Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir by Shalom Auslander

3.81 AVERAGE

mikewa14's profile picture

mikewa14's review against another edition

4.0
amusing memoir - full review here

http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/foreskins-lament-shalom-auslander.html
jacreads_'s profile picture

jacreads_'s review against another edition

3.0
reflective fast-paced

voteprime's review against another edition

4.5
challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced
lavoiture's profile picture

lavoiture's review against another edition

4.0
I'd give this 4.5 stars. It was hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time, and it really made me hate religion. I would laugh out loud at some point and then be close to tears. And it wasn't all about foreskin--I thought it was about how Shalom Auslander wanted his foreskin back or something. I suppose it kind of was about that, but it really was a memoir of Shalom's life growing up as an Orthodox Jew in New York. Very good book!

sarahbethbrown's review against another edition

4.0
great story, terrible reading voice.
abbywdan's profile picture

abbywdan's review against another edition

3.0
I read this book at my parents' house in December when I was home for the holidays. My parents' house is not a fortress of great Jewry or anything, but Home With Family is certainly a Jewier place to be than, say, Apartment With Roommates (though not necessarily Aboard the 2/3 With Hasids from Brooklyn).

As noted by one of the fine ladies at Jezebel, reading [book: Foreskin's Lament] felt much like reading [book: A Million Little Pieces], which is to say... rapturously confessional, a bit too showy. [Author: Auslander], whose work I always enjoy on This American Life, clearly had a difficult, if not impossible, youth, and clearly has some ongoing anger. He has a lot to get out, so thank goodness for creative outlets. I'm just not sure this qualifies as a memoir. To me, it's more of a confession, a shoving-off, of his past actions and thoughts. It made me curious to know more about the author TODAY, which I guess means I will buy more of his books as they come, which I guess is a success on his part. Hm.

alina77's review against another edition

3.0
dark emotional funny sad slow-paced
suspendedinair's profile picture

suspendedinair's review against another edition

4.0
this book reads like stand-up comedy. it isn't believable, but that doesn't matter. anyone who grew up surrounding by but separate from/skeptical of religion will probably enjoy it enough.

iantaylor's review against another edition

4.0
If you’ve got a complex relationship with your religious trauma and appreciate a well timed dick joke, this may be the book for you!

rachalicej's review against another edition

5.0
emotional funny inspiring medium-paced