His literary career began with an autobiographical novel, the chosen 1967, which was followed by eight novels, books for children and works. Chaim potok s history of the jews, and many works of torah commentary. The promise is a novel written by chaim potok and published as a sequel to the chosen, published two years earlier. Buy a cheap copy of the chosen book by chaim potok. Buy a cheap copy of the promise book by chaim potok. Much has been written about the war and the concentration camps, but potok is the only american writer of note who continues the story of the wounded disapora in their attempts to build new lives out of the rubble. Potok followed this novel with a sequel, as well, publishing the gift of asher lev eighteen years later in 1990. The chosen was nominated for a national book award in 1967 and made into a successful film in 1982. Adapted from scenes in chaim potoks novels the promise and my name is asher lev.
Danny, a hasidic jew, struggles to combine his fathers strict religious practice with his own more secular interest in human psychology. The contrast between hasidic jews, orthodox jews, and more progressive jews is fascinating, and potok is so good at steeping us in the conflicts. With the promise, chaim potok continues the explorations of growing up jewish in 1950s brooklyn that he began in the chosen. Potok was born into an orthodox family in new york, the eldest of four children. A sequel featuring reuvens young adult years, the promise, was published in 1969. Set in 1950s new york, it continues the saga of the two friends, reuven malter, a modern orthodox jew studying to become a rabbi, and danny saunders, a genius hasidic jew who has broken with his sects tradition by refusing to take his fathers place as rebbe in order to become a. The collected plays of chaim potok monkfishmonkfish. Character list cliffsnotes study guides book summaries.
This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. In a chapter for studies in american jewish literature, number 4 1985, edited by daniel walden, potok writes, for the record. A sequel of sorts to the chosen, although this book stands quite well on its own, the promise is the story of reuven, a young rabbinical student, who befriends michael, a troubled young man who eventually has to be institutionalized under the care of reuvens friend, danny. It is a great book a must read, it is one of the view works of fiction that i return to again and again. He is the author of eight novels, including in the beginning and my name is asher lev, and wanderings, a history of the jews. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the promise. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Reuven malter lives in brooklyn, hes in love, and hes studying to be a rabbi. He is the author of nine novels, including the chosen 1967, the promise 1969, and my name is asher lev 1972, as well as three plays, three childrens books, and three works of nonfiction.
Potok s novel is a moving representation of jewish history, faith, and tradition. I sometimes think there is some kind of spirit aroundbecause of these two books, lets call it a dybbukwho directs me to this or that book at the appropriate moment of my life. Potok followed the chosen with a sequel two years later called the promise. As potok himself might say, such tensions are an essential part of the mapmaking process. The promise is a beautifully written and moving book where the struggle for authenticity of the main protagonists continues only this time in the more complex. Fifty years ago today, on april 28, 1967, chaim potoks first novel, the chosen, was published. Potok s bestknown works the chosen 1967 and the promise 1969, for example examine jewish culture and their relationships inside american society.
In 1012 sentences, write a brief outline of the plot of the novel. Pdf the promise book by chaim potok free download 384. The play of lights performed in philadelphia in 1992. Potok is also the author of a nonfiction volume, wanderings. He was also the author of a nonfiction book, wanderings. His most famous works included the chosen, the promise, my name is asher lev, davitas harp, and i am the clay. Although not quite as impressive as the chosen, the promise is still laudable, skillfully woven to a depth which many modern books tend to lack. Years later, he published its sequel, the gift of asher lev. The promise by chaim potok overdrive rakuten overdrive. Free download or read online the promise pdf epub book. The chosen premiered in 1999 and performed widely since then. He is author of eight novels, including in the beginning and my name is asher lev, and wanderings, a history of the jews.
There are dozens of topics within his books to discuss, enjoy and ponder, but he manages to twist and turn his story, so at its end, you get the rubiks cube sides all neatly back to the same color. A trained rabbi, potok was an important figure in 20th century jewishamerican literature, both nationally and in pennsylvania. Among potoks nonfiction, wanderings 1978 was a highly personal history of the contribution of judaism to western civilisation. It would be best to read the chosen before the promise although accidentally i. Tell me about the transforming encounter you had with literature at the age of sixteen. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 304 pages and is available in paperback format.
The chosen established chaim potok s reputation as a significant writer. Potok s first novel, the chosen, published in 1967, received the edward lewis wallant memorial book award and was nominated for the national book award. The promise is a novel written by chaim potok, published in 1969. Chaim potok wrote the promise in 1969 as a sequel to his previous novel the chosen. Chaim potoks the chosen, about the intense, complicated friendship between two jewish boys who meet in 1940s brooklyn, is one of a select few. It follows the narrator reuven malter and his friend daniel saunders, as they grow up in the williamsburg neighborhood in brooklyn, new york, in the 1940s. The chosen is a novel by chaim potok that was first published in 1967. Again the exigencies of their fathers religious stances and accommodations are visited upon the sons.
It would be best to read the chosen before the promise although accidentally i didnt and it didnt spoil it too much. Adapted from chaim potoks novel the book of lights. Reflections on chaim potoks the chosen tablet magazine. Pdf the chosen book by chaim potok free download 304 pages. I love how chaim potok is able to create a story about so many different things. This aspect of his work reaches its apex with the promise, his most brilliantly constructed novel. Potok returned to the subject of hasidism for a third time with the 1972 novel my name is asher lev, the story of a young artist and his conflict with the traditions of his family and community. Although not quite as impressive as the chosen, the promise is still laudable, skillfully woven to. Quotations by chaim potok, american author, born february 17, 1929. Listening to the other the chosen a novel by chaim potok.
The chosen, his guest lecturing at the university of pennsylvania on. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Its sequel, the promise 1969 was the winner of an athenaeum award. The chosen was the first american novel to make the energetic, insular world of the hasidim visible to a mass audience. Potok, a conservative rabbi, gained considerable recognition with his first novel, the chosen. The second half of the book was much more involving, and the book ended up being a very good read, even if it falls short of the exceptional the chosen. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are reuven malter, danny saunders.
In 1969, potok published the promise, a sequel of the chosen. Character list danny saunders one of the main characters of the novel, along with reuven saunders. While this book brings more of the secular world into its plotline than its prequel, it does so in a way that is completely logical and understandable. Washington post book worldbrilliantly and intricately conceived. In a passionate, energetic narrative, the promise brilliantly dramatizes what it is to master and use knowledge to make ones own way in the world. A superb mirror of a place, a time, and a group of people who capture. Chaim potok s history of the jews 1978, as well as several short stories and articles that have been published in. The first edition of the novel was published in 1967, and was written by chaim potok. The first edition of the novel was published in 1969, and was written by chaim potok.
Click download or read online button to get chaim potok book now. The promise is a beautifully written and moving book where the struggle for authenticity of the main protagonists continues only this time in the more complex world of grownups in the words of reuvens father little children little problems, big children big problems. What makes potoks novels so compelling is that he frames these battles with skillful and deft plotting and beautiful heartfelt language. About the promise in a passionate, energetic narrative, the promise brilliantly dramatizes what it is to master and use knowledge to make ones own way in the world. In the beginning of the novel, the main character, reuben, is spending some time with his father at their cottage. Were the chosen and the promise originally written as a single work and then divided. Be sure to make clear the major conflict of the story. Few stories offer more warmth, wisdom, or generosity than this tale of two boys, their fathers, their friendship, and the chaotic times in which they live. See a complete list of the characters in the chosen and indepth analyses of reuven malter, danny saunders, david.