Book Description
Like Isaac Bashevis Singer's fiction, this poignant memoir of his childhood in the household and rabbinical court of his father is full of spirits and demons, washerwomen and rabbis, beggars and rich men. This rememberance of Singer's pious father, his rational yet adoring mother, and the never-ending parade of humanity that marched through their home is a portrait of a magnificent writer's childhood self and of the world, now gone, that formed him.
Customer Reviews:
Jewish ancap justice.......2005-07-12
The book is set in early 20th century Poland. It's about how the writer spent his childhood in his fathers rabbinate. Great book, very highly recomended, much better than other (still pretty good) works by Singer I've read.
Forewords of I.B.Singer's "In My Father's Court" (slightly tacky translation from Finnish):
"This book is about a family and a rabbinate which were so close to each other that it was difficult to tell where one ended and other started. Rabbinate, beth din, is an ancient institution among the jeweish people. [...] Beth din is at the same time kind of court of law, synagogue and place for study. [...] Even though beth din is about to disappear I'm certain that it will revive and will develope into an universal institution. The basic principle is that [...] the best justice is the kind which both sides can accept. Beth din is opposite to all institutions that use force, wether they are left wing or right wing."
Beth din seems to be completely decentraliced justice system, based on competing rabbinates and their interpretions on Tora. Rabbinate can be established by anybody as long as he gets acceptance from the local people (=gets customers). Rabbies get paid for their juridical and seremonial services, they don't live out of charity or taxes. The judges who are known and respected for their knowledge and reasonable intepretions of Tora get more customers and become more succesful. Participation on beth din trial and acceptance of it's sanctions are completely voluntary but refusing justice can lead to excommuniation.
Some links:
I.B.Singer:
http://www.nobel.se/literature/laureates/1978/singer-bio.html
In My Father's Court/www.amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0374505926/qid=1075724621/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1905207-7099150?v=glance&s=books
Beth din today:
Beth-Din Rabbi Gavriel Cohen:
http://www.beth-din.org
Beth Din of America:
http://www.bethdin.org/default.htm
Chigaco Rabbinical Council:
http://www.crcweb.org
Rabbinical Council of California:
http://www.rccvaad.org/beis-din.htm
The London Beth Din:
http://www.unitedsynagogue.org.uk/lbd.html
Signed decisions by various Rabbi's and Beth Din's and their contradictions:
[...]
Jewish Law:
http://www.jlaw.com
Discussion:
http://anti-state.com/forum/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=14016
A moving memoir .......2004-11-09
Isaac Singer in this work tells the story of his childhood war. He focuses on the court of his father, on the many characters who came to receive his father's help. He gives a loving portrait of his parents and his childhood world. This work may not be on the level of Singer's greatest stories but it does have the vitality and the emotional richness which characterize Singer's work. And it should be of special interest to anyone who wishes to know more about this great writer.
A book full of loving details.......2003-01-20
Observing through the eyes of a young child we are led through life in the jewish community of Warshaw. Many different figures appear in the house of the boy's father, the rabbi, to ask for his advice and judgement, decisions in religious or worldly matters. Behind all that we feel the deep love of the author, not only for the chracters depicted in the many stories, but for all human beings. It is one of the books that, despite telling stories of times past, makes us aware of ourselves and our own existence, our desires and weaknesses alike.
Life with Father.......2002-05-09
I am a big fan of I. B. Singer's. To me, he is the greatest short story writer of the 20th Century. His stories often tell the tale of the Jewish communities in Poland in the 100 years prior to WWII. As a result of Hitler's demonic policies, it is a society, a culture, that no longer exists. Singer's short stories are a master study of individuals; their eccentricities and struggles in that society. He has written of the present and he has written some excellent novels and novellas but his best work is in the Jewish communities in Poland. In this autobiographical work, Singer gives us some more insights into that world through the eyes of a young boy observing his Rabbi father. We start out with a number of recollections of individuals and their problems that were brought before his father. These would easily fit within the short story motif that Singer excels in. As the book get a bit past the midway point, the autobiographical nature comes to the fore-front and we eventually follow Isaac B in his early development into a young man. This is interesting and very helpful to the student of Singer. Its' shortcoming results from Singer's practice of keeping his own character, whenever present, in the background or as the story-teller. When, in the final chapters, he is the main character, the quality of writing seems to drop a notch and suddenly, the book comes to an end. First time readers of Singer might do better to start with one of his collections of short stories or, ironicaly, the sequel to this book, "More from My Father's Court". Singer is always great but he is usually greater that he was in this book.
