The Jewish Messiah : a novel

The Resource The Jewish Messiah : a novel
Label
The Jewish Messiah : a novel
Title remainder
a novel
Statement of responsibility
Arnon Grunberg ; translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett
Creator
Contributor
Translator
Subject
Genre
Language
  • eng
  • dut
  • eng
Summary
  • "What is it to the sixteen-year-old Swiss youth Xavier Radek that his grandfather served in the SS? Why are Xavier's parents so quiet, so furtive, so uninterested in doing anything with their lives, in pursuing any great causes? Not that there seem to be many great causes on offer in Basel, Switzerland, at least within reach of a restless, socially nervous, and - let's admit - not notably gifted young man. Until, that is, Xavier meets some members of the Basel Jewish youth group and comes to know a boy named Awromele, son of a local rabbi. Suddenly the light goes on: this group of people, which has suffered so much, needs his help, and he will not stint at giving it to them. So it is that young Xavier decides to convert to Judaism and to begin his long journey to influence and, in the end, to infamy. With him at every step is the rabbi's son Awromele, first as his guide, then as his lover, and finally as his devoted right-hand man."
  • "Although Awromele arguably bears some responsibility for the botched circumcision that costs Xavier his left testicle, and while his decision to coax Xavier into collaborating on the first translation of Mein Kampf into Yiddish is of questionable taste, and his sexual promiscuity can often be hurtful, on the deeper issue of emotional fidelity there can be no doubt. Awromele sticks by Xavier's side through life's every turn: when Xavier's father takes his own life; when Xavier's mother's sexual addiction to her favorite kitchen knife creates ugly domestic strife; when Xavier transplants the two young men to Amsterdam so he can attend art school; when the two migrate to Israel; when Xavier enters politics; when he is elected Israeli prime minister; and when he chooses the nuclear option."--BOOK JACKET
Member of
Cataloging source
DLC
Dewey number
839.31/364
Index
no index present
Literary form
fiction
Target audience
adult
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