Book Description
The classic novel of Jewish immigrants in new trade paperback format and design, with sixteen period photographs.
This masterwork of American immigrant literature is set in the 1920s on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and tells the story of Sara Smolinsky, the youngest daughter of an Orthodox rabbi, who rebels against her father's rigid conception of Jewish womanhood. Sarah's struggle towards independence and self-fulfillment resonates with a passion all can share. Beautifully redesigned page for page with the previous editions, Bread Givers is an essential historical work with enduring relevance. 16 b/w photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad for the dreaded "required reading"!.......2006-11-10
This book was required reading for my history class, but it turned out to be a pretty fast and fun read. Though branded as a novel, this book reads very much like a turn-of-the-century (20th) biography of a young immigrant woman.
An Outstanding Book with Several Flaws.......2006-08-10
This book vividly portrays the culture clashes that arise when a parent remains devoted to Old World traditions and beliefs and a rebellious daughter sets out to find her own way in America. Reb Smolinsky, the family patriarch, is chronically unemployed and content to be supported by his wife and children while he spends his time in meditation and study of his beloved Torah. Sara's three older sisters find romance, but each in turn finds her chances at marriage and happiness sabotaged by their dictatorial father. Reb Smolinsky, insisting he knows best for his daughters, pairs them up instead with men they can't possibly love or be happy with. Sara decides to rebel before history repeats itself in her life, and in the face of horrendous condemnation and taunting by her father, leaves home to support herself and pursue a dream of becoming a teacher.
This is a fine story, which should have been written in third person narrative, considering the private conversations that occur in the early part of the book. Reb Smolinsky seems a bit exaggerated, and his oft-repeated citings of the Torah that say a woman without a man is less than nothing are not substantiated with book, chapter, and verse. One has to wonder, does the Torah really say such things? I tried to find proof of this, but could not find any. Also, some loose ends are left unresolved at the story's end, particularly the plot complication that ensues when Reb Smolinsky buys a grocery store in Elizabeth, New Jersey, only to find himself the victim of a clever swindle. Anyone who is only somewhat familiar with the history of the Lower East Side and the lives of early twentieth century immigrants will be left wondering if life was really this fraught with conflict, despair, and misery for daughters of Jewish rabbis unable to leave their Old World ways behind. How plausible is this story? What can we really learn from it? It is a book worth reading, nevertheless, although further reading and study will probably be needed to avoid being confused by the situations Ms. Yezierska has presented.
Awesome book.......2006-07-21
I read this book for a college English class many years ago. I just finished reading it again for about the 10th time. This book is just truely mesmorizing and captivating. You don't have to Jewish or an immigrant or a female struggling - this book is for anyone that is willing to let their mind enter a time where we have no idea what it was like first hand and to go off on a jouney. Matter of fact, all her books are wonderful as I've read them all, but Bread Givers is still my favorite. Sorry I'm not offering a critique of the book, I just simply love it and want to share it with everyone.
"All pioneers have to get hard to survive.".......2006-03-16
Anzia Yezierska's "Bread Givers" is, in a sense, two overlapping stories. The first half of the book is the melodramatic tale of an impoverished Jewish immigrant family living in the New York ghetto, a family suffering under the tyrannical and hypocritical piousness of the father. At times the foolishness and ineptitude of the father is almost comic, but the suffering inflicted on his family is harrowingly poignant. The second half is a psychologically and sociologically astute feminist coming-of-age tale, as the youngest daughter breaks from her family to re-define herself as an "Americanerin," leaving for college and eventually becoming a teacher in her old neighborhood. The broader strokes of the novel's opening give way to provocative considerations of the difficulties inherent in the narrator's at times ambivalent desires for assimilation within an alien culture and for a self-respecting independence from her own patriarchal family.
I wanted to shake some sense into Sara's father.......2005-11-05
for being such a tyrant, for spoiling his daughters' wedding plans, and for RUINING their lives -- and believe me-- that kind of stuff REALLY went on in those days! And I wanted to shake some sense into her mother for PUTTING UP WITH THIS!!!
