This book was very well written, but I didn't like it nearly as much as the last Noah Gordon book I read, The Last Jew. I kept wondering throughout my reading it why it was a story worth telling. The whole book is merely the story of a rabbi from when he first decides to become a rabbi, through his life. It was a nice story, but again, I couldn't figure out why a fictional rabbi's life deserved an entire book. Having been to a youth group convention the weekend immediately following finishing the book, during services while listening to the rabbi's sermon, I started thinking about how he got to the position he's in now, and felt a little more positively about the book. Overall, though, definitely not my favorite.

A pesar de la mejorable traducción de Adolfo Martín, es un libro que no puede faltar en la colección del buen "gordonista". Porque es la primera de sus nueve obras; porque se vislumbra aquí la línea narrativa que le llevarán a la cumbre (inalcanzable) de "El Médico"; y porque, lejos de ser su mejor trabajo, este libro es de todos modos una prosa 100% Gordon. A saber: cero ampulosidad y una escritura que deja el protagonismo a los eventos. No nos embriaga con escaladas de suspense o ardides lingüísticos.
Por último, es un pequeño testimonio de vida judía en los EEUU del siglo veinte, al margen de los pogromos que asolaron la Europa ashkenazi, preludio de la masacre de la segunda guerra mundial, que borró de la faz de la tierra a 6 millones de correligionarios de la dinastia Kind.

Leer este libro solo sirvió para darme cuenta del avance que tuvo el autor en «El Médico».

En cuanto a calidad «El Rabino» es muy distante; no hay drama entre sus personajes, no hay conflicto y todo pasa sin pena ni gloria. Estoy seguro de que en una hora olvidaré toda esta historia. Me llevo un sabor muy agrio, pues nunca noté la propuesta de Noah Gordon. Se va a los peores del año. Por suerte tiene una prosa muy ligera, de otro modo lo hubiera abandonado.

This book is written in the voice of Michael Kind, a rabbi. The book begins in 1964 when he is dealing with a major crisis in his life. However he flashes back in the story to his childhood, the decision to become a rabbi, falling in love with the daughter of a minister, the birth of his children and challenges within the parishes he serves. When Leslie, his wife, realizes she is in love with Michael, and knows that for Michael marriage to her would mean giving up being a rabbi, she begins a study of the faith, and one day presents Michael with the news that she has converted. In many ways the story is about her struggles as well as Michael's as they attempt to live an unorthodox life for their time. Noah Gordon uses words well. This is, I believe, his first book, but I will read more from this author. I'd like to have given it 4.5 stars.

Muy aburrido

Perskaičius knygą "Gydytojas. Avicenos mokinys", Noah Gordon tapo vienu mėgstamiausių autorių. Jo gebėjimas sklandžiai, įdomiai ir įtraukiančiai rašyti - užbūrė. O kur dar egzotiškas knygoje aprašomas laikotarpis. Skaičiau visas jo lietuviškai išleistas knygas. Kai kurios patiko, kai kurios - nuvylė.
Rabis - knyga, kuri ir vėl labai patiko. Joje kelių kartų - žydų šeimos - gyvenimas. Mažiau egzotiškas, nes veiksmas vyksta JAV 50-70 dešimtmečiais. Šioje knygoje ir vėl atsiskleidė autoriaus plunksnos meistriškumas. Aš knygą skaičiau besimėgaudama. Ir nebuvo svarbu, kaip ji baigsis, tiesiog skaičiau ir nenorėjau, kad ji baigtųsi. Sėkmingai būčiau skaičiusi ir dar kelių kartų gyvenimo aprašymus, nes tiesiog - buvo malonu.

The book is certainly readable - Gordon has a nice writing style, but I found the book rather disappointing. The book has an interesting story, but everything related to "being a Rabbi", or Judaism, is so superficial.

First, Michael Kind's decision to become a Rabbi come out of nowhere - the only clue being the name of the book. The link with his grandfather and some months study is not enough to explain why he suddenly decides to become a Rabbi. And then, despite his learning with an Orthodox Rabbi, he himself becomes a Reform Rabbi. This is explained in exactly one sentence - a vague feeling that there should be some progress. And with that he finishes with the decision to become a reform rabbi, as if the decision of whether to be an Orthodox rabbi or a Reform rabbi is like deciding which entree to choose for dinner.

The same is true of his wife's conversion. She goes to lessons, "passes the test" as if becoming a Jew is more or less the same as getting a driver's license.

Moreover, I know things have changed, but I doubt that Jews belonging to a Reform synagogue would be put off by a rabbi's being married to a convert - as presented in the book.

Most of all, I was surprised by the flippant attitude toward the Holocaust. At one point, he writes that not only were the Germans destroying European Jewry, but they were also destroying his sex life. As if these two "problems" were equivalent. There is one other very brief mention of the Holocaust - also with some rather flippant remark. How can a Jew, and a Rabbi at that (even a Reform Rabbi) be so disconnected emotionally from the Holocaust?

So the book is a nice read, but is disappointing in terms of developing any Jewish themes.

Como primera toma de contacto con el autor, esta novela ha sido un tira y afloja toda la lectura. A ratos me encantaba, a ratos me resultaba un poco pesada (con demasiado vocabulario judío, mayoritariamente). De todas formas es una lectura agradable, bastante amena, en la que relata la vida de un rabino y de su familia, con una redacción muy llevadera, y en una historia tierna en la que te zambulles hasta el fondo.

La lectura de este libro me ha parecido un poco pesada en algunos momentos,tiene tramos que me ha conseguido enganchar y una buena reflexión final, pero tampoco sería un libro que recomendaría a cualquiera que no estuviese interesado en la cultura y tradición judía.

Great novel.

Some academic friends recommended The Physician, and voila, I fell in love with with the stories of Mr Gordon. I have read Shaman, Matters of Choice, The Last Jew, and now The Rabbi in a space of a few months.

I chose to rate it 5 for a good story that depicts the struggles of man and having the will to stay positive and move on with life and cherish what we have.

Held my interest to nearly the end. I’ve read 2 by the same author. This one isn’t quite as good as the other. I liked the narrative, but got a bit confused at first with some chapters jumping back into the past and then back to the present, but I got used to it.

Very well written, kept me engaged and character interaction made me thoughtful.