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Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir
 

Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir

by Shalom Auslander

Shalom Auslander was raised with a terrified respect for God. Even as he grew up and was estranged from his community, his religion and its traditions, he could not find his way to a life where he didn't struggle against God daily.

Foreskin's Lament reveals Auslander's youth in a strict, socially isolated Orthodox community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life... (read more)

Top tags: memoir,  judaism,  non-fiction,  coming of age,  humor (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
sarahburns
  • Rated 4 stars

“This book was thoughtful and laugh-out-loud funny. Shalom Auslander takes the idea of a personal God to a whole new level, and lives his life in a constant struggle for meaning and recognition from God and from the humans around him. I could relate to a lot of his gripes about Jewish practice, and the way he brings out the neurotic and compulsive sides of many traditions in clever prose, rationalizing his acts of rebellion.”

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Didn’t Like It

Beverly N
  • Rated 2 stars

“Memoir of an abusive orthodox jewish upbringing and a conflicted relationship with God. With strong, dark, humor Auslander eventually identifies himself as a foreskin, cut away from jewish life. Problem - it's a one note lament against the Old Testmament God and the author's family of birth. It's also disgusting with a lot of detail about the author's compulsive eating of non-kosher food and his obsession with pornography. But there is one very funny line (which Auslander overuses) "That's so...”

Beverly N’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 3.773585 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 0 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Ira Z

    ira z said:

    “This book gave me a new understanding of religion. How it rules the lives of those who believe. Auslander lives in a world of fear, fear of crossing god and gods retribution. He is ruled by it as much as he struggles against it. He makes it funny but it is sad. It is sad to have to live in fear of something that can't even be proven to exist He is a great writer with great insight but he can't, no matter how hard he tries rid himself of fear. It rules him. Every religious person should be forced to read this so they can see the folly of their beliefs ”

    posted Thursday, July 31 2008
  • Bonnie K

    bonnie k said:

    “Interesting to read other reviews. I did like the writer's style at times when he was a bit less emotional. I'm wondering how he will feel in time. I think he's very lucky to have married the woman he did. ”

    posted Tuesday, January 29 2008
  • Bonnie K

    bonnie k said:

    “Did anyone else read this one and feel as I did?
    Bonnie”

    posted Tuesday, January 29 2008
  • Shelley

    shelley said:

    “I read this book after hearing Auslander read some excerpts from it on NPR. I enjoyed his humor, but the book became increasingly painful to read. He is a brilliant writer, but the abuse, particularly the self-inflicted abuse, overshadowed the humor by the end.

    I am Jewish, but the extreme form of Judaism Auslander was raised with is nothing I recognize. His family of origin's so called "Judaism" seems nothing but a never ending set of nitpicking rules and rituals adhered to only out of fear. Very sad.

    Overall, the book is a worthwhile read for the sharp and witty writing. But be prepared for the darkness and a fearful, angry, downright twisted form of Judaism that is not representative of the vibrant and joyous spiritual practice Judaism can and should be. ”

    posted Thursday, December 27 2007
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