Average customer rating:
- Short concise excellent Singer
- more stories from a master
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More Stories from My Father's Court
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Classics
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Singer, Isaac Bashevis
| ( S )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0374527989 |
Book Description
A delightful addition to the cherished autobiographical work of the Nobel Laureate
A sequel to I. B. Singer's classic memoir In My Father's Court, these stories, published serially in the Daily Forward, depict the beth din in his father's home on Krochmalna Street in Warsaw. A unique institution, the beth din was a combined court of law, synagogue, scholarly institution, and psychologist's office where people sought out the advice and counsel of a neighborhood rabbi.
The twenty-seven stories gathered here show this world as it appeared to a young boy. From the earthy to the ethereal, these stories provide an intimate and powerful evocation of a bygone world.
Customer Reviews:
Short concise excellent Singer.......2001-02-03
These stories were originally published ,in serial form, in the Jewish daily Foward. They are short almost precise stories of IB singers youth in Warsaw and his Fathers "court',the BETH DIN, a combination court,synagogue ,advice for the lovelorn, place of talmudic debate,etc. The stories,vignettes drawn from memory,tell these so well. None of these stories are in the collected stories,so it makes the purchase of these 2 volumes essential{the other is IN MY FATHERS COURT]. From Old widows wanting to remarry, to overly pious mates, to pseudo-intellectual rabbis trying to show off their'learning".,I.B. Singer has left us a record of a vanished civilization, in a place and time less then 70 years ago.Essential stories from the gratest short story writer of our time.
more stories from a master.......2000-11-14
These are vignettes, really, scenes remembered from Singer's youth when he served as a messenger errand-boy for his father who conducted a beth din in Warsaw. Although often ambiguous and seemingly inconclusive, they are the works of a master who can effortlessly create a powerful scene in only four or five pages. He avoids all the popular flaws of the short-story genre. There is not a trace of vanity or judgment in his narratives. He is the perfect short story writer.
Book Description
For some sixty years, the Nuremberg trials have demonstrated the resolve of the United States and its fellow Allied victors of the Second World War to uphold the principles of dispassionate justice and the rule of law even when cries of vengeance threatened to carry the day. In the summer of 1945, soon after the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, Thomas J. Dodd, the father of U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, traveled to the devastated city of Nuremberg to serve as a staff lawyer in this unprecedented trial for crimes against humanity. Thanks to his agile legal mind and especially to his skills at interrogating the defendants—including such notorious figures as Hermann Göring, Alfred Rosenberg, Albert Speer, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and Rudolf Hess—he quickly rose to become the number two prosecutor in the U.S. contingent.
Over the course of fifteen months, Dodd described his efforts and his impressions of the proceedings in nightly letters to his wife, Grace. The letters remained in the Dodd family archives, unexamined, for decades. When Christopher Dodd, who followed his father’s path to the Senate, sat down to read the letters, he was overwhelmed by their intimacy, by the love story they unveil, by their power to paint vivid portraits of the accused war criminals, and by their insights into the historical importance of the trials.
Along with Christopher Dodd’s reflections on his father’s life and career, and on the inspiration that good people across the world have long taken from the event that unfolded in the courtroom at Nuremberg, where justice proved to be stronger than the most unspeakable evil, these letters give us a fresh, personal, and often unique perspective on a true turning point in the history of our time. In today’s world, with new global threats once again put-ting our ideals to the test, Letters from Nuremberg reminds us that fear and retribution are not the only bases for confrontation. As Christopher Dodd says here, “Now, as in the era of Nuremberg, this nation should never tailor its eternal principles to the conflict of the moment, for if we do so, we will be shadowing those we seek to overcome.”
