Writing at its best is an exalted state, an unlocking of the unconscious and imagination and a contact with sanctity. Each team represents a different jewish sect with a different level of religious observance. Reflections on chaim potoks the chosen tablet magazine. Indeed, the similarities between potok and reuven malter are readily apparent throughout the book. This first novel, ostensibly about the friendship between two boys, reuven and danny, from the time when they are fourteen on opposing yeshiva ball clubs, is actually a gently didactic differentiation between two aspects of the jewish faith, the hasidic and the orthodox. On october 29, seattle pacific university welcomed to campus renowned author and scholar chaim potok. See a complete list of the characters in the chosen and indepth analyses of reuven malter, danny saunders, david. One of americas most popular jewish writers, chaim potok b. He also served as editor of the jewish publication society of america. In the chosen, chaim potok pronounced hi em poe talk describes the condition of american jews living in two cultures, one secular and one religious. To a great degree, he is describing not only the lives of the characters in the novel but his own life according to potok, the novel is very much an autobiography of his youngadult life.
Potok is a master at portraying jewish life and thought and the colliding of disparate cultures. Its sequel, the promise 1969 was the winner of an athenaeum award. The chosen is a novel by chaim potok that was first published in 1967. His unique novels explore themes of religion, community, and identity. Chaim potok on literature and religious authority the. After he concluded his doctoral work, the potoks returned to america, and chaim began to seek a publisher for his justcompleted book. An appreciation of chaim potoks the chosen by daniel walden daniel walden, professor emeritus of american studies, english, and comparative literature, has taught jewish literature, literature and the holocaust, and women writing the holocaust for many years at penn state university. Chaim potoks 1967 novel, the chosen, is set in new york city as world war ii comes to a close. Perhaps best known as the author of the chosenwhich in 1981 was made into a movie starring. In an interview presented in edward abramsons book chaim potok, potok says that a teacher should be somebody like reuven malters father.
He graduated from yeshiva university and the jewish theological seminary of america, was ordained as a rabbi, and earned his phd in philosophy from the university of pennsylvania. Buy a cheap copy of the chosen book by chaim potok. Chaim potoks the chosen, about the intense, complicated friendship between two jewish boys who meet in 1940s brooklyn, is one of a select few. Danny saunders represents a hasidic sect led by his father, reb short for rabbi saunders. See all books authored by chaim potok, including the chosen, and my name is asher lev, and more on. The chosen is perhaps chaim potoks best known and iconic novel about two jewish boys, one and orthodox jew from an observant brooklyn new york family, dedicated and scholarly and the other a brilliant young man whose father heads the largest hasidic organizations in the country. Its themes are profound and universal wall street journal. On november 8, 1989, the noted american author chaim potok spoke on the subject of literature and religious authority. By the end of the novel, the reb has learned that his son isnt a possession, but someone he can share the beauty of life with. Chaim potok has 39 books on goodreads with 257562 ratings.
Chaim potok was a rabbi, teacher, and awardwinning author. Interview your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and begin your own. Johns hopkins university gazette november 14, 1984 potok has chosen to create worlds from words with mike field. Chosen for greatness published in 1967, it became a bestselling phenomenon, birthing a sequel potoks next novel, the promise, a major motion picture, and a deluge of critical praise. I began to paint when i was about nine or ten years old, potok once said in an interview.
The chosen in an interview presented in edward abramson s book chaim potok, potok says that a teacher should be somebody like reuven malters father. A professor of philosophy at the university of pennsylvania, potok has written numerous novels. Perhaps more than any of chaim potoks other books, my name is asher lev brought the goyim among his readers into the mysterious world of hasidic jewry and many of them found the head to head clash between the world of torah study and the idolatrous world of that mans followers made painful if fascinating reading. Since his first book the chosen 1976, potok wrote several novels in which he dealt with various aspects of life in new york city. The book taught me so much about judaism, spirituality and love. Chaim potoks the chosen an interview with director. Published in 1967, it became a bestselling phenomenon, birthing a sequel potok s next novel, the promise, a major motion picture, and a deluge of critical praise. Each of his novels explores the tension between tradition and modernity, and the.
