| Description: |
|
Product Description
Michael Chabon's unusual novel, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, is set in Sitka, Alaska, a place where the Jews have lived since the imagined demise of the State of Israel in 1948. In 2008, the lease on sixty years of safe-haven in the north is due to expire and the Jews must find a new home. In the meantime, one of Sitka s citizens has physically expired. Meyer Landsman, a down-on-his-luck Sitka policeman is suddenly faced with the murder of Mendel Shpilman, a case that those in charge want closed and filed away. But for Meyer, there are too many loose connections and unanswered questions. Who killed Mendel Shpilman? When will the Jewish community start packing and where will they go? Why are the Verbovers not getting ready to go? What is their secret? And what in the world should Meyer do about his ex-wife, Bina? Meyer's search for the truth makes its way through a precarious maze of friend and foe, the lawful and the outlaw, Jews, the Tlingit natives, the FBI, and others. The Bookclub-in-a-Box guide to this novel explores the idea and meaning of having a permanent homeland. It ponders the destiny of the Diaspora Jew. It considers Chabon's exceptional use of symbols in relation to the novel's themes. And, among other topics, it considers Meyer's precarious relationship with his ex-wife, Bina. Included in the guide is a glossary of Yiddish references. Every Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide also includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style and interesting background information on the novel and the author.
|
