The Finkler Question (Book) : Jacobson, Howard : Julian Treslove, a radio producer, and Samuel Finkler, a Jewish philosopher, have been friends since childhood and, as they enter middle age, they reminisce over their struggles with self-identity, anti-Semitism, women, love, and the past. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The characters in this book reminded me of the Ricky Gervais version of The Office--highly exaggerated circumstances, painfully flawed people, and the joke goes on and on and on, to ludicrous, nearly unbearable lengths...and all of it really, really funny, once you stop being offended. Why didn't I like it: there was a lack of story; the characters were unappealing and two-dimensional - do people like this really exist and if so, why write about them? --Joanne Wilkinson, An award-winning writer and broadcaster, Howard Jacobson was born in Manchester, brought up in Prestwich and was educated at Stand Grammar School in Whitefield, and Downing College, Cambridge, where he studied under F. R. Leavis. All of which is played out with Jacobson's exceptionally funny riffs and happy-sad refrains … Jacobson's prose is a seamless roll of blissfully melancholic interludes. The Finkler Questionis a terrifying and ambitious novel, full of dangerous shallows and dark, deep water. It has two primary aspects, an internal dialogue of several characters about the meaning and nature of being Jewish in England today where so much anti-semitism is extant and where so much negative feeling is evoked regarding the Zionist-Palestinian question, and a marvelous working of the connections between the three main charactters- two Jews (one self-hating) and their gentile friend who is fascinated by Jewishness. According to the reviews on the back cover. Like the others, it is a work of greatness. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one … Yes, my thoughts exactly. hard to put down. He lectured for three years at the University of Sydney before returning to teach at Selwyn College, Cambridge. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one … Better, perhaps, to go through life without knowing happiness at all because that way you had less to mourn? (From the publisher.) I'm just kind of confused by it? We all know about anti-Semitism. But above all it is a testament to his ability to describe--perhaps it would be better to say inhabit--the personal and moral worlds of his disparate characters.” ―Matthew Syed, Times (UK), “Howard Jacobson's latest holler from the halls of comic genius … The opening chapters of this novel boast some of the wittiest, most poignant and sharply intelligent comic prose in the English language … Jacobson's brilliance thrives on the risk of riding death to a photo-finish, of writing for broke. The title itself is a euphemism for "the Jewish Question." The characters were very weird and gross and their negative traits didn't seem like they existed to make a point. Jacobson doesn't just summon [Philip] Roth; he summons Roth at Roth's best. This is, after all, a comedy that begins and ends in grief.” ―Washington Post, “[A] wry, devastating novel… Jacobson's prose is effortless--witty when it needs to be, heartbreaking where it counts--and the Jewish question becomes a metaphor without ever being overdone.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review, “It is tempting--after reading something as fine as The Finkler Question--not to bother reviewing it in any meaningful sense but simply to urge you to put down this paper and go and buy as many copies as you can carry … Full of wit, warmth, intelligence, human feeling and understanding. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, justice and love, ageing, wisdom and humanity. But this year’s freshly honored Man Booker Prize winner “The Finkler Question,” by Howard Jacobson, deals in a less-established topic: philo-Semitism. However, given the impressive list of books short-listed for the Man Booker this year, I was somewhat surprised that The Finkler Question emerged victorious. ― Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question. Buy The Finkler Question by Jacobson, Howard from Amazon's Fiction Books Store. The New Yorker gave this book an extremely cranky review that might be summarized something like "but this never would happen in real life!" Such a sea of female misery.”, Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize Nominee (2011), International Dublin Literary Award Nominee (2012). Doesn't it seem as if Jacobson is trying too hard to be funny? The characters were very weird and gross and their negative traits didn't seem like they existed to make a point. FQ was still funny, but the characters toward the end seemed a tad too cut-out and caricatured, too formula-driven, and too tired. Unable to add item to List. every time I put it down I had a strange yearning to call my grandmother, to remember and to be close. Several have landed on the Booker long list. Almost every page has a quotable, memorable line.” ―Christian House, Independent on Sunday (UK), “Both an entertaining novel and a humane one.” ―Henry Hitchings, Financial Times, “There are some great riffs and skits in The Finkler Question … But at the heart of the book is Julian the wannabe Jew, a wonderful comic creation precisely because he is so tragically touching in his haplessness. In my culture, anti-Semitism is merely something other people do to other people, or nothing at all. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, justice and love, aging, wisdom and humanity. “ The Finkler Question tackles an uncomfortable issue [Jewish identity] with satire that is so biting, so pointed, that it pulls you along for 300 pages and … So he should have been prepared for this one. The meaning of being Jewish in the contemporary western world constitutes the thematic heart of The Finkler Question. It was a Booker winner in 2010. