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stacy_wilson 's review for:
The Chosen
by Chaim Potok
A thought provoking glimpse into Judaism. It's always difficult for me to read or hear about the extreme lengths people go to for their beliefs, religious or otherwise. What I liked about this book was that it showed the fanaticism of the Jewish faith and then showed its admirable qualities to counteract. For instance, the coldness, cruelty and rigidity of Mr. Saunders was countered by the warmth, affection and insight of Mr. Malter. Although these two fathers exercised very different parenting methods, both of their sons turned out to be intelligent, respectful and productive members of society. And despite their very different backgrounds and various hardships, the boys' friendship and affection for each other remained strong. I felt that this strong yin/yang quality gave the story a pleasing emotional balance and gave me an impression of Judaism that might have been distasteful but was also begrudgingly respectful.