain. He served in South Korea from 1955 to 1957. He described his time in S. Korea as a transformative experience. Brought up to believe that the Jewish people were central to history and God's plans, he experienced a region where there were almost no Jews and no anti-Semitism, yet whose religious believers prayed with the same fervor that he saw in Orthodox synagogues at home.
Upon his return, he joined the faculty of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and became the director of a Conservative Jewish summer camp affiliated with the Conservative movement, Camp Ramah. A year later he began his graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and was appointed scholar-in-residence at Temple Har Zion in Philadelphia.
In 1963, he spent a year in Israel, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on Solomon Maimon and began to write a novel.
In 1964 Potok moved to Brooklyn. He became the managing editor of the magazine Conservative Judaism and joined the faculty of the Teachers’ Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary. The following year, he was appointed editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society in Philadelphia and later, chairman of the publication committee. Potok received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1970, Potok relocated to Jerusalem with his family. He returned to Philadelphia in 1977. After the publication of Old Men at Midnight, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He died at his home in Merion, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2002, aged 73.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
April 16, 2023
Apr 15, 830am ~~ Review asap.
1pm ~~ Until I began my Chaim Potok project I had not known about this 1992 book. On one hand it is very different from the typical Potok novel; but on the other hand it is classic Potok. The reader lives the story, and what a hellish tale it is.
An elderly couple is fleeing from their village in Korea, trying to stay one step ahead of destruction. They find a wounded, unconscious boy in a ditch along the road. The wife insists on taking him along. The husband is angry, he does not want to be bothered with an extra mouth to feed, and besides, the boy is gravely injured, he will surely die. Why waste their time and energy?
What follows is mainly horrendous, with touches of hope and humanity. It is a brutal story and will leave the reader repelled more than once. But it is a tale of the struggle for survival in a world turned upside down. And who knows how many people might have lived something similar? Or might in the future?
There is no single narrator here. We see life and death through each character's eyes and thoughts, often switching points of view in the same paragraph. I thought at times of Virginia Woolf, but I am not at all sure the comparison really fits. The book was like living in the nightmares of three people all at the same time. And because those people are so vivid, so real, I lived through the nightmare also. And of course wondered if I would have had the strength for it in real life.
The back cover of my edition has this quote from the San Francisco Chronicle:
"Potok writes powerfully about the suffering of innocent people caught in the cross-fire of a war they cannot begin to understand....Humanity and compassion for his characters leap from every page."
The people in this book will live in my heart forever.
1pm ~~ Until I began my Chaim Potok project I had not known about this 1992 book. On one hand it is very different from the typical Potok novel; but on the other hand it is classic Potok. The reader lives the story, and what a hellish tale it is.
An elderly couple is fleeing from their village in Korea, trying to stay one step ahead of destruction. They find a wounded, unconscious boy in a ditch along the road. The wife insists on taking him along. The husband is angry, he does not want to be bothered with an extra mouth to feed, and besides, the boy is gravely injured, he will surely die. Why waste their time and energy?
What follows is mainly horrendous, with touches of hope and humanity. It is a brutal story and will leave the reader repelled more than once. But it is a tale of the struggle for survival in a world turned upside down. And who knows how many people might have lived something similar? Or might in the future?
There is no single narrator here. We see life and death through each character's eyes and thoughts, often switching points of view in the same paragraph. I thought at times of Virginia Woolf, but I am not at all sure the comparison really fits. The book was like living in the nightmares of three people all at the same time. And because those people are so vivid, so real, I lived through the nightmare also. And of course wondered if I would have had the strength for it in real life.
The back cover of my edition has this quote from the San Francisco Chronicle:
"Potok writes powerfully about the suffering of innocent people caught in the cross-fire of a war they cannot begin to understand....Humanity and compassion for his characters leap from every page."
The people in this book will live in my heart forever.
