Old Men at Midnight: Stories (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

This book is written by a Master writer and he accomplishes in few words tons of emotions. I cannot say enough about how this book moved me. It was written in a bygone time that no one should ever be allowed to forget or deny.

Enjoy Chaim Potok book's

Three longish stories in which Ilana Davita Chandal serves as the catalyst for memory at various stages of her life, first with a teenage Holocaust survivor, then with a Jewish KGB interrogator who has defected to the US in the mid-1950's, and finally with an ailing war historian having trouble completing his memoirs. In each case, the men find it possible to bring forth memories they had buried, consciously or unconsciously. What this means to them, or to Davita, is not clear, and there are stylistic elements within these stories that I do not understand. For example, the first story, entitled "The Ark Builder" begins with Davita as an 18 year old tutoring a young man traumatized by his experiences at the hands of the Nazis. He barely speaks, and her job is to teach him English. As the story progresses, Davita encourages the young man to talk about his past, which he eventually does---in perfectly flowing English prose. There is no in-text acknowledgment of this discrepancy, and when his remembrance is finished, he again speaks to Davita in halting broken English.In the final story of the collection, Davita is a middle-aged well-known author. She moves into the house next door to an elderly couple, who know her reputation. The husband is struggling to complete his memoirs, having found that he cannot drag forth any meaningful memories of his early life. He meets the very attractive, youthful Davita, who is working in her garden, and he is immediately drawn to her. Only later does it occur to him that she should be much older than she appears; that, in fact she is much younger, trimmer and more attractive than the photo of her on one of her recent books. Then one night he catches a glimpse of her at her writing desk through her lighted window, and what he sees is a frowsy, grey-haired, overweight woman--in fact, the image from the book jacket. Throughout the story, Dr. Walter meets the sexy youthful version of Davita repeatedly, and just as often sees the older, more realistic time-worn version at a distance. Again, a jarring story element that is never resolved.Although Davita is the unifying presence in the three separate stories, she is mostly a mystery to the reader...very little of HER comes through, and at the end we don't even know what physical description to trust.Despite these enigmatic elements, there is a good deal of emotional power in this book, and the memories elicited from Davita's contacts will stay with you.

In spite of some good reviews, especially by Francis McInerney, I need only to add accolades to off-set the reviewers who are not incredibly riveted in their imagination. The ten reviews at the beginning of my copy come from such diverse places as Rocky Mountain News; Book Magazine; St.Louis Post-Dispatch; New York Times, +++New York Jewish Week all point to Potok's historical, literary approach!I began with reading "The War Doctor" and was quickly mesmerized by the surgery of Doctor Rubinov. As he had performed drastic surgery on the Cossack, Trotsky, he gave extra care to our hero, actually an officers' orderly. It seemed obvious that Potok had returned to his early novels. He pictured Doctor Rubinov caring for the orderly; Possibly due to being taught the Holy Words of Hebrew Prayers. Hardly a good reason to promote him to a Comrade Lieutenant Shertov! Rubinov took the risk of giving him legal papers that sufficed for insurance back to his hometown village.I was again mesmerized by Potok's wonderful description of Benjamin Walter in his third story of the Trope Teacher. "He was sixty-eight, and ailing. A tall, lean, stately man, with thick gray hair, a square pallid face split by a prominent nose and large webbed eyes, brooding behind old-fashioned spectacles." Again I was hooked by his mystical reputation as a writer. It seemed odd, seeing Ilana as I. D. Chandal in the driver's seat of narrating the longest, most detailed of all the trilogy stories. Throughout his narratives, Chaim Potok places Jewish characters as if they are both Holcaust survivors and members of human history and literature.After high epectations from his greatest writings of The CHOSEN, The PROMISE, and ASHER LEV, here is his mountain peak of writing in a newer genre of short stories. They appear to become riveted into whole creations, yet also Holy Creations! Maybe they shall reach into those hearts of more and more hopeful believers!Semi-Retired Chaplain Fred W. Hood

Midnight is asociated with journeys trough tough-hard times. The Old age of a person is asociated with a time where physical strenght is not greater than personal determination, values and beleif. Being old at midnight is a crude task, specially when overwhelming powerful forces are oppressing goodwill people. Trough the eyes of a woman along three diffrent stages of her life and from the lips of a teenager surviavor of the holocaust, the voice of a former secret soviet serviceman and from the recalls of an historian, Chaim Potok has given us a brilliant treaty of those who rather face destiny with dignity and integrity, even when that mean a certain death in body, but to live far beyond to stick to goodwill values. A superlative book about an archbuider, a righfull physician and a prophesor of Torah, all they share in common trhe love for life and the gust to face destny and to fight any form of overwhelming oppresion. Ileana Davita carries on a message of integrity and inspiration. This is a must!

Chaim Potok is always thought provoking. I liked that the stories were complete unto themselves yet carried the thread of the character of Davita. The 4-star rating is only because I did not like the way that Davita is portrayed in the third story. The book is well worth reading for the reminder that some stories have to be told so we do not repeat such a horrible history or unspeakable cruelty not only to the Jewish people but to all who suffered under Hitler and Stalin.

Got this used and it is in great condition, it is a gift for my mom! I know she is going to love it!

I LOVE IT!!!!

Three slightly linked stories by the late Chaim Potok. He has a wonderful reputation as one of the great late twentieth-century American novelists, writing stories with deep Jewish roots and universal truths. These stories transcend all particularist tendencies to provide powerful understandings of human nature. As always, his prose is simple yet devastating.