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March 16, 2004
Against the Wall
I recently read a great new book, Against the Wall, by Ruthie Pearlman. It is a novel about three teenagers in Golders Green, London.
It is a powerful, painful novel with a very real message. While the characters aren't real, their trials and tribulations are very real. It is a story that never really ends, about a situation, at-risk teens, that no one is immune from. It happens in the best of families and is very often not a result of a dysfunctional family.
This is just a short excerpt of the first chapter:
Oved’s father and brothers looked at each other.
“What did we do now?” the younger brother asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand him anymore,” his father said with a sad shrug.
“Maybe you should have said ‘good Shabbos’ to him,” said the oldest of Oved’s siblings.
“Why? And make a point of the fact that he couldn’t care less whether it’s Shabbos or weekday?” his father said hopelessly.
“Maybe it was what he wanted,” the boy said with an insight far beyond his thirteen years. “Maybe he just wanted to know that we still love him no matter what he does.”
His father was silent. “He has to know we disapprove,” he said at last.
“Yeah, but you do still love him, don’t you, Dad?” the boy persisted.
“Of course,” Oved’s father said quickly. Too quickly. Deep down he knew it was true, though. He did love his eldest son. Oved was his flesh and blood, after all. But he hated him for causing the family such pain. And, most of all, he hated himself for not knowing what to do about it.
Helplessly, he shrugged.
“It will be a more peaceful Friday night without him,” he said at last, as he and his sons began walking home. “We won’t have to hear his music or television while we eat our Shabbos meal.”
All the boys knew that Oved never kept the volume up high enough to disturb them. He had enough respect for the family not to do that, at least. But they often felt the vibrations through the ceilings. None of them could deny that it would be more Shabbosdik if Oved wasn’t at home.
The walk home was quiet, sad, full of what-ifs.
All through the book Mrs. Pearlman does a pretty good job at describing the feelings of the teenagers as well as their families.
While the website claims "A groundbreaking and important book for every Jewish community, parent, teen, and adult alike." That claim is still open for debate. What happens when a teen who's still in a position that is way better than the kids in the book reads it, will the book have the wrong influence on him/her?
I never buy books, I always take them out in the library, but this is definitely a book I'm buying. After I read it a second time, and have given you a chance to read it too, I will write again and tell you more about the feelings the book evoked
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Commenter
DATE: 03/29/2004 03:30:33 PM
Totally amazing book. Well written, great reading and tons of food for thought.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gishmak
DATE: 03/29/2004 10:15:37 PM
Wow! That is one strong excerpt!! Although I don't buy books often either ($$!!), this is one is definitely I will be on the lookout for, bli neder. Unfortunately, it seems it's a topic many of us can relate to. :(
(ps glad to get your new url!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hocker
DATE: 03/30/2004 12:32:20 PM
I read the book when it came out, and while i liked the book, i *did* think that some things weren't too realistic. Stories like that don't always end up happily ever after, especially stories from personal experience. But Mrs. Perlman did do a good job of making the issue more publicised...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Whatever.
DATE: 05/10/2004 03:30:21 PM
The title of the book is unknowingly controversial. When I first saw it I thought she was protesting the wall/fence in Israel
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: rinx
DATE: 05/19/2004 08:54:35 PM
Its stupid! theres no ending, I mean duh we know "whats happening out there", but hello? solution? anybody?
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Posted by notepad at March 16, 2004 05:46 PM