Shalom Auslander's stories in Beware of God have the mysterious punch of a dream. They are wide ranging and inventive: 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.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Keep the message but get rid of the bottle:
The rabbi was fed up with his congregation. So, he decided to skip the services on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, and instead go play golf. Moses was looking down from heaven and saw the rabbi on the golf course. He naturally reported it to God. Moses suggested God punish the rabbi severely. As he watched, Moses saw the rabbi playing the best game he had ever played! The rabbi got a hole-in-one on the toughest hole on the course. Moses turned to God and asked, "I thought you were going... more info
Laugh out loud funny, while poignant and deep:
Shalom Auslander proves himself to be a first rate talent with this classic collection of short pieces. Like his shorter essays in the New York Times Magazine, this is clearly written in the voice of someone destined to be well known as both humorist and author in years to come. SO what is with the vanished reviews and ratings( many of them five stars) for Foreskin's Lament, his recently published memoir? Is there a hidden agenda of religious censorship going on at Amazon? Shame on you!
An original, refreshing voice.:
I found "Beware of God" to be an irreverant, yet still remarkably respectful, take on Judaism, Religion, Life, Death, Good, Evil and Human Consciousness itself. It's funny, tragic and consoling all at once.
Sharp wit and irreverent perspective.:
I read pratically the entire book in one sitting; it's hard to put down. These short, well-crafted stories are filled with memorable moments and lines, as well as a sincere and irreverent take on the whole god 'issue'. As a non-Jew, some (many, actually) references bypassed me completely, yet there was plenty more of the book to enjoy. This is a book that you'll find yourself rereading several times - and it'll still be funny. Of course, the humorless will find things to criticize, but there's no pleasing... more info