February 27, 2017
This was an entirely character driven novel, consisting mainly of the inner ruminations of an elderly peasant couple in war torn Korea. Forced to flee their village in the dead of winter, they plod forward on a dangerous journey to a squalid refugee camp. Though they escape bombing, their lives hang on a thread as they hover between starvation and freezing to death. It is not a time for compassion, not a time to incur responsibility for another human being--- but the woman cannot leave that wounded little boy in the ditch. He becomes their charge. The elderly couple are his salvation---- but in the end it is the boy who saves them.
The circumstances portrayed in this book are dark and depressing, and the sense of plodding mirrors the horrendous journey this little family must make. The writing is choppy and staccato-like, random bursts of recollected memories of childhood and village life the way it was before the war. In this way, the reader is introduced to cultural depictions of Korean life in better days.
The Koreans had a deeply rooted veneration for their dead ancestors, but the living were not demonstrative in their affections to one another--- restrained by tradition and hardship. But even inside the crusty old man, the boy sparks hidden love:
". . . he felt within himself a slow and torturous turning and then an opening of doors to deeper and deeper recesses inside himself, caves leading to caves, and his heart raced and he wondered if this was what was meant by the word love. . . "
I am always up for a Chaim Potok read, but this one is much different from his many books that center on Jewish culture. Not his best work, perhaps, but I found the cultural portrayals interesting and the human story heartwarming. It was a worthy contribution to my understanding of the Korean war.
The circumstances portrayed in this book are dark and depressing, and the sense of plodding mirrors the horrendous journey this little family must make. The writing is choppy and staccato-like, random bursts of recollected memories of childhood and village life the way it was before the war. In this way, the reader is introduced to cultural depictions of Korean life in better days.
The Koreans had a deeply rooted veneration for their dead ancestors, but the living were not demonstrative in their affections to one another--- restrained by tradition and hardship. But even inside the crusty old man, the boy sparks hidden love:
". . . he felt within himself a slow and torturous turning and then an opening of doors to deeper and deeper recesses inside himself, caves leading to caves, and his heart raced and he wondered if this was what was meant by the word love. . . "
I am always up for a Chaim Potok read, but this one is much different from his many books that center on Jewish culture. Not his best work, perhaps, but I found the cultural portrayals interesting and the human story heartwarming. It was a worthy contribution to my understanding of the Korean war.
August 22, 2010
I've loved every Chaim Potok book I've ever read, but this one was a surprise as the author revisits the Korean war from the viewpoint of the refugees. It read like a piece of non-fiction- as you can't create such a real story- it had to happen. I closed it thinking that I know so little about our world and our past, and I'm not alone in that condition. We think we know all the facts, but until you've nearly died in cave, mostly starved, alone, you don't know what it feels like to have your life ripped apart by war. We talk about war from all kinds of places, but from the voice of the most helpless who lose everything comes a sense of power and influence.
October 14, 2024
A departure from his other novels, this installment is magnificent. Dreamlike.
It occurs towards the end of the Korean War.
Pathos, warfare, women, men, children, enemies, soldiers, citizens, nuance.
Benevolence, cruelty.
A deep look, a masterly insight, into the human condition from multiple perspectives.
It is like the profound writers who stare into the absurdities and horrors that make us who we all are.
A Korean man, a woman, and a boy interposed with Americans, Koreans, Chinese, and Russians.
It occurs towards the end of the Korean War.
Pathos, warfare, women, men, children, enemies, soldiers, citizens, nuance.
Benevolence, cruelty.
A deep look, a masterly insight, into the human condition from multiple perspectives.
It is like the profound writers who stare into the absurdities and horrors that make us who we all are.
A Korean man, a woman, and a boy interposed with Americans, Koreans, Chinese, and Russians.
November 12, 2017
I Am the Clay is a touching story about an old couple and a boy trying to survive in a war torn Korea.
This was required reading but I enjoyed it nonetheless, though I didn't particularly like the writing style and the book could be slow at times.