Customer Reviews:
Non-Fiction.......2007-10-09
If you are looking for information on the Nuremberg Trials you will not get it from this book. The historical information contained within this book and the atrocities committed during WW II.
There is also good insight into the inter-relationships of the people who were involved in the trial itself. One of the most surprising parts is concerning the great love this man portrays for his wife and children.
Also how he felt being away from home during this period of time. He lets us know what a great country we live in and not to forget the evil that still lurks in other parts of the world.
An exceptional book about an exceptional man.......2007-09-20
Senator Dodd reminds us all, through the letters of his father, of our need to maintain a steady moral compass as we negotiate a difficult balance between the security of our nation and the civil rights that are the backbone our country was built upon.
At a recent book signing at "Politics and Prose" in Washington, DC, Senator Dodd was asked if his father's career influenced his decision to become a public servant. He told the story of his father, interviewed weeks before his death, being asked if he knew how his political career would end (censure and then failing to win re-election)would he do it again. Senator Thomas Dodd answered (and I am paraphrasing) "A lawyer can help only so many clients in his career - a doctor only so many patients but as a public servant one is able to help millions of people. I would do it again without hesitation." This book offers facinating insite into the dedication of this honorable man to his country, to his family and to the rule of law that makes us great.
(And as an aside, I-Man is wrong. Chris Dodd is not riding the coattails of his father. Anyone taking the time to familiarize themselves with the work that he has done in his 30 plus years as a public servant would know that he is exceptionally qualified to be the President of the United States.)
Excellent Reading.......2007-09-17
I really enjoyed this book. It's a collection of letters from the number 2 prosecuter of the Nuremberg trials. Not only is it from his point of view, it also shows the lovingness that existed between him and his wife, that these letters were writen to.
It's a shame that someone can not critique a book on only it's content with out putting his/her opinion, let alone a political opinion.
Great man- Wrong comparison.......2007-09-16
As a former resident of Connecticut and admirer of Sen Thomas Dodd, I borrowed this book and read it entirely. I learned a great deal more about this profound man and his invaluable role at the Nuremberg trials. It is very unfortunate however, that Sen Chris Dodd is attemting to ride his father's coattails in his pursuit of the presidency while attempting to compare his father's supreme deeds with the very difficult battle that our nation is waging with terrorism. May I remind all that it was during a Democratic administration that Japanese-Americans, a stalwart and loyal segment of our population was displaced and interned, an act that entirely minimizes the totally humane conduct our government has provided enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay. When I was a young boy, my father was active in the Democratic Party in Connecticut and I was fortunate to meet Sen. Thomas Dodd. May I paraphrase Sen Lloyd Benson and state that I met and respected Sen Thomas Dodd and Sen Chris Dodd is certainly no Sen Thomas Dodd. If Sen Chris Dodd had simply excluded his partisan politics in this book, I would most certainly have purchased it.
An extraordinary treasure trove.......2007-09-14
I read this book cover to cover in one day. It is unique, fascinating from a historical perspective, moving for the beautiful love story it contains, and particularly relevant in light of the current environment in the United States. It is definitely one of the best books I have read in quite awhile. Although this book was authored and edited by a presidential candidate, it is in an entirely different realm from other politician's publications.
I loved what Senator Dodd had to say about how the U.S. gained the moral authority to lead by submitting to the rule of law at Nuremberg, extending rights and protections to some of the most despicable people in history because it was the just, moral action to take. Senator Dodd contrasts this to how the U.S. has walked away from guaranteeing these protections in recent years and the subsequent deterioration of the moral high ground we once occupied.
The letters are just an incredible find -- they are intimate and tender at times, while also a true first draft of history from someone who was a participant. No matter what your politics, the letters are fascinating.
I bought "Letters from Nuremberg" after hearing Senator Dodd's interview about the book and his presidential campaign on Charlie Rose's program. It was a great price on amazon and I have been enthusiastically recommending it to all my friends, as I do now.