Sara Smolinsky's life most probably parallels Anzia's real life. And if that is true, then I have the UTMOST respect for Sara/Anzia who against all odds, and especially as a woman back in the 1920's, found a place for herself and worked VERY hard to get that education and respect and "the good life" that all the middle-class American kids took for granted.
Someone reading this book today -- who has not read any books on the Immigrant experience or who has not become aquainted with Immigrant life in America in the early 20th Century -- wouldn't have a CLUE as to what it was really like back then, and to them this book would perhaps only serve to confuse or bore (!) them. Hopefully this book will not only shake readers out of their complacency, but it will encourage them to read other books about the Immigrant experience, such as "call it Sleep" by Roth.
The Bread-Givers is a great book.
Average customer rating:
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Bread Givers
Anzia Yezierska
Manufacturer: Persea Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O73EHK |
Customer Reviews:
bread givers.......2003-10-15
the Bread Givers has an interesting storyline but is hard to follow because of Yezierska writes in some broken english at the beginning of the book. though this is also something i like because it makes you feel as if you are in the time and place of the book. any one who enjoys historical fiction might enjoy this book. this book is about the classic struggle between a daughter and her need to make her own future and a the father who wants her to live his way.
Book Description
Michael Phillips' bestselling Civil War saga traces the efforts of two very different Southern girls-one the daughter of a slave, the other the daughter of a plantation owner-as they fight to stay safe after being orphaned in the war. Soon the plantation they have struggled to maintain becomes a beacon of hope to others in desperate need.
Customer Reviews:
Can't put it down.......2005-05-17
My grandma leant me this series, with rave reviews on how much she enjoyed them. I was skeptical, Christian authors are not exactly my cup of tea. But my grandma was insistant, and i needed some reading material. I figured all four books should last me for a good majority of the summer, but once i started reading I couldn't stop. I ended up reading the entire series in less than a week! These books were packed with adventure and suspense, and the friendship between these two girls was so touching. Even the religious parts didn't annoy me as they usually would have because the rest of the story was so good! Now i'm going to start working on the other Michael Phillips books that my grandma has.
Average customer rating:
- Heavenly Peace, Love and Joy in the World!!
- Stories About Angels in Real Life
- I don't anything about the book but would like to learn.
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All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me
Manufacturer: Zondervan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Angels | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Angelology | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Theology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0310210364 |
Book Description
Evelyn Bence has compiled powerful true stories of angelic encounters.
Customer Reviews:
Heavenly Peace, Love and Joy in the World!!.......2002-05-22
This book called out to me in early 1997 soon after my sister in law passed away tragically. I found the title itself comforting because my mother used to sing me the folk song of the same name. What I love about this book is that it is comprised of stories of ordinary people and their extraordinary encounters with angels. It is amazing to "see" the hand of God touching the lives of people just like you and me...and it gives you something to think about in case you are missing the small "miracles" in your own life. I also like the fact that the individual stories are short so if you are pressed for time, you can read one through quickly and move onto the next story when you have more time. It is more likely though, that you will be unable to put the book down and will come away feeling a sense of peace and hope for the future with your newly found awareness of God.
Stories About Angels in Real Life.......2000-04-09
If you like to read about real people and their real experiences with angels, this book has almost 2 dozen treats for you. Each person's story is preceded by a short biographical introduction. The people who met angels are of all ages and stages of life. Most were people of faith and the angels they met were there in response to some great need. All were mystified, comforted, and strengthened in their faith. Your faith will be strengthened, too, as you read.
I don't anything about the book but would like to learn........1999-08-01
I like Angels and I would like to read about angel and help me understand about Angels so they can, help me. And guide me in whatever I am doing.
Average customer rating:
- What a nice book!
- Love This Book
- Perfect for Babies, Easter and spring!!
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Angels Watching Over Me
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | Religions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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The Apple Doll
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Dream Hop
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The Paper Princess Flies Again: (with Her Dog)
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Pest Fest
ASIN: 0689862520 |
Book Description
Every hour...
every minute...
every second...
angels...
watching...
over...
me.