This was required reading but I enjoyed it nonetheless, though I didn't particularly like the writing style and the book could be slow at times.
December 15, 2019
A few weeks ago I read my first Chaim Potok book, "My Name Is Asher Lev" and I felt it was one of the finest pieces of literature I had ever read. Well, "I Am the Clay" is even better. It is an absolute masterpiece written my a true genius. It is about an old man and woman who are fleeing from their village that was caught in the fighting during the Korean War when they discover a badly wounded boy whom they take under their care, although reluctantly by the old man. Using his lyrical poetic prose, Potok described the horror and hardship that they endured. The first half of the book was slightly reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" describing the attempt to escape the apocalypse, except McCarthy's was fictional and Potok's was based on reality. I couldn't help but feel that what Potok was describing was something that millions of unfortunate people have felt and endured for thousands of years in all the wars that mankind has waged. This is truly one of the most extraordinary books I've ever read.
September 5, 2023
Nine out of ten.
Poignant, historically accurate and psychologically powerful. The writing is very good. Ironically, I didn't really understand the connection of the clay to the rest of the story.
Definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the Korean War, Eastern religion, global issues, or just a really good story.
Poignant, historically accurate and psychologically powerful. The writing is very good. Ironically, I didn't really understand the connection of the clay to the rest of the story.
Definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the Korean War, Eastern religion, global issues, or just a really good story.
June 23, 2009
I am surprised at the lackluster reviews. Although this book was a departure from Potok's usual topics of Jewish social and historical issues, it was nonetheless powerful, riveting, and raw in emotion. It remains as one of my favorite books.
September 18, 2009
I have enjoyed Chaim Potok's books but found this particular book a bit disappointing. It lacked depth of charactor or emotional connection for me. I would recommend reading his other books if you want to read a good Potok book
January 31, 2016
I'm slowly working my way through the reading of each of Chaim Potok's books, so I savor the time in-between, knowing that, in time, I will read another and am confident it too, as the ones before, will be a rewarding and well written novel. I Am The Clay was so different, yet, the haunting story of war varies little from the different landscapes where it takes place. Be it Poland, France, Syria, Sarajevo or Korea... Potok has brought the daily struggle, and I mean struggle in a way that most of us can't begin to comprehend, he brings it vividly, yet with a warmth, that has me turning the pages, hoping at every turn for the survival of the old man, old woman and young boy; strangers to the boy, who ultimately grow to deeply care for the boy who is not their blood in a land where caring can get you killed.
September 7, 2016
Quietly stunningly beautiful.
December 4, 2021
What a sad and haunting book. War-torn Korea, the nightmare of fleeing in winter, a nameless older couple and a wounded boy they pick up in a ditch. They struggle on, always close to death through cold and starvation. A lot of suffering and death, but also some hope in the end.
Chaim Potok‘s beautiful poetic language works so well.
Makes me love Korea and Koreans even more.
Chaim Potok‘s beautiful poetic language works so well.
Makes me love Korea and Koreans even more.
Read
June 25, 2018Although this is a difficult book to read due to its unrelieved suffering and also due to the style of writing, the author plunges us into the unimaginable suffering caused by war and flight from war.
Set during the Korean war when the Chinese and the army of the North pushed south, it focuses on an old peasant farmer and his wife. In a ditch, they find a boy, almost dead. The woman is moved by compassion and a maternal instinct to find a substitute for their own lost son. The man thinks she is crazy to risk their lives and to share their food with one who will surely die.
She perseveres and he slowly recovers and becomes a real help to the two. The man is moved between anger at this addition and awe that perhaps the boy has a magic about him.
