Powerful.

Here are three short stories that are linked rather loosely through the characters. However, they are more strongly connected by the theme.

The middle story is a particularly heavy retelling of the horrors that took place in Stalin's Russia. It delves deep into the dark and disturbing aspects of that era, painting a vivid picture of the suffering and oppression that the people endured.

The other two stories also touch on related themes, perhaps exploring different aspects of power, corruption, or the human condition.

Together, these three stories create a powerful and thought-provoking collection that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

This book is not solely focused on the Holocaust, even though it contains elements that are dark and sad.

Personally, I am usually hesitant to engage with books of this nature. I am concerned that I might not gain any new knowledge and, at the same time, might feel depressed while reading. However, this book does have some beautiful and touching aspects.

It has also taught me new things about the Jewish experience in the 20th century. The book is divided into three distinct stories. Each story features a Jewish man or boy sharing a part of his history with the author, Davita Dinn.

The first story, which is the most moving for me, is about an orphaned teenage boy who speaks of his experiences just before the Holocaust. The climax of this story is extremely sad and touching, and it is my favorite part of the book.

In the second story, a man tells of his history as a KGB agent. This story offers an interesting perspective of someone who has been both oppressed and an oppressor, raising questions about the choices people make in difficult situations.

The third story is not as memorable, although it is perhaps the strangest. It is about a history professor who remembers how he became interested in war through his studies under a Jewish man who served in WWI. The strangeness lies not in the plot but in the odd way the professor views Davita, which creates a strange distraction from the essence of his story.

Overall, this book offers a unique and thought-provoking look at different aspects of the Jewish experience.

Potok is undoubtedly a highly talented writer.

His works are often lauded for their depth and complexity. However, in this particular novel, the three stories, despite being somewhat loosely connected, left me with a distinct sense of incompleteness.

It was as if the stories were abruptly cut short, lacking the necessary closure and resolution that one would expect from a well-crafted narrative.

Perhaps there was a deeper meaning that Potok was attempting to convey, something that eluded my understanding.

It could be that the fragmented nature of the stories was intentional, a literary device used to engage the reader and prompt them to思考 and interpret the text in their own way.

Nevertheless, as a reader, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dissatisfaction with the overall structure and pacing of the novel.

I found myself longing for a more cohesive and fully developed storyline that would have allowed me to fully immerse myself in the world that Potok had created.

Despite this, I still recognize the talent and skill that Potok brings to his writing, and I look forward to reading more of his works in the future.

Perhaps with further exploration, I will be able to better appreciate the unique qualities and themes that he presents in his novels.

Years ago, I loaned this book to one of my sons and just got it back the other day.

I see that I added it to GoodReads back in March 2008 and gave it 4 stars. Since this was just days after I joined GoodReads, I assume I first read this book before 2008. That I'd read it at all was not surprising to me since it is my book, and I consider it unlikely that I would have loaned it before I read it. What is truly astonishing is that while reading it this time, I remembered absolutely nothing about it. Not a single detail.

Given that I'm 72 years old, it doesn't overly perturb me when I find I've forgotten some things. But it does deeply trouble me that I forgot everything about Old Men at Midnight, even with the second reading attempting to jog my memory. Ah, well, such is life.

I have an immense love for Chaim Potok's books. I have devoured all his novels and one of his non-fiction works, The Gates of November. I made an attempt at Wanderings, his other non-fiction book about the history of the Jews, and found it a touch too weighty for my taste. But that was a long time ago. Perhaps I'll give it another go soon.

I don't entirely fathom why Potok's prose holds such an allure for me. His books seem to emit tendrils that entwine around me like bindweed in a flower bed. I was engrossed in Old Men at Midnight during lunch today. After turning the last page, I emerged from the story only to discover that it was 4:30 p.m. and all my lunch had been consumed, presumably by me.

Chaim Potok passed away on July 23, 2002. I am grappling with forgiving him for departing this world before penning the final book in what would have been an Asher Lev trilogy.

The book was divided into three distinct sections.

The first section told the harrowing story of a Jewish boy who was the only one to survive from his village during the horrors of the Holocaust. It was a tale that tugged at the heartstrings and made one truly appreciate the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

The second section offered an interesting look into the life of a Jewish KGB officer. It provided a unique perspective on a world that is often shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

However, it is the third section that unfortunately marred the entire book for me. Within just a few pages, it became so overly suggestive that I simply had to stop reading. I felt that the content was inappropriate and detracted from the overall value of the book. As a result, I can only give this book a single star. I was truly disappointed as I had initially been quite interested in the subject matter.

Overall, while the first two sections had their merits, the third section was a major let-down and prevented me from fully enjoying the book.

This was my eighth Potok book.

His writing is truly brilliant in numerous ways. However, although certain aspects of this book are rather compelling, there are several factors that contribute to it having a relatively low ranking among his works.

I found it extremely difficult to accept the fluent story that was placed upon Noah's lips. This is because, up until that point, his knowledge of English was minimal.

I had a similar reaction when Benjamin made an instantaneous leap from having a complete memory block to suddenly having a flood of details that made up his story.

I understand that Davita was a catalyst for these stories, but these situations really required a significant suspension of disbelief.

Also, in the last story, I would have appreciated a bit more directness in the explanation of the symbolism behind Davita's changing appearance. Perhaps it's my own shortcoming, but I really struggled to put it all together.

