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Old Men at Midnight: Stories

chaim potok

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From the celebrated author of The Chosen and My Name Is Asher Lev , a trilogy of related novellas about a woman whose life touches three very different men—stories that encompass some of the profoundest themes of the twentieth century.

Ilana Davita Dinn is the listener to whom three men relate their lives.

As a young girl, she offers English lessons to a teenage survivor of the camps. In “The Ark Builder,” he shares with her the story of his friendship with a proud old builder of synagogue arks, and what happened when the German army invaded their Polish town.

As a graduate student, she finds herself escorting a guest lecturer from the Soviet Union, and in “The War Doctor,” her sympathy moves him to put his painful past to paper recounting his experiences as a Soviet NKVD agent who was saved by an idealistic doctor during the Russian civil war, only to encounter him again during the terrifying period of the Kremlin doctors’ plot.

And, finally, we meet her in “The Trope Teacher,” in which a distinguished professor of military history, trying to write his memoirs, is distracted by his wife’s illness and by the arrival next door of a new neighbor, the famous writer I. D. (Ilana Davita) Chandal.

Poignant and profound, Chaim Potok’s newest fiction is a major addition to his remarkable—and remarkably loved—body of work.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,2001

This edition

Format
304 pages, Paperback
Published
July 30, 2002 by Random House Publishing Group
ISBN
9780345439987
ASIN
0345439988
Language
English

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About the author

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chaim potok

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Herman 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.

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Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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MuteFrog
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Not technically short stories, this book is composed of three novellas, with each novella accounting for approximately one-third of the volume.

The first two novellas I really enjoyed. They presented engaging plots, well-developed characters, and unique settings that held my attention from start to finish. The authors' writing styles were captivating, and I found myself fully immersed in the stories.

However, the third novella didn't quite have the same impact on me. While it still had some interesting elements, it didn't grip me as strongly as the first two. Maybe the plot wasn't as engaging, or the characters didn't resonate with me as much.

Overall, though, the book is a worthwhile read. The first two novellas more than make up for the slightly less satisfying third one, and I would recommend it to others who enjoy well-written fictional works.
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DIO_the_almighty
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I had a genuine issue with this book, or rather this collection of 3 novellas. I won't go into detail about each one as there are many other reviews that do so quite well. I'll admit that the problem lies partly with me. I'm not a fan of Holocaust stories and I prefer my novels to have a happy, or at least satisfying, ending.

The first story, despite its Holocaust theme, was my favorite. It was enjoyable to catch up with Davita after all these years and witness how she assisted the boy in finding his voice to tell his tragic tale. However, due to its subject matter, a Russian ex-secret police torturer, I simply skimmed the second story. It seemed to be as excellently written as Potok's usual works, but I had nothing but disgust for the protagonist and wanted no part in his story. The third story, which according to the Readers Guide was written a decade before the others, was so perplexing and strange that I read it three times and still couldn't make sense of what was happening. Once again, the protagonist was unlikable, and the plot, if one could even call it that, failed to engage me. The mysterious changing appearance of I.D. Chandal was disconcerting, especially since it was never explained, and I found the sexual aspects both disturbing and unnecessary to the narrative.

Chaim Potok passed away only a year after this book was published, so perhaps that accounts for its dark and despairing focus. All those readers who gave this book 4 and 5 stars clearly saw something in it that I didn't. Yes, it was well-written and had great descriptions, but the subject matter, in my opinion, did not merit such efforts.
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kasumi_imai
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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If I had known in advance how significantly World War II was going to be a prominent feature in this, I most definitely would not have embarked upon it. The account of the war, although sparse yet detailed, bears a resemblance to that of The Sunflower. However, I have already read an ample number of such kinds of stories.

What really detracted from the plot was the old man's objectification of Davita's body. It added nothing of value and seemed rather out of place.

Thankfully, the only redeeming aspect of these stories is the way in which Davita recognized and shared the power of story. She was able to help the man find his point of zero and commence recounting his story. This act of Davita's brought a glimmer of hope and meaning to what could have otherwise been a rather lackluster and uninteresting narrative.

Overall, while there were some flaws in the story, Davita's actions and the power of story that she unearthed managed to salvage it to a certain extent.
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Brick_
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This book was truly interesting.

It presented the relationships of three different men with one woman, all from an educational perspective.

Perhaps I'm not very profound or don't think abstractly enough, but the ending of this book left me extremely confused.

The story itself was good.

It was descriptive and painted a perfect picture of the setting and colors.

It was as if I could vividly imagine the scenes and the emotions of the characters.