The long paragraphs with run-on sentences and various characters and subjects in another context would be very annoying. It is as if the writer does not know the writing conventions. But it serves to immerse one in the misery of their existence. The story is one long struggle to find wood to burn for heat, to find something to eat (including a dog), to keep ahead of the advancing northern army, to find a place to shelter at night, to push and pull the cart with all their meagre belongings, to protect their possessions from soldiers and thieves. Against this background are the omnipresent American soldiers, jeeps, ambulances and their South Korean compatriots who have everything; food, warmth, transport.
It seems to me that the genius of Potok in this book is to do the impossible; to immerse us into the very heart and soul of a poverty-stricken refugee from war. We can almost taste their suffering and despair as well as fear with them the displeasure of the spirits. Because the other pervasive aspect of this story is the pantheistic world-view of the peasant villagers. Spirits are everywhere in everything. And the spirits of the ancestors must be placated. The man even carries a box with the spirit of his fathers. Without this book we would have little idea of how pervasive is the fear of spirits in those bound by a pantheistic world-view.
Set during the Korean war when the Chinese and the army of the North pushed south, it focuses on an old peasant farmer and his wife. In a ditch, they find a boy, almost dead. The woman is moved by compassion and a maternal instinct to find a substitute for their own lost son. The man thinks she is crazy to risk their lives and to share their food with one who will surely die.
She perseveres and he slowly recovers and becomes a real help to the two. The man is moved between anger at this addition and awe that perhaps the boy has a magic about him.
The long paragraphs with run-on sentences and various characters and subjects in another context would be very annoying. It is as if the writer does not know the writing conventions. But it serves to immerse one in the misery of their existence. The story is one long struggle to find wood to burn for heat, to find something to eat (including a dog), to keep ahead of the advancing northern army, to find a place to shelter at night, to push and pull the cart with all their meagre belongings, to protect their possessions from soldiers and thieves. Against this background are the omnipresent American soldiers, jeeps, ambulances and their South Korean compatriots who have everything; food, warmth, transport.
It seems to me that the genius of Potok in this book is to do the impossible; to immerse us into the very heart and soul of a poverty-stricken refugee from war. We can almost taste their suffering and despair as well as fear with them the displeasure of the spirits. Because the other pervasive aspect of this story is the pantheistic world-view of the peasant villagers. Spirits are everywhere in everything. And the spirits of the ancestors must be placated. The man even carries a box with the spirit of his fathers. Without this book we would have little idea of how pervasive is the fear of spirits in those bound by a pantheistic world-view.
May 22, 2011
Tedium reigns for the first 100 pages as Korean peasant refugees stuggle day after day after day....but that's kinda the point: The Korean War as seen from the ground up by "little," "unimportant" people. John Updike's Henry Bech once said, speaking of literature, "Importance isn't important". Goes double for people, yes ? Not the most compelling of Potok's nine novels, perhaps, but his only one not dealing directly with Judaism, and not to be missed by those ...those who...those who shouldn't miss it.
April 7, 2023
It’s a special, talented author who can do what CP has done here. How can you take something so devastating, traumatic, and unabashedly sad and make it beautiful? Genius.
January 9, 2023
TL;DR A powerful story with a divisive and sometimes problematic writing style. A difficult but rewarding read that is not for everyone.
I got my grubby little hands on this book for a meager 2 bucks at a used bookstore. Under normal circumstances, I would skip over books like these – anyone looking at my Goodreads can tell that my palette lies mostly in the genres of fantasy and sci-fi. However, the fantasy and sci-fi section at said bookstore was immensely disappointing, so I perused the other sections after sacrificing a goat to curse the clerk and his next 10 generations of offspring. Then I found this book! I thought the cover was evocative, and the back blurb seemed relatively interesting, so I picked it up. It follows an elderly couple and a boy as they flee from the harsh fighting of the Korean War. The novel is largely character-driven, choosing to focus on the inner thoughts and troubles of the characters rather than the exodus itself.
