The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel (P.S.) by Michael Chabon
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Book Reviews of The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel (P.S.)
Book Review: Chabon Shows His Pulitzer Colors
Summary: 5 Stars
I picked up this book almost at random, drawn by the unique cover art. I almost put it back down, until I saw that Michael Chabon had won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in a recent year. I figured anything by a Pulitzer winner was worth the time to read.
I was not disappointed. I was sucked into the world of Sitka, Alaska so thoroughly I had to remind myself frequently this was a piece of "alternate history." I have rarely seen such vivid characters brought to life, living their lives against such vibrant backgrounds of blended fantasy and reality.
This book reminded me why I write fiction, and Michael Chabon has given me a new standard to aspire to. If you have the chance to read "The Yiddish Policeman's Union," do so without hesitation!
Book Review: Fantastic--in every sense
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fabulous book. You will be amazed, and in a good way, that this is based on a fictional history and location. It's very well written and darkly funny. (I fervently hope that the Coen brothers make this book into a movie. If they do, I would bet money that it turns out to be one of their really great, legendary movies.) It's fun to read, speaks to an intelligent reader, and I wish it was about twice as long.
I must admit that I found the punchline/conclusion to be a bit odd, to the point where I felt it constituted somewhat of an off note in the book as a whole. But it's not that bad, and it by no means ruined the book for me! I have to give it a 5-star rating just because in its entirety, this is just a wonderful, entertaining novel.
Book Review: Great read (for a certain kind of reader)...!
Summary: 5 Stars
The world MC invents in TYPU bears strong resemblances to an actual world which has, for the most part, tragically, passed into history. Though nothing in TYPU requires specialist knowledge on the part of the reader, it's hard to imagine that readers coming to this novel who have no familiarity with the world in question (its people, its culture, its language) could really appreciate what MC achieves in TYPU. TYPU is story-telling of the highest order: terrific prose; an endlessly entertaining (and unpredictably meandering) story-line; a hugely imaginative piece of speculative fiction; and (icing on the cake) one of the funniest (yet most bracing) books I've ever read. To boot, it's also great food for thought. TYPU is an outstanding novel.Book Review: An even stranger time not to be a Jew...
Summary: 5 Stars
Riveting read, or more accurately--listen. The audio book (unabridged, thanks be to Yahweh!) perfected my skills at maintaining the speed limit in Texas (75) through OK and into AR while leafing through the discs to synchronize the fade in/out jangos (did I just make up a new musical instrument?)
Peter Reigert provided flawless renditions of dialect, tone, diction, and syntax for every character--what an accomplishment! (Performance Readers are the unsung heroes of successful audio books)
I read Chabot's Mysteries of Pittsburgh and Wonder Boys many years ago, but will catch up on his other novels as soon as I get off the road.
I may listen again just to be certain I didn't miss a word!
Book Review: Chabon's Best to Date
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a remarkable work by an extraordinary writer, probably his best to date. At heart, it is a detective story--a very compelling mystery that begins when Detective Meyer Landsman is summoned to the room of a murdered man sharing the fleabag hotel where Landsman lives. Landsman is a detective for the Jewish police force in Sitka, Alaska, where Jews have been relocated following World War II, and the murder leads him into a complex, tangled conspiracy. Chabon has created an alternate reality that is completely believable and fascinating, and he spins out his story with such perfectly chosen language that the reader is compelled to slow down and savor every word.