Rating: 
Summary: The Promise by Chaim Potok
Review: 4. The Promise by Chaim Potok is a novel about three young men named Reuven Malter, Danny Saunders, and Michael Gordon. It is the sequel to The Chosen, which first features Reuven and Danny. Reuven and Danny were both Jewish, however Reuven was Orthodox and Danny was Hasidic, a much more serious form of Judaism. In The Promise, Danny had gotten a degree in psychology and Reuven was studying to get smicha, which would enable him to become a rabbi. At the starting of the novel Reuven was dating a girl named Rachel. One day, Reuven and Rachel went to a carnival with Rachel's cousin, Michael. When they got cheated out of winning one hundred dollars and a radio, Michael started screaming and acting crazy. It turned out Michael was catatonic, and he was put into the hospital were Danny worked. Michael resisted all forms of therapy, and after he tried to escape the hospital with five other boys, all carrying butchers' knives, Danny decided to try a new form of therapy. Michael would be isolated in a room with only Danny allowed visiting or talking to him. Danny thought Michael would hate this type of therapy so much, he would open up and talk. For several months, Michael sat on his bed without moving or responding to anything or anyone. Long after Danny had started to have doubts about the experiment working, Michael asked to see Reuven, then went back to not responding. After this happened several times, Danny decided to let Reuven come see Michael. ...
Rating: 
Summary: A rich offering from a master storyteller
Review: A sequel of sorts to "The Chosen", although this book stands quite well on its own, "The Promise" is the story of Reuven, a young rabbinical student, who befriends Michael, a troubled young man who eventually has to be institutionalized under the care of Reuven's friend, Danny. Meanwhile, Reuven is struggling with his teacher, Rav Kalman, a hard-line traditionalist who clashes with Reuven because Reuven has come under the influence of modern critical scholarship due to the influence of Reuven's own father and of Michael's father, Abraham Gordon. The clash of differing schools of Jewish religious thought and the conflict between religious and non-religious Jews is a major theme of this book. Meanwhile, Michael is making no progress in his therapy which leads Danny to propose a radical method of treatment. This book is absolutely riveting, and it's very hard to put down once begun. The late Chaim Potok, in my opinion, is one of the best novelists of the late 20th century. His evocation of modern Jewish life and issues is unsurpassed, and he tells his stories so effortlessly that even a non-Jew like myself cannot help but be captivated at the same time as I'm being educated. In my opinion, this book is better than "The Chosen" and nearly equal to my favorite Potok novel, "My Name is Asher Lev". I give "The Promise" my highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Allegiance to Tradition is Not Always The Best Decision
Review: All of Chaim Potok's books teach you more than you could possibly aspire to learn. And in this book, Potok tells the story of the struggle between Jewish traditions and finding your own voice. There are 3 main characters:
· Reuven, who is raised as an Orthodox Jew, and whose
studies are focused upon his becoming a rabbi.
· Danny, who was raised as a Hasidic (the most conforming
of Jewish sects, but becomes a Psychologist, who marries
a woman who is not Hasidic.
· Danny, who becomes hospitalized after his enraged
reaction to not having won a prize that he was due to
win. I first read this book in 1998, after reading one Potok book after another. And back then, I remember telling myself, "It would be nice if every man read "The Promise," and "The Chosen," so that they are able to break the father/son struggle to be human beings, without fear of being feminine. Now, as I review my favorite quote from "The Promise," ("I know what it's like to be inside a small room, fighting. I was inside a small room too. But I talked. I fought back. You have to learn to talk and fight back. You have to learn to do it even if it hurts people you respect and love. You're not anything unless you can learn to do that ... And sometimes you have to fight even if it means hurting people terribly. Sometimes you have to hurt a person you love if you want to be yourself.). I see that Potok's demonstration of how conflict between traditional Orthodox Judaism and modern ideas is but a ripple in the pond of every culture, every world struggle, and every relationship. This is a call for human beings to give others room to be authentic, without revenge. The promise is to be a human being. This is a great read starting at 10 years old. It will stretch who you are, and give you a voice unmatched by other stories.
Rating:
Summary: Allegiance to Tradition is Not Always The Best Decision
Review: All of Chaim Potok's books teach you more than you could possibly aspire to learn. And in this book, Potok tells the story of the struggle between Jewish traditions and finding your own voice. There are 3 main characters:
· Reuven, who is raised as an Orthodox Jew, and whose
studies are focused upon his becoming a rabbi.
