The Chosen

Really enjoyed this book - the background, the culture and conclusion. Left me pondering about relationships, sacrifice, wisdom, knowledge, curiosity, dedication, resilience, kindness and our choices and freedoms

I first read this book well over 20 years ago. It was riveting then and still is not just riveting it but also has helped me be more aware of others feelings and beliefs and to be able to just be with them where they are. Better than just a good read...life changing for me.

Happy Chanukah! As my seasonal reading this year I chose Chaim Potok’s first novel The Chosen. It’s somewhat dated, but contains a well-drawn portrait of Chasidic and Orthodox Judaism in the mid-twentieth century.Both communities struggle with the horror and meaning of the Holocaust, the founding of the state of Israel and modern Western versus Hebraic studies.Potok really makes the Talmudic discussions come alive. What can seem arcane and outmoded is shown to possess a wisdom of its own.And the unlikely friendship that develops between two boys from those communities is similarly well told. There’s a certain poignancy to the struggles and suffering of the major characters.It’s not a classic in the sense of a work of Tolstoyesque stature, but it remains invaluable in exploring the often closed world of traditional Judaism. As heritage reading for Jews or for those merely wanting to better understand Judaism it’s worth considering. With the caveat that there are a lot more important books to be read, I enjoyed it and in fact found it refreshingly light compared to what I’ve been reading lately.

Read the book years ago..was happy to be able to read itAgain

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

Starts out a bit slow and maybe superficial, but as the story moves on it gains depth and intrigue. By the end it’s easy to see why it became a classic.

I learned a lot of the different avenues of Jewish thought. The characters were so thoroughly drawn that I cried over their conflicts. This is a book with many deep thoughts and which provokes the same.

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

Am Anfang wird sehr ausführlich über ein Sportereignis erzähle, was etwas langatmig ist. Danach jedoch ist das Buch ganz wunderbar. Gute Beschreibung der Kultur, der Gedankengänge und der Freundschaft der beiden Jungen in ihren jeweiligen Welten

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... ;)

Gave this as a gift and the recipient was rapt!

I thought that i read it a long time ago and i didn't remember it.After spending years in Brooklyn and knowing the Hasidic community, i was delighted to read that nothing has changed in their way of life.Anyway, that's a beautiful book about friendship and intelligence.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. What a wonderful way to learn about Jewish life and faith while reading a touching story about friendship. I used to use this book during the Judaism unit of the grade 11 World Religions course at my school.