Average customer rating:
- What a disapointment
- She tries so hard, and he can't let go of the past.
- Easy Read!!
- Am just re reading this and.............
- Light Diversion
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Yankee Wife
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Miller, Linda Lael | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671737554 |
Book Description
When a pretty spitfire who's down on her luck clashes with a stubborn man in search of a wife, sparks must turn to flames....
A year after the Civil War, courageous former Union nurse Lydia McQuire was gamely scraping out an honest living. But now, as she said yes to marrying a stranger, her knees gave way with fear. Mr. Devon Quade had seemed polite and handsome when she answered his ad for a wife. Only after Lydia had arrived in Washington territory did she learn that her bridegroom wasn't to be sweet Devon Quade, but his older brother Brigham, a widower with strapping shoulders, hands as strong as steel, and an arrogant belief that he was lord and master of his lumber empire, the town of Quade's Harbor, and the woman he married. Lydia's dislike of him was instantaneous...yet Brigham was awakening in her a white-hot passion, and a firm resolve: before she would share his bed, he would have to surrender himself, heart and soul, to love....
Download Description
"When a pretty spitfire who's down on her luck clashes with a stubborn man in search of a wife, sparks must turn to flames.... A year after the Civil War, courageous former Union nurse Lydia McQuire was gamely scraping out an honest living. But now, as she said yes to marrying a stranger, her knees gave way with fear. Mr. Devon Quade had seemed polite and handsome when she answered his ad for a wife. Only after Lydia had arrived in Washington territory did she learn that her bridegroom wasn't to be sweet Devon Quade, but his older brother Brigham, a widower with strapping shoulders, hands as strong as steel, and an arrogant belief that he was lord and master of his lumber empire, the town of Quade's Harbor, and the woman he married. Lydia's dislike of him was instantaneous...yet Brigham was awakening in her a white-hot passion, and a firm resolve: before she would share his bed, he would have to surrender himself, heart and soul, to love...."
Customer Reviews:
What a disapointment.......2006-04-11
The beginning started out really good. It went down hill from there. It was a choppy storyline, with parts of other stories and characters that suddenly appear mid-novel. It just wasn't a love story. Now I'm a fan of a lot of romance writers, cheasy plots and all, but the story needs to flow. This one was one of the most disappointing novels I've ever read. I hope it was just this one, as this Linda Miller has been recommended to me by other friends that enjoy romance novels.
She tries so hard, and he can't let go of the past........2006-03-20
This is the first and only book that I have read by Linda Lael Miller. It seems like she brings fantasies to life. All of the romance scenes are detailed and intriging. I could not put the book down. It contains two romances in this book.
Lydia McQuire works and plays piano in bars for a living. She is brave and is not afraid to be the man that she does not have. She will get down and dirty if it must be done.
Brigham Quade is a strong brawney lumberjack. He and his brother Devon own their own territory in Washington state. Their practice is of lumber cutting. Brig has two daughters Charlote and Millicent (Millie). Brigham's first wife died in child birth with his third child.
Devon Quade is also a strong brawney lumberjack. He shares the territory with his brother. He is the more easy and humored of the two brothers. He is also more of a "pretty boy" than his brother Brig is.
Polly Quade is Devon's new wife. He found her in the city. She has a bad past. She had this agreement with her lover that she would marry Devon and take his fortune then proceed back to him with the money. When she does head to Washington she relizes that she loves Devon and she has to break the rules with her lover because she loves Devon.
Millie and Charlote Quade and Brigs daughters from his first wife. Millie is a young girl that will usually do what she is told unless it is one of those days where she just wants to romp in the mud. She does not use her manners well. Charlote is an older girl who is discovering herself. She just wants to be something in the world, to hold a special place in it. She wants one miracle to come true, or one wish, like in the novels that she reads. She often gets into trouble with her father because of her rebeliousness and adventurousity. Both of the girls love their father and look up to him. They both wnat him to marry Miss Lydia. They also look up to Devon because he is like thier older brother, he gives them things when the strict Brigham says no to thier wishes in disappointment.