As far as my enjoyment of the book, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I found the plot to be incredibly powerful. The travels and hardships of this makeshift family unit are gut-wrenching, but also possess a certain beauty. I think the choice of a character-driven story was wise here – the struggles and plights of the refugees are much better reflected this way, and we get a sense of how they dealt with their situation much better than if Potok wrote this book entirely in the 3rd person. However, I found the writing style to be problematic. At points, it greatly contributed to the emotional atmosphere, as well as the feelings and emotions of the characters. At other times, the writing style takes a lot away from the setting and descriptions. In particular, run-on sentences are overused, which, in my definitely valid and expert opinion, lessens the impact of them. The pacing is also inconsistent, with some sections being oddly fast and others feeling gruelingly slow. I don’t know if this inconsistent pacing was intentional or not, but it leads to a difficult reading experience that sometimes drags.
Overall, I found the rewarding after I finished it and thought about it. However, I can understand that many will not want to force their way through this book. It’s not for the squeamish, and it is often very sad. The writing style and pacing are often difficult. I found it reasonably enjoyable, but I don’t think I would ever reread it. If Goodreads had a more specific rating system, I would give this a 3.5/5 stars. However, since it doesn’t and I’m a pessimistic bastard, I’m giving it 3 stars.
I got my grubby little hands on this book for a meager 2 bucks at a used bookstore. Under normal circumstances, I would skip over books like these – anyone looking at my Goodreads can tell that my palette lies mostly in the genres of fantasy and sci-fi. However, the fantasy and sci-fi section at said bookstore was immensely disappointing, so I perused the other sections after sacrificing a goat to curse the clerk and his next 10 generations of offspring. Then I found this book! I thought the cover was evocative, and the back blurb seemed relatively interesting, so I picked it up. It follows an elderly couple and a boy as they flee from the harsh fighting of the Korean War. The novel is largely character-driven, choosing to focus on the inner thoughts and troubles of the characters rather than the exodus itself.
As far as my enjoyment of the book, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I found the plot to be incredibly powerful. The travels and hardships of this makeshift family unit are gut-wrenching, but also possess a certain beauty. I think the choice of a character-driven story was wise here – the struggles and plights of the refugees are much better reflected this way, and we get a sense of how they dealt with their situation much better than if Potok wrote this book entirely in the 3rd person. However, I found the writing style to be problematic. At points, it greatly contributed to the emotional atmosphere, as well as the feelings and emotions of the characters. At other times, the writing style takes a lot away from the setting and descriptions. In particular, run-on sentences are overused, which, in my definitely valid and expert opinion, lessens the impact of them. The pacing is also inconsistent, with some sections being oddly fast and others feeling gruelingly slow. I don’t know if this inconsistent pacing was intentional or not, but it leads to a difficult reading experience that sometimes drags.
Overall, I found the rewarding after I finished it and thought about it. However, I can understand that many will not want to force their way through this book. It’s not for the squeamish, and it is often very sad. The writing style and pacing are often difficult. I found it reasonably enjoyable, but I don’t think I would ever reread it. If Goodreads had a more specific rating system, I would give this a 3.5/5 stars. However, since it doesn’t and I’m a pessimistic bastard, I’m giving it 3 stars.
April 30, 2019
I think I maybe just didn't get it.
August 27, 2024
It was fantastic to read not the usual kind of book from this writer. This was an entirely character driven. Poignant, historically accurate and psychologically powerful.
Read
November 16, 2020Lol i keep forgetting goodreads exists
Idk what to rate this, don’t read it
Idk what to rate this, don’t read it
July 30, 2020
A beautiful and powerful story about how vulnerable people help vulnerable people when they're trapped between the cogs of war.
This story is probably closest to The Book of Lights, in that both stories take place during the Korean War -- but it is unlike anything else that I have read by him. The entire story focuses upon an elderly couple who stumble upon an injured boy, all of whom are displaced by war. I kept expecting Potok to shift to another storyline, like the soldiers in the war, but the story is all about these Korean peasants.