What better way to reassure a young child than with the words of a soft, soothing spiritual exuberantly expanded by author Julia Durango and intricately illuminated by award-winning artist Elisa Kleven.
Customer Reviews:
What a nice book!.......2007-09-09
This is a great bedtime story book. I love the illustrations that Elisa Klevin did. She's one of my favorite authors and illustrators. The book is done in such a comforting way. It's neat to get cozy and read it before bed or maybe when a child has been emotionally hurt. Good to cuddle with.
Love This Book.......2007-05-27
"Angels Watching Over Me" is a beautifully written children's book of assurance and discovery. The illustrations are captivating. It is a wonderful book.
Perfect for Babies, Easter and spring!!.......2007-03-29
This is the most beautiful picture book to come along in years. Each page is a feast for the eyes and lyrical for the ear. Durango has added new stanzas to the traditional slave spiritual "All Night, All Day" to soothe new generations of souls. If I have to choose a favorite line: "Bird says sing, I hum a tune./Cloud floats by, a lace balloon." Perfectly lovely!
Whimsical illustrations in a palette of delicious spring colors will tempt readers to study each picture again and again.
Buy for a baby shower, Easter gift, or just a splurge on something beautiful to treasure.
Average customer rating:
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Angels Trilogy: Angels Watching Over Me/Lifted Up by Angels/Until Angels CL
Lurlene McDaniel
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
State & Local | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Personal Hygiene | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0613906268 |
Average customer rating:
- a bookworm review
- brittney
- Angels Watching Over Me
- Angels Watching Over Me
- Angels Watching Over Me
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Angels Watching Over Me
Lurlene Mcdaniel
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Teens | Subjects | Books | Authors, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | History & Historical Fiction | Horror | Literature & Fiction | Manga | Mysteries | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | School & Sports | Science & Technology | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Series | Social Issues
State & Local | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Christian | Fiction | Religions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Ages 9-12 | Christianity | Religions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Personal Hygiene | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Lifted Up by Angels
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Until Angels Close My Eyes
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Reach for Tomorrow (One Last Wish)
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Don't Die, My Love
ASIN: 0553567241
Release Date: 1996-10-01 |
Book Description
Happy Holidays! Bah humbug. "Happy" is not the way Leah Lewis-Hall would describe herself at the moment. She's spending her twelve days of Christmas in an Indianapolis hospital, while her mother is thousands of miles away on a honeymoon with husband number five. Leah went to the doctor with nothing more
than a broken finger, but he ordered her to undergo some tests. Now she's stuck in the hospital, alone.
Then Leah meets her hospital roommate, a young Amish girl named Rebekah, and her big family. Cynical sixteen-year-old Leah has never known people like this before. From Rebekah's handsome brother, Ethan, who can barely look Leah in the eye, to her kind older sister, Charity, the Amish family captivates Leah with its simple, loving ways. When Leah receives frightening information about her condition, her new friends show her that miracles can happen. And that sometimes angels appear in the most unexpected places.
Customer Reviews:
a bookworm review.......2006-12-29
this book was fantstic. I could not put it down. I read it way into the night because i just had to see what happend next. This book is about learning new things, excepting what God has chosen for you, and that angels appeare when you least excpect it.
brittney.......2005-05-23
Angels Watching Over Me Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1996-1998,
(Angels Triology) 552 pgs.,$6.99,
Lurlene McDaniel ISBN-0-553-57098-6
What Leah Lewis-Hall thought was just a broken finger, turned out to be much more than that. She discovered she has bone cancer. In this triology, it shows how she deals with her promblems concerning her health, how she met new friends in the hospital, and how she deals with death and sicknesses. She falls in love with an amish family. She realizes how different their lives can really be. But Leah has to snap back to reality and face the music.
I really enjoyed this triology very much. I recommend them to anyone who just wants to read a good book. I couldn't put these books down. I hope you can come to your senses and read the book.
