This is my second encounter with this book. I first delved into its pages a few years ago. At that time, I was simply exploring the story out of personal interest. However, currently, I am reading it for a book club.

Being part of the book club has added a new dimension to my reading experience. It has given me the opportunity to discuss and share my thoughts with others who are also engaged in reading the same book. We can exchange different perspectives, analyze the characters and plot, and gain a deeper understanding of the story.

As I read this book for the second time, I am noticing details that I might have missed before. I am also able to appreciate the author's writing style and techniques more fully. The book club discussions have sparked my curiosity and made me want to explore further the themes and ideas presented in the book.

Overall, this second reading of the book, in the context of the book club, has been a rewarding and enriching experience. It has not only deepened my appreciation for the book but also allowed me to connect with others who share my love of reading.

This is an excellent book that truly stands out for its outstanding character development.

The author has done a remarkable job of bringing the characters to life, making them relatable and multi-dimensional.

Each character has their own unique personality, motives, and flaws, which makes them feel like real people.

Moreover, the book also explores the theme of cultural clashes in a very interesting and thought-provoking way.

The different cultures and traditions that the characters come from add an extra layer of complexity to the story, and it is fascinating to see how they interact and adapt to each other.

Overall, this is a must-read book for anyone who enjoys well-written fiction with engaging characters and a rich exploration of cultural themes.

I truly wish that I could give this book six stars. It is an absolute gem that I have fallen deeply in love with.

From the very first page, it had me completely captivated. The story was engaging, the characters were vivid and relatable, and the writing was simply superb.

It took me on an emotional journey, filled with excitement, laughter, and even a few tears. I found myself unable to put it down, constantly eager to see what would happen next.

This book has left a lasting impression on me, and I will definitely be recommending it to all of my friends and family. It is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story.

That is all I can say about this amazing book. It is truly one of the best I have ever read.

Probably the best book I've read this year is by Potok. His ability to write about the world of a child is truly impressive. It's like a Bildungsroman, filled with dreams, hallucinations, and anxieties, which are the shadow-sides of imagination. The way he portrays the early-mid 20th century Orthodox Judaism is also fascinating. It offers a unique perspective and shows interesting analogues with my own religious tradition. The distinction between insider and outsider is explored in a very engaging way. It makes me think about how different religious cultures have their own characteristics and yet share some commonalities. Overall, this book has been a great read and has given me a lot to ponder.

This novel vividly depicts the life of a Jewish boy who grows up in New York during the twenties, the Depression, and WWII.

Potok skillfully transports the reader into the world as seen through the eyes of a sickly yet intellectually brilliant boy. This boy grapples with the profound question of what it means to be Jewish in a time when Jews faced persecution and were brutally murdered in the millions.

The book also offers great insights into "the intricacies of an Orthodox education" (Irish Times Review). One of the main themes is that of beginnings and how "all beginnings are hard." Potok takes the reader on the courageous journey of a young man who dares to make his own beginning, even if it means stepping beyond the boundaries of his family's strict traditions.

It is important to note that this book assumes at least a basic knowledge of Jewish Orthodoxy and the Jewish Bible (Christian Old Testament). However, don't let that deter you. Reading it will fill your heart with compassion and respect for the Jewish people and their sacred traditions. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Personally, as a Christian, this book has given me a much deeper respect for the "Jewishness" of the Bible I read and the Rabbi I follow.

A truly moving story unfolds about the life of David Lurie, a Jewish boy who grows up in the vibrant city of New York. As an infant, he suffers an accident that results in a chronic illness, often confining him to his bed. However, this adversity gives birth to an over-active imagination and a deep love for reading within him.

David's family endures many hardships. They manage to survive the great depression, face the harsh reality of racism, and unfortunately, lose their family members to Hitler's cruel camps. Despite all these trials and tribulations, David perseveres and goes on to become a renowned scholar of the Jewish faith.

While the book contains tedious religious debates that I had to wade through, I still found the writing to be beautiful and thought-provoking. It offers a profound insight into the life and struggles of a Jewish family during a tumultuous period in history. Overall, it is a story that will touch your heart and make you reflect on the power of perseverance and the importance of faith.

I’ve read a few works by Chaim Potok.

In fact, “The Chosen” is one of my favorite books and movies.

This book was initially extremely slow-paced and very depressing.

David is a sickly child, yet he is extremely intelligent and has an overly active imagination.

His family immigrated to America after the First World War and continued to endure a fair amount of anti-Semitism in New York.

The story chronicles his young life, from his early years to his decision to study the Talmud and his exploration of faith outside the conventions established by his family.

It delves deep into the themes of identity, faith, and the struggle between tradition and modernity.

Potok’s writing style is细腻 and engaging, drawing the reader into David’s world and making them empathize with his experiences.

Overall, “The Chosen” is a thought-provoking and powerful work that has had a lasting impact on me.

A superbly written story unfolds, centering around an exceptionally intelligent young Jewish boy named David, his family, and their arduous journey. They strive to establish their lives in the United States while also aiding other Jewish families who long to leave Poland and settle in New York. In the prosperous 1920s, the family thrives in the US. However, school-age David faces the cruel taunts and bullying of anti-Semitic local boys. Moreover, he is haunted by the whispered secrets of his father's past as a militant activist among Jews in the "old country."