Potok is also the author of a nonfiction volume, wanderings. Danny and reuven arent the only ones who learn things in the chosen. Potok graciously responded to some followup questions on april 25, 1996 that the interviewer believed were needed to clarify some issues raised in the august interview. It is additionally inscribed in hebrew in black pen above and below the english inscription. The best books on jewish fiction five books expert. Potok calls these conflicts core culture confrontations and shows how they spark profound changes for his protagonists. Chaim potok was a novelist who paved the way for a younger generation of religious american jewish writers and a jewish scholar who worked tirelessly to bring jews and judaism closer together.
Chaim potok, original name herman harold potok, born february 17, 1929, new york, new york, u. 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 head, the heart and the conflict of generations in chaim potoks the chosen. Perhaps best known as the author of the chosen which in 1981 was made into a movie starring robby benson and rod steiger potok is the author of eleven novels, two childrens books, and several works of nonfiction including the critically acclaimed wanderings. An ordained rabbi, he served as an army chaplain in korea and received his phd in philosophy from the university of pennsylvania. Similar to his fictional character, asher lev, chaim potok has been a lifelong painter. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Potok graciously responded to somefollowup questions on april 25, 1996 that the interviewer believed were needed to clarify some issues raised in the august interview. At the beginning of 2018, simon levy directs chaim potoks iconic play, the chosen, at the fountain theatre. A recent film version of his first book, the chosen, has brought potoks work to the attention of an even wider audience. Potoks bestknown novels include the chosen, nominated for a national book award and recipient of the edward lewis wallant award. This telephone interview occurred on august 8, 1995.
Primarily the hasidic, the little known mystics with their beards, earlocks and stringently reclusive way of life. Novelist chaim potok speaks at spu seattle pacific university. The author of the chosen, the promise, my name is asher lev and other. The chosen was nominated for a national book award in 1967 and made into a successful film in 1982. I am part jewish and brought up in the very neighborhood chaim potok talks. Chaim potok on literature and religious authority the john. David malter represents the ideal american jewish father. Potok is most famous for his first book the chosen 1967, which was listed on the new york times best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000 copies. 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. The chosen paperback or softback by potok, chaim and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The chosen begins in 1944 with a softball game in a jewish section of brooklyn, new york, between students from two jewish parochial schools.
Perhaps best known as the author of the chosenwhich in 1981 was made into a movie starring robby benson and rod steigerpotok is the author of eleven novels, two childrens books, and several works of nonfiction including the critically acclaimed wanderings. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Author of on being jewish 1974, walden has also published twentieth century american. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Artists use their paintings to reflect the mood of people in their country and their own feelings. Chaim potok tells the audience about two books he read that changed his life. 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. He was also the author of a nonfiction book, wanderings. I took the book home and at first found it difficult to get into. A sequel featuring reuvens young adult years, the promise, was published in 1969.
It was to be a map not only of broken streets, menacing alleys, concretesurfaced backyards, neighborhood schools and stores. Long ago, in the chosen, chaim potok writes, i set out to draw a map of the new york world through which i once journeyed. Onward to a bestselling 1967 novel, the chosen by chaim potok, written in english and set in america. A few weeks before the west coast premiere of aaron posners current adaptation of the chosen, simon levy discusses his multifaceted career and his latest fountain theatre production. Chaim potok february 17, 1929 july 23, 2002 was an american jewish author and rabbi. He also learns to get past using reuven as a buffer between himself. Conversations with chaim potok by daniel walden, paperback. Chaim potok books list of books by author chaim potok. His most famous works included the chosen, the promise, my name is. Chaim potok, who has died aged 73, struggled to reconcile the demands of the fundamentalist jewish community in which he had been raised with an emerging artistic gift, and a strong sense of. Chaim potoks history of the jews 1978, as well as several short stories and articles that have been published in. It recounts two young boys intellectual growth as modern scientific ideas clash with their traditional religious beliefs. Read on to learn more about potoks interesting life and the many.