Review of Swimming to Jerusalem

[Timothy Rucinski]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Swimming to Jerusalem" by Seth Bornstein.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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How often do you read the same book more than once in a few weeks? Not often, I assume. But I read Seth Bornstein's marvelous Swimming to Jerusalem twice in preparing for this review, and I loved it more the second time. This, my friends, is an exceptional book.

Born in Paris and raised in Brooklyn and Israel, Bram Goodman parties heartily in his youth, dropping out of college. He eventually earns a meager living, first as a swim instructor and then as an administrator in a New York City community center. He marries, has children, and becomes director of the center. Seems simple? Well, not really. Interspersed with the mundane day-to-day life of an average man, Bram enlists in the Israel Defense Forces, experiences the horrors of war, and loses Yoni, his cousin and best friend, to an untimely death. Subsequently, he struggles to maintain a sense of balance between being a nurturing husband and father while managing his anger, often on the verge of exploding with rage in contentious circumstances. Liz, Bram’s partner, says, “He vacillates between laid-back beach bum and a walking pinata.”

Swimming to Jerusalem is a story of an imperfect man coming to terms with himself, battling his internal demons, tempted by hate yet brimming with love. It's also a family story with a focus on fathers and sons. Brams’s father, Maury, is flawed, a self-centered businessman engaged in one get-rich scheme after another. Complicating Bram’s love/hate relationship with Maury is Gerry, Bram’s mentally challenged brother, doomed to a life in adult care institutions, with Bram as his primary guardian. On the other hand, Liz's father is a prosperous real estate developer who has raised a successful, close-knit family succored by a long and happy marriage to his wife, Joan. Consequently, Bram lives his life searching for father figures from which to gain the type of guidance Maury is incapable of providing. He relies heavily on Uncle Lou, Yoni’s father, and remembers fondly his grandfather during summers spent in France. He also finds surrogate fathers along the way, from a high school teacher, Mr. Lee, to Liz's father. Although maternal figures and Bram's daughters play a considerable role in the story, this is primarily a book about fathers and sons, culminating with Bram’s blossoming relationship with his own son, Theo.

Although the themes are intense, the book is one of the funniest I've read in a long time. Humor flows throughout the story, mainly from Bram's sarcastic commentary on life's foibles. He jokes to offset the seriousness of life’s pitfalls. “We couldn’t afford Tang when I was growing up in Israel,” he says at one point. “We were so poor I had to drink juice from fresh oranges.” If you are familiar with the works of traditional Jewish stand-up comedians, you'll find yourself laughing out loud at Bram's witty observations.

Besides Bram, other characters are memorable. His wife, Liz Ellis, a successful New York public defender, is formidable as Bram's partner and confessor, as well as being a magnificent mother to their children. Yoni, although appearing only briefly in the book, permeates every page with his soft nature, loyalty, and internal anguish. And Joan, Liz's mother, is the perfect matriarch that holds a growing family together with love, warmth, and resoluteness.

Bornstein’s writing style is exceptional. The dialogue is spot-on perfect, and every word spoken rings true in cadence and uniqueness for each character. The book is non-linear, bouncing back and forth in time and place. The structure works very well, providing the reader with episodes in which Bram grows with wisdom from decisions made and lessons learned along the way, including those prompted by Yoni’s death and Gerry's unfortunate condition. For example, Bram agonizes over whether it is wise to sire children as he would not wish to bring another being into the world to suffer his brother's fate.

You might think that only those with Jewish backgrounds would be able to appreciate the book’s nuances. And, indeed, if you live in New York City, as I have until a few years ago, you will love the Yiddish asides and the references to the minor landmarks, including neighborhoods, hotel interiors, and restaurants devoted to not-so-fine dining. But this is a book for everyone, particularly given the current tension stirred by antisemitism. Swimming to Jerusalem is about peace and love, and Bram's experiences bring home the horrors of what can happen when the opposite is the norm.

The book is professionally edited with only some minor typographical errors. There is a bit of profanity used sporadically to highlight situations and enhance the humor.

Swimming to Jerusalem deserves 5 out of 5 stars. There is nothing about this book that I disliked. It is a magical book filled with love and hope. Do yourself a favor. Grab a cup of coffee, a bagel with a schmear, and a copy of the book, park yourself in a comfy club chair, and immerse yourself in Bram's fabulous world.

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Swimming to Jerusalem
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Cara Wilding]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Swimming to Jerusalem" by Seth Bornstein.]

How often do you read the same book more than once in a few weeks? Not often, I assume. But I read Seth Bornstein's marvelous Swimming to Jerusalem twice in preparing for this review, and I loved it more the second time. This, my friends, is an exceptional book.

Born in Paris and raised in Brooklyn and Israel, Bram Goodman parties heartily in his youth, dropping out of college. He eventually earns a meager living, first as a swim instructor and then as an administrator in a New York City community center. He marries, has children, and becomes director of the center. Seems simple? Well, not really. Interspersed with the mundane day-to-day life of an average man, Bram enlists in the Israel Defense Forces, experiences the horrors of war, and loses Yoni, his cousin and best friend, to an untimely death. Subsequently, he struggles to maintain a sense of balance between being a nurturing husband and father while managing his anger, often on the verge of exploding with rage in contentious circumstances. Liz, Bram’s partner, says, “He vacillates between laid-back beach bum and a walking pinata.”

Although the themes are intense, the book is one of the funniest I've read in a long time. Humor flows throughout the story, mainly from Bram's sarcastic commentary on life's foibles. He jokes to offset the seriousness of life’s pitfalls. “We couldn’t afford Tang when I was growing up in Israel,” he says at one point. “We were so poor I had to drink juice from fresh oranges.” If you are familiar with the works of traditional Jewish stand-up comedians, you'll find yourself laughing out loud at Bram's witty observations.

You might think that only those with Jewish backgrounds would be able to appreciate the book’s nuances. And, indeed, if you live in New York City, as I have until a few years ago, you will love the Yiddish asides and the references to the minor landmarks, including neighborhoods, hotel interiors, and restaurants devoted to not-so-fine dining. But this is a book for everyone, particularly given the current tension stirred by antisemitism. Swimming to Jerusalem is about peace and love, and Bram's experiences bring home the horrors of what can happen when the opposite is the norm.

Well, I can say I rarely re-read a book once I finish it; however, I have never re-read a book within the short span of time you describe! That being said, I am now intrigued on what kind of book would make a person do this. You got me, the first few sentences did seem pretty...boring; that next sentence brought it home! I love, love, love authors who infuse humor into their work. The heavy topics in this book almost require it to bring it some balance. The "Tang" brought back some memories! It's unusual to find narratives that draw attention to the internal struggles of men, I can appreciate this aspect of the book as well. I don't live in New York, but I can see what you mean about those references, I always enjoy when I am "in" on those! This was an exception review, I enjoyed it immensely, and I am looking forward to reading more from you! Until then...

[Yasmine M]

Bram seems to have a broken relationship with his father Maury, if there was a relationship at all to start with. His father is not present nor involved the way Bram would like it to be. It is sad that it was so bad that he felt the need to find surrogate fathers along the way. The whole book makes you ponder about the things that matter in life. I like that humor is included in this narration.

[Anastasia Baglay]

It is hard to find such a rare combination as a unique writing style and good sense of humour. Thank you for your honest feedback!