· Danny, who was raised as a Hasidic (the most conforming
of Jewish sects, but becomes a Psychologist, who marries
a woman who is not Hasidic.
· Danny, who becomes hospitalized after his enraged
reaction to not having won a prize that he was due to
win. I first read this book in 1998, after reading one Potok book after another. And back then, I remember telling myself, "It would be nice if every man read "The Promise," and "The Chosen," so that they are able to break the father/son struggle to be human beings, without fear of being feminine. Now, as I review my favorite quote from "The Promise," ("I know what it's like to be inside a small room, fighting. I was inside a small room too. But I talked. I fought back. You have to learn to talk and fight back. You have to learn to do it even if it hurts people you respect and love. You're not anything unless you can learn to do that ... And sometimes you have to fight even if it means hurting people terribly. Sometimes you have to hurt a person you love if you want to be yourself.). I see that Potok's demonstration of how conflict between traditional Orthodox Judaism and modern ideas is but a ripple in the pond of every culture, every world struggle, and every relationship. This is a call for human beings to give others room to be authentic, without revenge. The promise is to be a human being. This is a great read starting at 10 years old. It will stretch who you are, and give you a voice unmatched by other stories.
Rating:
Summary: Apples and Oranges
Review: As a novel, The Promise is quite well written and has an intriguing plot. As a sequel, it has the potential to be disappointing. Its predecessor, The Chosen, is a deep, heartfelt novel about the struggles of overcoming a restricting community with a couple of lessons on Jewish history skillfully woven in along the way, but The Promise is a different kind of book entirely. The Promise seems to be more of a novel than The Chosen, which was more along the lines of a lesson on Judaism and humanity in the form of a story. So, the bottom line is, while The Promise is quite a good book in its own way and a worthwhile read, it is very different from The Chosen, and it's easy to be disappointed with it. I would actually recommend reading either just The Chosen or just The Promise rather than both- you don't really need to read The Chosen to understand the storyline of The Promise.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling &moving! everything an excellent book should be:)
Review: At first glance the book did not interest me. However, I LOVED IT!!! After reading The Promise I read the Chosen as well. Both excellent. Chaim Potok's prose is simply amazing--vivid and strong.
At the end of the novel I realized just how attached I had gotten to the characters. I wasn't ready to end the adventure with the characters. I became submerged in the plot. This insightful masterpiece was just the kind of book to remind me why people write in the first place. This just proves how amazing Chaim Potok truly is.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I've ever read! (read the Chosen first)
Review: Chaim Potok is a genius! In this sequal to his book the Chosen, he explores the Danny&Reuven relationship on a truly amazing level. The book tackles issues of love, understanding, hate, compassion, and empathy. I could not put this book down. Truly the best book I've ever read! I think I got from it even more than Mr. Potok intended his readers to come away with. I suggest reading the Chosen first, because it will help the reader appreciate and understand the subtle nuances and corralations that enter into the story.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond Amazing
Review: Chaim Potok's book, "The Promise" has to be one of the best books I have every read! Normally, sequals aren't as good as the original ("The Chosen") but in my opinion this one is better! This is a must buy!
Rating:
Summary: Do yourself a favour and read this!
Review: I couldn't believe it when I heard that there was a sequel to 'The Chosen'. One of the best books I've ever read. With the expectation that 'The Promise' could not possibly be as good for sequels rarely are, I read 'The Promise'. I couldn't put it down. Not only was it as good as 'The Chosen' but once again Mr Potok has captured a little bit of life that I can relate to. Even if you are not a Jew, this book will scream out at you. I had no trouble understanding it and was only upset that it was over all too soon. The character of Michael served well as the cord between Reuven and Danny. For as we all know, friendships do change, even the best of them. And if this book had continued the friendship in the same way as 'The Chosen' I would have been disappointed for men and boys do not relate in the same way. The real world tends to get in the way. Two thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: The Promise...a Good Continuation of an Excellent Work
Review: I found the Promise the be an exceptional book that continued a wonderful story that began in "The Chosen." I appreciated the Reuvan storyline more than the Danny one. Both books made an indellible impression upon my life and I am a better person for having read them!
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