Angels Watching Over Me.......2005-05-13
The book Angels Watching Over Me is a very touching book it will bring tears to your eyes.The book is about a girl name Leah who discovers she has a illness. She ends up staying in the hospital and her roommate is a little Amish girl name Rebekah. In the book Leah become close friends with Rebekah's sister Charity,and also ends up falling in love with her brother Ethan. In the book it tells how Leah meets a women name Gabriella, who she believes is a angel. I think this is a good book to read because alot of people can relate to Leah problem. I also think you should read this book because it tells how you can overcome anything if you believe you can,and because Lurlene McDaniel is a outstanding writer and this is one of the best novels she has written.
Angels Watching Over Me.......2005-02-15
Angels Watching Over Me
By: Lurlene McDaniel
The book I read, Angels Watching Over Me, is a great book. This book is about a young girl named Leah. Her mom just got married to a man by the name of Neil. They are getting ready to go on their honeymoon and Leah gets put in the hospital. How could this happen? Well, the couple goes on the honeymoon anyway. Leah is in the hospital all alone and someone comes in that she knows. They are a very unique family. Read this book to find out who the family is and what happens to Leah. This is a good book.
Angels Watching Over Me .......2005-02-12
Angels Watching Over Me
By: Lurlene McDaniel
Angles Watching Over Me is about a girl named Leah and she gets bone cancer. She first came to the hospital because she had a broken finger. She got roomed with an Amish girl about five who was in the hospital because of a spider bite. It was around Christmas when Leah got diagnosed with it. Her Mother was In Japan on a honeymoon so she could not be with Leah. There was a nurse named Gabriella who was like an angel to Rebekah and then after she left, to Leah. Rebekah had many brothers and sisters but only two came to visit her. Her brother's name was Ethan and he fell in love with Leah.
I like Angels Watching over Me because I believe in angels and this makes me think differently about their appearance. I also like how the author explains how the Amish live. There are no elements of the book that I do not like. The book made me thankful to be healthy and it made me feel sorry for people who are not so lucky. It made me sad but I did not cry. I would recommend this book to girls who think their lives are crummy and also to girls who like sad stories.
Book Description
Book 1 of SHENANDOAH SISTERS. Two young Southern girls, one the daughter of a plantation owner and one the daughter of a slave, barely survive the onset of the Civil War and the loss of both their families. When these tragic circumstances bring them together, they join forces to discover if they can make a life for themselves. As their preconceptions give way to experience, they gradually learn to value their contrasting and complementing strengths and skills as they face the formidable task of keeping body and soul together in the aftermath of this devastating war. But is it possible the Lord they have come to know has something bigger in mind for the plantation than either of them can imagine?
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Historical Fiction.......2007-05-14
In the beginning of the book, it was a bit jumpy and confusing. As I kept reading, the story smooth out and I couldn't put it down. I'm not sure what I do in their tragedy situation but these are 2 brave young girls suriving on their own. This book made me think how important it is to teach our young children to take care of themselves and I never know myself as a parent if something happens to me, I would want my daughter to be able to have the knowledge to take care of herself. I'm looking forward to reading the second sequel.
Mediocre Plot + Imaginative Dialog/Charactors.......2006-04-29
I should really give it two stars, because there just isn't much substance to it. Mary Anne Jukes narrarattes a page turning action thriller in her charming southern voice, with 45 short chapters that ALL have suspensful endings. But the moral is weak, the theme unclear, and the plot full of holes. The probability of two girls hiding the fact that they are on their own together (for any leangth of time) in a racist South reeling from the awful blows of civil war is not only unlikely, but ludicrous. And there are a hundred other improbobilities. But perhaps what dissapointed me the most was the superficiality of Mary Anne and Katie's spiritual awakening. And the direction that God supposedly gave Mayme afterwards boiled down to His asking her and Katie to live a lie . . . for a while at least. What we need is fiction that digs deeper, that encourages us to hold onto our values more firmly, and this series doesn't do that.
