Out of a Baseball game that nearly became a religious war, two Jewish Boys become friends. Danny comes from the strict Hasidic sect that keeps him bound in centuries of orthodoxy. Reuven is brought up by a father patiently aware of the twentieth century. Everything tries to destroy their friendship, but they use honesty with each other as a shield and it proves an impenetrable protection.
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
Interesting Historical Perspective:
'The Chosen' is one of those books that I've seen on bookshelves in both new stores and paperback exchanges for most of my life - so much so that I felt like I'd somehow absorbed it without ever reading it. On the advice of a friend, I finally sat down with it, and while the contents weren't exactly surprising, I did find it instructive and enjoyable. Instructive, though I think it's appropriate to mention right up front that 'The Chosen' reads as though Mr. Potok had definite opinions about different... more info
The Chosen: Kosher:
Title: The Chosen by Chaim Potok Pages: 271 Time spent on the "To Read" shelf: 2-3 years I think. Days spent "reading" it: 10.75 hours in a car (more like "listening" to it). Why I read it: One friend of mine recommended Chaim Potok to me a long time ago. He actually read My Name is Asher Lev. I thought the premise for The Chosen sounded interesting enough, so I picked it up somewhere. I started it during a 5 hour trip to Willard, OH for a youth group trip. I made the kids listen to it.... more info
great read, educational, profound, engaging:
I expected The Chosen to be a great novel, after all it's been selling steadily since it was released decades ago. What I didn't expect is that it would educate me about my own religion, its history, mystic and intellectual traditions, schisms and divisions, background on the founding of Israel, and more. I also didn't expect it to be so ambitious: it takes some very profound issues in a very clear, straightforward way: in short, it will make you think about questions that really matter. And, yes, I was... more info
The Chosen:
This is an awesome soul searching novel that helps others look into themselves and gives people some insight into the Jewish experience.