In any case, I found Benjamin's strange sexual obsession with Davita (and Potok's description of it) to be completely inexplicable and downright creepy. This was especially so considering that his wife was very ill and he was supposed to be taking care of her.

Let's talk about The Trope Teacher.

At first, I didn't really take a liking to its writing style. It was rather choppy, almost as if it was being told in a stage whisper. It felt like the entire novel was narrated in the tone of a broody movie character's under-the-breath, feeling-drenched monologue. I was quite confused and didn't really know what was going on for a significant portion of the book.

However, things took a drastic turn in the last 50 pages. They were drenched in intense symbolism and raw, pulsing pain. It was a completely different experience compared to the earlier parts. The level of depth and emotion that was suddenly introduced was truly wild.

Despite my initial reservations, I would still recommend giving this book a read. You might be surprised by how it evolves and the powerful impact it can have on you.

So, go ahead and pick up The Trope Teacher. Who knows, it might just become one of your unexpected favorites.

Eureka.

On the surface, it may seem like just three novellas that are linked by a framing tale. However, when taken as a whole, it reveals a truly remarkable and skillful uniting of vitally important themes.

These themes include history and the Jews, which delves into the rich and complex past of the Jewish people, their struggles, and their contributions. It also explores warfare and survival, highlighting the harsh realities of conflict and the human will to endure.

The individual in society is another significant theme, examining how individuals navigate and are shaped by the social structures and forces around them. Memory and desire play a crucial role as well, as they influence our perception of the past and drive our aspirations for the future.

Finally, the recording and transmission of culture and homeland are central to the work, emphasizing the importance of preserving and passing on our cultural heritage and sense of place.

Together, these themes create a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the human experience.

I think this is the first of Chaim Potok’s books that I didn’t really like.

It consists of 3 stories from the life of a Jewish woman. They’re not precisely short stories; in fact, I believe each one is composed of four chapters. Each story occurs at a distinct stage in her life.

The stories themselves were interesting enough. They provided glimpses into different aspects of the woman’s experiences, her growth, and her relationships. However, what I missed was the larger narrative that would tie these stories together more cohesively. There was a lack of a unifying thread that would have given the book a stronger sense of purpose and direction.

Moreover, the ending of the final story was also very unsatisfying. It felt abrupt and left many loose ends. Ending a book in such a way is never a good approach as it leaves the reader with a sense of disappointment and incompleteness. It fails to provide the closure and resolution that the reader expects after investing time and energy in reading the entire book.

Overall, while there were some redeeming qualities in the individual stories, the lack of a larger narrative and the unsatisfactory ending made this book a less enjoyable read for me compared to Potok’s other works.

This book wasn't one that immediately *grabbed* you, but it was interesting nonetheless.

However, it was also somewhat depressing. I suppose any book that delves into the topics of war, killing, and the inhumane nature of people towards one another is bound to have a depressing tone.

The description of the atrocities and the suffering endured by the characters can be quite heart-wrenching.

Despite this, I do like Potok's style of writing. His prose is engaging and he has a talent for creating vivid characters and settings.

He manages to bring the story to life and make the reader feel as if they are a part of it.

Overall, while the book may not be a light and easy read, it is still worth picking up for those who are interested in exploring the darker side of human nature and the impact of war on individuals and society.

Reading more of Davita's story was truly great. However, unfortunately, she is the perfect embodiment of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. This started in Davita's Harp and carried on in this book. On her own, she is a rich and complex character. But, all too often, her story is pushed aside in order to further the stories of the men she comes across. And that is precisely what occurs in these 3 novellas. We get a brief glimpse of her and then she interviews and inspires these men. After that, she is simply set aside. It's a shame because Davita has so much potential as a character in her own right. Her story could be just as interesting and engaging as those of the men, if only it were given the proper attention and development. Instead, she is reduced to a supporting role in the lives of others.

I read this book some time ago. To be honest, I don't have a lot of distinct impressions. However, I did mark two passages that really struck me at that time.

From the Second Novella, "The War Doctor", the first passage goes like this: "Amid tall wintry pines and spruce and oaks, near a frozen pond, and far from the view of outsiders, twenty-two of us studied the many weaknesses of the human body and mind. Day and night we trained in the rigorous science of investigation, arrest, interrogation, persuasion, confession; how to layer terror upon terror. In the kingdom of hope there is no winter, goes a Russian proverb. Well, from a tradition passed down for centuries, one generation of interrogators and torturers to the next, we learned how to dissolve that kingdom and bring to our prisoners the eternal winter of hopelessness."

The second passage is: "There is a Russian saying: every day learns from the one that went before, but no day teaches the one that follows. How we stumbled and staggered about during the weeks that followed! Three million men were marching against us-- Germans, Rumanians, Hungarians, Italians, Finns. With thousands upon thousands of aircraft, artillery pieces, tanks. They had split their force into three huge army groups: the northern was to take Leningrad; the center, Moscow; the southern, Rostov and the Crimea and the oil deposits of the Caucasus. How we bled! Millions of lives, vast stretches of the Motherland-- quickly lost to the teeth and claws of the enemy."

Potok's writing style is simple, direct and visceral. And with this style, he successfully captures the mood and here, the horror, of the reality. It makes the readers feel as if they are right there, experiencing the events along with the characters. His descriptions are so vivid that they can easily draw the readers into the story and make them understand the gravity of the situation.