Powerful characterizations, deeply moving.......2005-09-19
I love both characters in this story. They have strong voices and seem to true to life, it's hard to believe that this is fiction, and a man writing these two young girls! I couldn't help but fall in love with Mayme. Her wise but innocent voice sings throughout the entire book. I love the relationship both girls develop with the Lord in the book. It proves that He can and will reach out to anyone who's willing to listen. Another wonderful thing about this book is its ability to be read by a wide range of readers. My junior high daughter can read this book without me worrying about what she's reading. The themes are mature, but they are handled in a way that it appropriate for junior high to adult readers. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If all Christian fiction was this good, it would fly off of the shelves!
Shenandoah Sisters I.......2005-03-10
This presents a much different perspective on the Civil War. The author weaves suspense and intrigue in this tale of 2 war orphans and their resolved defiance against prying adults. They work to save the plantation from the bank and are successful in their deceit. Although one is a freed slave & the other is the plantation's new mistress, they share their fears & determination that binds them as close as sisters. Excellent reading!
Excellent historical fiction........2004-11-05
Mayme Jukes and Katie Clairborne both grew up on plantations near the same town in Shenandoah County, North Carolina, but their lives were vastly different. Mayme was born into slavery, while Katie enjoyed a privileged life as the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner. But in the final days of the Civil War, the two teenagers are thrown together when both of their families are murdered by marauding outlaw soldiers. Fleeing from the massacre of her family, Mayme stumbles across Katie's plantation, where she is the only one left alive. Mayme stays to help Katie, and eventually the girls become close friends in spite of their differences. But can these two teenage girls survive on their own, and hide the truth that they are all alone on the plantation?
I highly recommend this heartwarming historical novel about two girls from very different backgrounds who, after suffering a common tragedy, come together to help each other out, eventually becoming the best of friends. Although labeled as an adult book, I think this novel would have the most appeal to teenagers, because of the young characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and finding out what happens to Mayme and Katie next.
Book Description
Angels Watching Over Me is a sweetly told song sharing with children the wonder of angels and the comfort angels bring. The text is accompanied by John Bendall Brunellos's illustrations as well as a musical CD.
Average customer rating:
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Angels Watching over Me
Betty Malz
Manufacturer: Fleming H Revell Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Inspirational | Protestantism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Angelology | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Angels | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Theology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0800790561 |
Book Description
This is the finest collection of angel quotes ever compiled; it's a blend of blessings, wishes for more rewarding times, and gentle reminders of the joys ever present in our lives... when we share the moments with an angel by our side.
The handmade paper chose for the cover of this book is specially crafted from mulberry trees, with real flower petals, grasses, leaves, and bark embedded in the paper. Using age-old techniques, this paper is made without cutting down trees or harming the natural environment.
Customer Reviews:
Powerful, well-written and reassuring book!.......2007-09-18
I picked up this book at the Norfolk Public Library, where (God bless 'em), they have lots and lots of 1980s books in the 200 section. Stumbling across this book was a surprise, as I'd gone looking for something altogether different. But once I got home and started reading Betty's story, I couldn't put it down.
It's so well written that the words and stories flow seamlessly from one to the next. It's also so honest, as she tells about her frustrations with her mother-in-law and her husband and other family members. And it's compelling and I felt like I couldn't leave the story until I knew how it all turned out for Betty.
Above all, it's inspiring and touching and discusses spirituality using frank, honest language that makes it all so real and practical and useful in day to day life. If you want to learn more about what God's infinite love looks like when it's manifested in the minutiae of our lives on earth, you should read this book.
Rose Thornton
Books:
- Charade
- Charmed & Dangerous (Bronwyn the Witch, Book 1)
- Children of the Alley: A Novel
- Clay's Quilt (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
- Clear Mind, Wild Heart
- Darkblade: Bloodstorm (Warhammer)
- Dead Creek (Loon Lake Fishing Mystery)
- Dead Watch
- Dinner With Anna Karenina
- Exes and Ohs
Books Index
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- Lichenographia universalis
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Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez
Call It Sleep: A Novel
Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media
Castaway: The Narrative of Alvar Núñez Cageza de Vaca