Another pleasant element was the structure of the book. The settings go B, C, D, E, D, C, B, and then A. This was a surprise; I wasn't expecting the story to move beyond B, which is where the story opens.
This book is both powerful as well as poignant.
This story is probably closest to The Book of Lights, in that both stories take place during the Korean War -- but it is unlike anything else that I have read by him. The entire story focuses upon an elderly couple who stumble upon an injured boy, all of whom are displaced by war. I kept expecting Potok to shift to another storyline, like the soldiers in the war, but the story is all about these Korean peasants.
Another pleasant element was the structure of the book. The settings go B, C, D, E, D, C, B, and then A. This was a surprise; I wasn't expecting the story to move beyond B, which is where the story opens.
This book is both powerful as well as poignant.
September 8, 2019
This beautiful book is about grace, about giving of yourself to others, about sacrifice, about learning that some parts of life are more important than you and your of-the-moment needs. In the Korean War, a couple quickly fled their home, hurrying away from the soldiers of the north. They were not wealthy, they were farmers and had only moments to grab a few things - quilts, rice, cooking and eating implements, etc. -before fleeing. They had a cart, which the man pulled. The woman saw a child bleeding from his chest by the side of the road and she insisted that they stop to help him. The husband resents this and the child. The boy is very ill, can not speak and she insists that he be in the cart. She tried to get help from the U.S. military health corps and they refused. She asks for food and is refused. Only when she pulled the spike from the chest of the child does the US medical corps help her. Most of us will never experience the poverty, the pain of loss, the love of a child (in place of the child that died) depicted in this book. Potok is a wonderful writer, describing the fear, the surroundings, the pain of loving the child and the child's love of the woman. It is one of his shortest books but gives a realistic view of what happens to ordinary citizens in wartime.
October 19, 2008
So after reading a bunch of youth fiction and romance-type books I decided to find one at the library that held a little more social relevance. Looking for My Name is Asher Lev, I found this book. It was a bit dreary, but what can you expect of a story taking place during the Korean war. I enjoyed the fact that in some way each of the three characters, an old man and his wife and a wounded stranger (a boy), saved each other. The book was mainly told from the old man's perspective, and he was to withdrawn for me. It was interesting to read about those who believe there are spirits to protect them or harm them. Their actions were often based on whether they thought the spirits were blessing or cursing them. I found it interesting.
November 16, 2014
Příběh o konci času, setkání dvou světů a lidské nezdolnosti. Útěk starce, stařeny a chlapce před korejským válečným běsem a jejich boj s nemocemi, mrazem a hladem připomíná Cestu Cormaca McCarthyho, jen s reálným historickým pozadím a syrovější psychologií postav, které spíše než láska drží pohromadě pud sebezáchovy a vypočítavost.
Vedle dokonalého popisu boje o přežití a bezútěšnosti uprchlíků - obyčejných lidí, kterým se ze dne na den změnil život, pokud o něj přímo nepřišli - je kniha vyjímečná též popisem setkání dvou kultur, rurální korejské, dosud zakotvené ve starosti o půdu a v mytickém vidění světa (úryvek modlitby k Ježísi je přenesen do jiné kultury a stává se nesrozumitelným zaklínadlem bílého muže) a nepochopitelné americké, obklopené stroji, připomínající mimozemšťany.
Vedle dokonalého popisu boje o přežití a bezútěšnosti uprchlíků - obyčejných lidí, kterým se ze dne na den změnil život, pokud o něj přímo nepřišli - je kniha vyjímečná též popisem setkání dvou kultur, rurální korejské, dosud zakotvené ve starosti o půdu a v mytickém vidění světa (úryvek modlitby k Ježísi je přenesen do jiné kultury a stává se nesrozumitelným zaklínadlem bílého muže) a nepochopitelné americké, obklopené stroji, připomínající mimozemšťany.