We accompany this family through the Great Depression and into World War II. As they learn of the Nazis' unimaginable cruelty towards their family and acquaintances left behind in Europe, their pain and horror are palpable. It indeed seems that this is primarily the story of the Jewish experience in NYC during the 1920s - 1940s.

Then, in the final portion of the book, a completely new and unexpected plot twist occurs. The author zeroes in on David's decision to set aside his orthodox beliefs and pursue secular Biblical criticism. This decision shocks his family and friends, especially at a time when they are still reeling from the harrowing reality of the Holocaust.

Each of the main characters is brought to life with such vividness and authenticity that they become completely compelling. Their story is told from an uncommon perspective, allowing readers to develop a deep empathy and understanding for their conflicts, despite the foreignness of their culture.

However, I was a bit disappointed in the sudden change of focus near the end. After becoming so deeply emotionally involved in their story, the conclusion seemed almost too abrupt. I was left with a longing to know the rest of the story, to see how the characters would navigate the challenges and changes that lay ahead.

I completed this work subsequent to reading Potok's The Book of Lights. (Refer to my review.) The two novels have a common protagonist who is well-versed in Torah learning and trains in a yeshiva. However, he then embarks on a more "Conservative Jewish" path, moving towards a liberal interpretation of what he has learned, outside the bounds of the Orthodox tradition. This particular story delves most deeply into the childhood of Davey Lurie during the late 1920s and 1930s, among the impoverished immigrants in NYC.

The differences between In the Beginning and The Book of Lights lie in the fact that Davey lacks a strong friend. Instead, similar to the main character in Book of L, he is afflicted by sickness, headaches, and fevered visions. This aspect in both narratives becomes tiresome. Here, it demonstrates how the Angel of Death haunts him from an early age, how he turns inward to study, and how he is gradually driven to accept a more liberal perspective on what he has assimilated. Naturally, this disappoints his teachers, classmates, and parents. This also parallels World War II and the revelations of the Nazi death camps, which in turn echo the torments his father endures in America, having fought "Cossacks" in World War I in Poland/Ukraine on behalf of a Jabotinsky Revisionist partisan brigade for the beleaguered Jews.

Potok spends a significant amount of time on the maturation of Davey, only to accelerate it when he reaches the age of entering rabbinical preparation. It would have been a more effective character analysis if Potok had paced the plot more evenly. I suppose it shows, in the style of Joyce's Stephen Dedalus, how Lurie's mentality evolves, and thus his ideas multiply and their expression deepens. But there are endless recapitulations of the mean Catholic kids who beat him up, his jealous Jewish classmates, the dogs he accidentally hurts, visits to the zoo, meetings his father has with fellow activists, the weariness of his mother...

The overall result does not yield a particularly exciting experience. It is indeed a dense, philosophical, coming-of-age novel. However, even in comparison, Portrait of an Artist had engaging conversations about ideas, aesthetics, faith, sin, politics, etc. Potok's contrast attempts to replicate this terrain in Depression-era NYC. But it is overly absorbed in the restless dreams endured by Davey and his parents, and too clogged with recapitulations of Torah that, despite their valuable insights, do not come to life vividly from these numerous pages. A shorter treatment, with livelier exchanges between Davey and his peers and the scholars they live among for so long, could potentially have enlivened the vivid conflicts of values inherent in the text.

Another masterpiece!

I am truly in awe of his writing skills. It is simply outstanding and ranks among the best that I have had the pleasure of reading each year.

The way he weaves words together to create vivid images and engaging stories is nothing short of remarkable. His ability to capture the essence of a moment and convey it to the reader is a rare talent.

Each time I pick up one of his works, I am transported to a different world, filled with unique characters and exciting adventures. I can't get enough of his writing and eagerly await each new release.

His mastery of the written word is an inspiration to me as a reader and aspiring writer. I hope to one day be able to write with such skill and creativity.

Chaim Potok has an extraordinary talent for beautifully capturing all the conflicting thoughts, emotions, and purposes of his larger-than-life characters.

Unlike a murder mystery that typically has a riveting plot filled with suspense and excitement, this book takes a different approach.

It delves deep into the intricacies of the psychological struggle that lies at the very core of being oneself and pursuing one's dreams.

This is a struggle that is deeply, fundamentally human.

We all face these inner conflicts, the battle between what society expects of us and what our hearts truly desire.

Potok's writing allows us to explore these complex emotions and experiences, making us reflect on our own lives and the choices we make.

His characters come to life on the page, their joys and sorrows palpable, and we can't help but be drawn into their world.

This book is not just a story; it's a journey of self-discovery and a reminder of the power of the human spirit.

Chaim Potok's simple yet evocative prose has an undeniable charm that always manages to capture my attention.

However, in this particular work, the central conflict seems to emerge rather suddenly, and that too quite late in the novel. As a result, it didn't have the impact it could have had, and for me, it fell a little flat.

Nevertheless, there are aspects of the novel that I truly loved. His depiction of the waxing and waning of communal relationships during the Great Depression is both vivid and poignant. It gives a real sense of the struggles and changes that communities went through during that difficult time.

Another aspect that stands out is the fully developed sibling relationship. This is something that Potok often shies away from in his other novels, but here, he delves deep into the complex emotions and dynamics between siblings. It adds a layer of depth and authenticity to the story that is truly engaging.

Overall, despite the flaw in the central conflict, there is still much to appreciate in this novel. Potok's writing style and his ability to bring to life different aspects of human relationships make it a worthwhile read.