However, the conclusion seemed a bit rushed or perhaps too complex for me to fully grasp.

I found myself rereading the last few pages several times, trying to make sense of it all.

Despite the confusion at the end, I still enjoyed the overall journey of the story and the insights it provided into the dynamics of these relationships.

Maybe with further reflection or a second reading, I will be able to understand the ending better.

Nonetheless, this book has definitely piqued my interest and made me think about the various aspects of human connection and education.

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Ant161718
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I absolutely loved The Chosen and My Name is Asher Lev. Those two books had a certain charm and style that really appealed to me.

However, when I picked up this one, I was completely thrown off by the stark differences in style. It was such a departure from what I was used to that it took me some time to adjust.

Moreover, I was left rather confused by Benjamin’s story. There were so many details that seemed to be unnecessary to his overall narrative. I found myself wondering why certain elements were included and how they contributed to the story as a whole.

Despite these initial impressions, I am still willing to give the book a chance and see if it will grow on me as I continue to read. Maybe there are hidden depths and meanings that I have not yet discovered. Only time will tell if this book will be able to win me over like the others did.
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vaporweeb
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Anyone who takes a look at my bookshelf will quickly realize that I haven't delved into many adult-level books in a long while. I absolutely adored (LOVED) Chaim Potok's "The Chosen." It firmly ranks among my top 5 favorite books. However, even that one leans more towards a high school level of complexity.

Now, this particular book I'm referring to is, from a literary perspective, of a higher caliber. The author is truly a master of the written word. I have no clue whatsoever what the ending implies, but the sheer power and impact of each of the three stories within it are sufficient to make it a highly worthwhile read. When I googled "old men at midnight ending meaning," all I received were explanations related to "No Country for Old Men." So, I suppose I'll forever be left wondering why I D Chandel kept putting on weight and seemingly didn't notice Benjamin, yet got angry at him later, while his Trope teacher's ghost haunted the house across the street. What the heck?!?!

I always find myself finishing Potok's books with a longing to be Jewish and to have lived in Brooklyn.
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destonyDbaby
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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At the end of Old Men at Midnight—at least in the copy I read—the publishers include a short conversation with Daniel Walden. During this conversation, Walden makes an observation about Potok’s style. He says that some critics don’t admire Potok’s so-called simple style. Potok contends that his writing is a result of much rewriting and revision and is deliberate. Potok adds that the style is simplicity for the sake of complexity. Whoever feels that it is a “simple style” has to look into it and find the right way. Of course, the style has become over the years much more complex and much more simple.


This book consists of three interlinked novellas. The common factor is a woman, Davita Dinn, born Ilana Davita Chandal, later to become the author I. D. Chandal. In the central story, she is not an active participant, but her presence is important in the first and final stories. In The Ark Builder, she is a teacher to a seventeen-year-old Auschwitz survivor. In The War Doctor, she is at university. In The Trope Teacher, she is a successful novelist and befriends a famous professor.


All the stories involve Jews and survivors. For example, Noah is the only Jew to survive in his town. Kalman Sharfstein becomes a KGB interrogator but later questions his superiors. Benjamin Walter is a war expert who struggles to write his memoirs. Davida helps him by providing a way in.


Some people didn’t like the third story, but I did. What might be missing is a fourth story showing how Davita changed from the girl in the first two novellas to the character in the third. Each novella works well on its own, but together we look for connections that may not be there. The book could have been reworked as a single novel, but Potok was in his seventies when it was planned.


One problem I had was emotional distancing. The KGB interrogator tells his story dispassionately, and the other characters are also somewhat removed. We never find out what Davida is working on at the end. She is a writer and everything she hears is grist to the mill. If you’ve read a lot about the war, there may not be much new here, but each novella has its moments. I’m not sure if I’ll reread the book, but The Trope Teacher might deserve a second read.

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imdeadnow
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Old Men at Midnight by Chaim Potok is a remarkable collection.

It consists of three interlinked novellas that delve into profound themes.

The book explores trauma, memory, and the search for understanding in the lives of Jewish characters who have been affected by the Holocaust, Stalinist Russia, and other significant historical events.

As a great fan of Davita's Harp, I had high expectations of seeing Davita's character progress further in this work. However, in Old Men at Midnight, she mostly functions as a listener to the stories of the men around her.

Nonetheless, Potok's storytelling prowess is still very much on display. His narratives are rich and deeply thought-provoking, taking the reader on a journey into the personal scars left by historical events.

It is truly a compelling read that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend to others interested in exploring the human experience through the lens of history and memory.

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