"Anyone who finds it is finding a jewel. Its themes are profound and universal." THE WALL STREET JOURNAL It is the now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And as the boys grow into young men, they discover in the other a lost spiritual brother, and a link to an unexplored world that neither had ever considered before. In effect, they exchange places, and find the peace that neither will ever retreat from again....
Few stories offer more warmth, wisdom, or generosity than this tale of two boys, their fathers, their friendship, and the chaotic times in which they live. Though on the surface it explores religious faith--the intellectually committed as well as the passionately observant--the struggles addressed in The Chosen are familiar to families of all faiths and in all nations.
In 1940s Brooklyn, New York, an accident throws Reuven Malther and Danny Saunders together. Despite their differences (Reuven is a Modern Orthodox Jew with an intellectual, Zionist father; Danny is the brilliant son and rightful heir to a Hasidic rebbe), the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. Together they negotiate adolescence, family conflicts, the crisis of faith engendered when Holocaust stories begin to emerge in the U.S., loss, love, and the journey to adulthood. The intellectual and spiritual clashes between fathers, between each son and his own father, and between the two young men, provide a unique backdrop for this exploration of fathers, sons, faith, loyalty, and, ultimately, the power of love. (This is not a conventional children's book, although it will move any wise child age 12 or older, and often appears on summer reading lists for high school students.)
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Very Educational Entertainment:
I read this book because it was on the reading list at George Wythe University. I loved this book because even though I wasn't familiar with baseball or Jewish religions, I could easily follow the plot and enjoy the strong characters, friendship and parenting styles behind the scenes. Danny and Reuven transformed strong hostility into friendship, which was amazing! How Danny was acting at the baseball game and his seemingly intentional injury on Reuven's eye would have been unpardonable. It wasn't... more info
Another of my top ten:
I absolutely loved this book. I had to read it for my class, but I wanted to read it again the second I got done. It was the first book that I read that I got emotional about. I really recommend this book.
slight damage:
my book came today, and it looked perfect EXCEPT the top right corner had signs of wear and possible usage. Along the whole top on the back half, it's black and some of the pages are worn down like maybe it touched a sander for a second. Overall great book great shipping, just slight damage!
Amazing book!:
This book was amongst one of the very best books i have ever read. I honestly must say this books looks so well into the boys lives. The Choosen is amazingly insightful and Chaim Potok just has an amazing way with words. If you're looking for a book that will keep you drawn into the story, this is it. You will want to read it a million times.