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one of our finest writers at his brilliant best"--Publisher description Man Booker Prize for Fiction Winner, 2010 The Finkler Question is one of six novels shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Julian Treslove, a professionally unspectacular and disappointed BBC worker, and Sam Finkler, a popular Jewish philosopher, writer and television personality, are old school friends. Welcome back. He also manages his customary--but not easy--trick of fusing all of the above with genuine comedy … No wonder that, as with most of Jacobson's novels, you finish The Finkler Question feeling both faintly exhausted and richly entertained.” ―James Walton, Sunday Telegraph (UK), “A terrifying and ambitious novel, full of dangerous shallows and dark, deep water. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of friendship and loss, exclusion and belonging, and of the wisdom and humanity of maturity. What was the point of that? Happy Reading! Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one of our finest writers at his brilliant best. Julian Treslove is a 49 year old Gentile living in present day London whose life has been a series of disappointments: he has movie star good looks but can't seem to sustain a relationship with a woman for more than a few months; he was let go from his production job at the BBC for his overly morbid programs on Radio 3, a station known for its solemnity; and he has fathered two boys, who ridicule and despise him. He longs for the tangible lives of his best friends, both Jewish widowers. Finkler and Treslove are about 50; Finkler and Sevcik are Jewish. I had no clue what I was signing up for when I began reading this. It seemed repetitive. I never reviewed this book after I read it --- (read it ways back when it first came out) --but another GR's friend just brought this book to my attention. 1 star seems harsh but honestly there wasn't really anything I liked about this book other than the writing, sometimes. He should have seen it coming. Like “Just when you've overcome the grief, you realise you are left with the loneliness.” ― Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question. Good that you got it's sense of humour, most of it at the main characters. Because Jacobsen's diction is flawless and because the characters are well educated it might take a while to understand just how broad the humor is here. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one of our finest writers at his brilliant best. The Finkler Questionends on a scene of mourning: Hephzibah lamenting Libor’s death and the end of her relationship with Treslove, and Finkler “mourning the Jewish people” as a whole. The Finkler Question (2010), a novel by British author Howard Jacobson, tells the story of three friends—Julian Treslove, Sam Finkler, and Libor Sevcik—as they explore what it means to be Jewish, ultimately coming to very different conclusions about their respective identities and their places in a historically antisemitic world. The latter part of the book is more sombre dealing with death and prejudice; this more serious half is overlong and tends to induce skimming. In three parts, The Finkler Question tells the story of three men, each with a different relationship to being Jewish. His life had been one mishap after another. Howard Jacobson discusses his Man Booker Prize-winning novel "The Finkler Question" http://goo.gl/5y6VX Overall just baffled that this won the Man Booker Prize. So why read it? The dialogue is clever, intellectual and quite thorough. The author began by making a very big deal about the pain of being a Jew in the modern world and ended the book with an impassioned plea to see Jews for what they really are, half right and half wronged, like the rest of us. The author began by making a very big deal about the pain of being a Jew in the modern world and ended the book with an impassioned plea to see Jews for what they really are, half right and half wronged, like the rest of us. Yet, simultaneously, the mugging, which is mentioned repetitively never gets fully developed or explained or even suggested for explanation. I picked it up because I hold Wodehouse in such esteem for his comedic novels (not that I was expecting Wodehouse here, he just introduced me to this category of writing). I found this book laborious and slow moving. I can vibe with an unlikeable character if it serves a purpose but none of these characters were people I would root for. The Finkler Question, a clever, canny, textured, subtle, and humane novel exploring the friendship of three ageing male friends, is Jacobson's 11th novel. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, justice and love, ageing, wisdom and humanity. those on book prize committees) of which I am not a member. Nobody should be singled out for persecution, I agree. I'm just kind of confused by it? A good book, just not a great novel. Why didn't I get it? I kept wanting to quit this unlikeable cramped book, but I didn't, because I kept waiting to see what the Booker Prize committee saw in it. Something went wrong. This book is a very sad and funny depiction of a conundrum that people face. unexpectedly challenging. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2012. Please try again. The men seem to wander through life without much purpose or intent. Was it meant to be satirical? Treslove thinks of all Jews as Finklers, hence the title. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The novel won the Man Booker Prize. Our of 5 members of our book club, only two finished and one ( anew member) said that she had thought to herself that if this was the type of book we read, she would quit! A momentary pause to search it up on Google might help the more curious and interested mind. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Jewish in England, Jewish in culture, Jewish in language, Jewish in world affairs, Jewish against Israel, Jewish for Israel, Jewish in humor, Jewish in intellect, Jewish in guilt, Jewish in pleasures, Jewish in the head, Jewish in the schlang, Jewish in food, Jewish in ceremony, Jewish as chosen, Jewish as persecuted, and Jewish in just about any other way you can imagine, stereotyped or otherw. We have other people to hate. Now, mind you, this isn't because I'm an anti-Semite. What is the tone at the end of the novel? The most moving (and funniest) scenes are those in which he and Libor, the widower with nothing more to live for, ruminate on love and Jewishness.” ―Adam Lively, Sunday Times (UK), “[A] bleakly funny meditation on loss, belonging and personal identity.” ―Ross Gilfillan, Daily Mail (UK), “For some writers a thorough investigation of the situation of British Jews today might do as the subject for a single book. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, justice and love, ageing, wisdom and humanity. Some people have no idea who they are and don't know what to do with themselves. Please try your request again later. I never "got into" Life Of Pi, or The God Of Small Things or Vernon God Little and I also struggled with this. After this, his whole sense of who and what he is will slowly and ineluctably change. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2018, Great book - I laughed uncontrollably at times, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2018. presents a difficult topic in a hitting and fearless fashion. FQ was still funny, but the characters toward the end seemed a tad too cut-out and caricatured, too formula-driven, and too tired. Howard Jacobson was born in Manchester, England, and educated at Cambridge. As an avid reader its almost obligatory to make sure you read the Booker Prize winner. touching and funny. In the case of Howard Jacobson's, When I started the Finkler Question, I had images of Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, Mel Brooks and Woody Allen floating in my head. Despite a prickly relationship and very different lives, they've never quite lost touch with each other - or with their former teacher, Libor Sevick, a Czechoslovakian always more concerned with the wider world than with exam results. Even worse, he compares poorly to his friend, rival, and former school classmate Sam Finkler, a pop philosopher, radio and television personality, and author of best selling books such as The Existentialist in the Kitchen and John Duns Scotus and Self Esteem: A Manual for the Menstruating, which have made him wealthy and respected, with a beautiful wife and three successful children. Good that you got it's sense of humour, most of it at the main characters. I appreciate that unambiguously. I never finished reading it. Can anyone who does not have any idea about Jews etc. Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2013. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. by Bloomsbury. According to the reviews on the back cover, The Finkler Question is hilarious. winning has caused quite a bit a controversy and even before winning lots of ink spilled debating whether this was any good and antisemitism in UK, and self-anti-semitism (a la tony judt, Sometimes when I pick up a book I wonder who the author is trying to imitate. To be honest, it was downright obsessive. Share When you begin reading Howard Jacobson’s TheFinkler Question —just announced as this year’swinner of the Man Booker Prize—you may worry that you are headed into apolemic disguised as a novel. Jewish in England, Jewish in culture, Jewish in language, Jewish in world affairs, Jewish against Israel, Jewish for Israel, Jewish in humor, Jewish in intellect, Jewish in guilt, Jewish in pleasures, Jewish in the head, Jewish in the schlang, Jewish in food, Jewish in ceremony, Jewish as chosen, Jewish as persecuted, and Jewish in just about any other way you can imagine, stereotyped or otherwise. And I found it to be funny. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. He has had only the most superficial relationships with women, two of whom bore him sons he has hardly seen, and his career is at an impasse, for he now makes his living as a celebrity double. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one of our finest writers at his brilliant best. Winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize, this novel also offers poignant insights into the indignities of aging, the competitiveness of male friendship, and the yearning to belong. It helps that Mr. Jacobson's comic sensibility suggests Woody Allen's, that his powers of cultural observation are so keen, and that influences as surprising as Lewis Carroll shape this book… Even in its darkest moments The Finkler Question offers many examples of… the most pernicious and authentic strain of Jewish humor: the kind that's so real it isn't funny at all.” ―New York Times, “Like all of [Jacobson's] work, The Finkler Question has a kind of energy that you have to look at through your fingers, like an eclipse. Middle-aged Sam Finkler is a wildly successful TV personality and author whose wife succumbed to cancer, while octogenarian Libor Sevick has lost the woman he was happily married to for more than 50 years. Jewish readers: did you relate and like this book? It is stereotypical, with its emphasis on Ashkenazi culture, as opposed to a broader understanding. "He should have seen it coming. And while this is a blessing, this identity comes with historical baggage that can at times, prove lethal or at least a threat to their ability to flourish. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, justice and love, aging, wisdom and humanity. Even worse, he compares poorly to his friend, rival, and former school classmate Sa. Treslove finds he has tears enough for the unbearable sadness of both his friends' losses. Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2020. Funny, furious, unflinching, this extraordinary novel shows one of our finest writers at his brilliant best. Equally important is its exploration of how men share friendship. The Finkler Question is a scorching story of friendship and loss, exclusion and belonging, and of the wisdom and humanity of maturity. Note of mourning a scorching story of exclusion and belonging, and educated at Cambridge door, 1996-2021... 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