The Chosen

Liked the story. However, since I don't know that much about the Jewish religions, I got lost a few times.

“The Chosen” is a unique coming of age story set in the closing years of the Second World War. It was Potok’s first novel and brings together a number of experiences and themes which were at the crossroads of his own life. It takes us deep into the world of the Hasidic religion and its struggle to survive 20th century America. At the heart of the story is an unlikely friendship between Reuven and Danny, both Jews but from very different worlds. A random accident on a baseball pitch throws them together, and a deep connection and friendship is formed between two adolescent boys, who share similarities but also fundamental differences. It is also a meeting of two brilliant and very different minds. The key point of conflict in the novel is Danny’s struggle with his father’s decision that he will become the next Rabbi and leader of his people; an inherited position which Danny is seeking to escape due to his interest in psychology. When the novel was first released in 1967, it was an immediate success, and seen as providing a hereto unknown insight into the Hasidic world. However “The Chosen” is much more than a story of the collision between the secular and non-secular worlds. It is a coming of age story between two boys who share a common struggle in finding their place in the world; and for all of us who were once adolescents trying to find out who we are, what we want to be and the life we want to lead, it touches a poignant and deeply personal nerve. After all, we were all teenagers once, struggling to become adults, and Potok’s uncanny ability to capture the thoughts, feelings and doubts of this period in our lives is powerful. Potok was to later further extend the echoes of cultural clashes in “My Name is Asher Lev”. But it was “The Chosen” which was his first novel to artfully reveal a moving story of adolescence set in a changing world. A world where teenage boys are forced to come to grips with creating meaning in the wake of a war which has killed six million Jews, challenging the old beliefs and values they have been taught as children, which dissolve in the face of an ever changing world, which they inherit as adults.

This book offers a fascinating look at culture and relationships in this coming-of-age story about two Jewish boys in Brooklyn.

I can't believe I didn't read this book years ago. When I read the beginning of the book about what seemed to be a simple baseball game, I thought that this would not be a book I could relate to. I was so wrong. That is part of the genius of Mr. Potok's writing. He starts out simply, with a good story that keeps you reading and then-Voila, you are taken on a journey you don't want to end. The book taught me so much about Judaism, spirituality and love. I cried at the end. I am part Jewish and brought up in the very neighborhood Chaim Potok talks about. I recognized the places, especially the library that can only be the Brooklyn Public at Grand Army Plaza. I too walked under those arches decades after and yet with the author and it remains a treasured memory. Even the hospital he and his father stayed in,could be the one where I gave birth to my second son, Maimonides Hospital. Yet this book is about more than memories or religion. It explains life in a simple and profound way. It talked about a people who suffered and held on to tradition in order to survive. But like eating Levy's bread or a bagel, you don't have to be Jewish to benefit from the beauty. It is a universal story. It's about an enduring friendship, and most of all , the love of two fathers and their sons. I wish I could have met the author because to write such a book, he had to have been a wonderful teacher, writer and human being. I am so grateful I found this diamond and now want to read everything he wrote. I did this with DH Laurence when I saw an obscure play the author wrote. I am transported and transformed by reading this book. And that's is what the best books can do. "The Chosen" will be one of the few books I keep on my bookshelf for life. Aloha

I loved the friendship that developed between 2 Jewish boys that had vast differences, even though they were both Jewish and their fathers were both rabbis. In many ways, they were worlds apart. It's so heartwarming and very informative.I Love Yeshua (Jesus), the greatest Jew who ever lived, and am drawn to the history and culture. The author is incredible.

Saw the film 30 years ago and was struck by it, never forgot it. I bought the book expecting to be disappointed... And I just loved it. It's the kind of books that are difficult to put down. The end is beautiful and uplifting. I started reading it again as soon as I finished it, and I've bought a couple more books by this author. As a Christian, I find most of today's books very uncongenial. This is not the case, it's a wholesome book, full of compassion for the diverse perspectives of the characters, the kind of book you keep thinking about and want to recommend. Only one regret, it's spoiled the film for me now... ;)

What a beautiful book. I read this because it was mentioned in the book unorthodox (also a great book) and I'm so glad I did. This is one of those books where you fall in love with some of the characters and they stay with you, it can make it difficult to move on to another book and so I was so happy to discover that there is a follow up which I've already ordered and can't wait to read.

Hadn't read this book since leaving school about 20 years ago. Was as good as I remember. Re-read the book in one sitting as I didn't remember a lot of the minor characters. REommended even if you have no knowledge of the Jewish community as most Hebrew or Yiddish words are explained.

One of 10 books to choose if left on a desert Island,beautiful,a sheer pleasure to read. Has been a favorite for years,this copy is a present to a friend.

One of the finest books ever written. Chaim Potok is a knowledgeable and sensitive author. Ideal insight for anyone interested in Judaism.