Lydia answers the add "in need of a wife and mother" that Devon has posted. Devon and Herself discuss the plan and she agrees to go to Washington as his wife. As Lydia boats the steam boat she finds that Devon has a wife, Polly Quade, and she is jealous. When they get to Washington and she meets the busy and controlling Brigham she is upset. He tells her that she can leave or that she can stay here to watch after his two children, Charolet and Millie. She decides to stay. Devon finds out about the lie and plan of Polly and he sends her away. When Lydia is being courted by many of Brig's workers he gets jealous and makes some moves on her. She is very atracted to him, and he tries to not feel the feelings that he holds for her. Devon gets hurt badly in an accident by a falling tember and is laid to what seems might be his death bed. Polly comes back to Quades point with a secret. She takes care of Devon with the help of Lydia until he is better. Polly tells Devon that he is pregnant. He leaves Quade's Harbor. Brigham makes a promise to Polly that he will take responsibility for his brother's actions and he is to marry her. At the wedding Devon shows up to wed Polly and Brig happily takes Lydia. Lydia becomes agrivated in the weeks following the marriage because Brig will not leave her alone. He wants her all the time and she does not want to live with him or be intamate until he admits his love to her. Devon finished the shop and left again. But he comes back just in time to protect her from her x-lover who has came to reclaim is missing prize. Lydia is caught in a fire at the school house one night caused by lightning. Brig and Devon. When the two do finanly save her she is lying on the ground in exhaustion and shock she tells Brig that she is to have his baby soon. Anyway Polly and Lydia both have children that look like Brig and Devon so that they can play with each other. Yay the end. haha. Very very good book, a little out dated but very good. I bought it at a yard sale!!!! worth every penny and more!
Easy Read!!.......2006-03-15
I read this book the first time in December 2004 and loved it!! I just finished reading this book again last week and wished it were longer!! Brigham and Lydia are great characters as are their family and friends. Even though Linda Lael Miller has not written a sequel to this book, you can read alittle bit more about this family in her book Taming Charlotte. If you love historical romance books that are not bogged down with ridiculous sex scenes and silly plots than READ THIS BOOK, it is a GEM!!!
Am just re reading this and....................2005-06-23
I remembered how much I had enjoyed it the first time I read it years ago. LLM has given her characters realism and an emotional depth that makes every encounter worthwhile. Even the children Millie and Charlotte are delightful individuals. I will finish this tonight but I will be keeping it......LLM has a wonderful writing style and I've enjoyed several of her books.
Light Diversion.......2005-02-25
The concept behind this story appealed to me: a former civil war nurse stranded in California sees an ad for marriage to a stranger and thinks "why not?" However, I was a bit disappointed in the actual story. There was quite a number of subplots, which I usually don't mind. However, the story was too short to try and focus on any one subplot very much. Thus, it ended up simply skimming the sub-plots; they were not developed. I believe this book may have been better if it had focused more on the main plot of Lydia and Brigham instead of delving so much into the doctor's life, Polly and Devon, and even Charlotte (which I know was just setting up a sequel, but what did it have to do with this story?) All in all, it was a light read; I finished it in about 2 1/2 hours between classes (I am a communter student). Interesting, but not enough to make me want to keep the book or ever read it again.
This was my first Miller book, so I didn't know what to expect from her. What I've found here, I was not impressed with. I prefer books that focus more on the main characters and, if there are subplots, books that develop those subplots more fully.
However, I must say, if you are a Miller fan, you are bound to like this story, since my dislikes focus on the style of the author. My tastes generally run towards Julie Garwood, Jude Devereaux, or Judith McNaught.
Average customer rating:
|
Yankee Wife
Manufacturer: Pocket Book, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000B95YJC |
Average customer rating:
|
Yankee Wife
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PW096I |
Average customer rating:
|
Yankee Wife
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Pocket Star Historical Romance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RIEZP6 |
Product Description
"Two hearts divided...between love and war."
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More Stories from My Father's Court
The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer
A Day of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw
Satan in Goray: A Novel
The Family Moskat: A Novel (Fsg Classics)