August 24, 2016
Excellent, thought provoking. The story line is simple and direct, so sometimes it drags a bit due to lack of action. But well worth the time spent. The theme is the plight of war torn refugees. This book takes place during the Korean War, but I believe it is equally relevant now regarding the plight of the Syrian refugees. The writing is beautiful and I've put 2 more Potok books on my want to read list.
May 29, 2020
The cold and emotionless feel of (most of) the book fits the story well, and sets readers up for a meaningful conclusion. Not as compelling as Potok's other works, but still brilliant (and painful). Potok doesn't rely on dramatic showdowns to bring his stories to their climax, so readers may have to adjust their expectations for a story that drifts through the impressionistic viewpoints of its characters.
August 9, 2013
An American Rabbi explores the Korean War through the eyes of an old couple and a young orphan. You wouldn't think that it would work, but I thought that it was first rate. I thought that you'd struggle to find a bleaker work than The Road, but this hits you harder because the journey is so depressingly plausible. Not for the faint-hearted. A-.
October 5, 2019
Probably 3.5 for me. The novel follows a stream of consciousness, but drifts between the three main characters with no warning which can make it difficult to follow at times. Potok vividly describes the struggles of being a refugee and helps to paint a picture of life during the Korean war. It wasn't the most enjoyable book to read, but I think it was worthwhile.
March 11, 2017
Chaim Potok, a Jewish rabbi, once again draws on Christian themes to tell this story. And its a great read.
March 18, 2021
As the Chinese invade South Korea from the North and the civilian population evacuates ahead of the advancing forces, I Am the Clay follows one elderly couple. This childless couple stumbles across a wounded and unconscious eleven year old boy in a ditch, and much to the old man’s disapproval the old woman takes the boy along with them. The story follows their harrowing escape from the invaders and the hardships and horrors of their journey, including the often at best indifferent treatment at the hands of their own defending soldiers.
It is a very moving story told in a unique prose style which keeps the reader on his toes as the thoughts of the three characters are often interwoven in the same sentences. It is very much narrative drive, with minimal dialogue certainly until towards the end, and even then there is not a lot; but through the narrative we learn the thinking and motives of the characters. The old woman, caring and very much taken with the boy; the old man torn between his fear of what the boy will cost them and the good fortune he seems to bring them; and the boy, dependant, trusting yet intelligent and resourceful, a boy with integrity. It is also through the thoughts and dreams of the characters that we learn much of their individual and very different backgrounds.
A compelling and beautifully told story, very different in style from some of Chaim Potok’s novels, with three very different yet appealing characters, even the seemingly bitter old man has his redeeming points. The horror and futility of war inevitably come across, indirectly for there is no propaganda here, no hidden agenda. My only reservation is that the conclusion seems somewhat abrupt; and I would really like to know the eventual prospects for the young boy especially. It is a very good story, but perhaps not quite as good as The Chosen and its sequel, or the Asher Lev books.
It is a very moving story told in a unique prose style which keeps the reader on his toes as the thoughts of the three characters are often interwoven in the same sentences. It is very much narrative drive, with minimal dialogue certainly until towards the end, and even then there is not a lot; but through the narrative we learn the thinking and motives of the characters. The old woman, caring and very much taken with the boy; the old man torn between his fear of what the boy will cost them and the good fortune he seems to bring them; and the boy, dependant, trusting yet intelligent and resourceful, a boy with integrity. It is also through the thoughts and dreams of the characters that we learn much of their individual and very different backgrounds.
A compelling and beautifully told story, very different in style from some of Chaim Potok’s novels, with three very different yet appealing characters, even the seemingly bitter old man has his redeeming points. The horror and futility of war inevitably come across, indirectly for there is no propaganda here, no hidden agenda. My only reservation is that the conclusion seems somewhat abrupt; and I would really like to know the eventual prospects for the young boy especially. It is a very good story, but perhaps not quite as good as The Chosen and its sequel, or the Asher Lev books.
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