Rating: 
Summary: Perfect men???
Review: Ok, the story of going back to trace ones roots is fascinating. I enjoyed the descriptions of Spain etc... want to travel more now! However, enough with the perfectly gorgeous men, with perfect manners, extremely wealthy and just the perfect background for the stubborn spoiled women in the story! Just couldn't take that! Maybe if you are into romance novels, it would be the perfect novel. Evidently, I am not of that ilk.
Rating: 
Summary: A great book "The Ghost of Hannah Mendes"
Review: "The Ghost of Hannah Mendes" by Naomi Ragen is a gripping and moving novel, I found it fascinating, and enlightening. I loved the meld of present day and historical characters, I was gripped by the story, and my only complaint was that it ended too soon, and I was so interested in the historical sections, that I started reading some of the Jewish history books on that period on Spanish-Jewish history, I would recommend it to all who love a good story, and especially those who are interested in Jewish history.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Read
Review: A book that takes you out of yourself for a while. Intriguing to read.
Rating:
Summary: a ghost story for us all
Review: At one level this is an historical novel that charts the course of a courageous woman's life. A woman who did much to save the Jews being persecuted by the various Inquisitions by, among other things, purchasing Safed to be a haven for Jews. But that is not what this book is "about." For the question it seeks to answer is a very modern one. This book tries to tell us why we should bother being Jewish, Sephardic, or anything at all; why being "just human" is not enough. And as the story weaves in and out of romance, history, and all-too-familiar contemporary issues of feminism vs. family vs. career, we gradually come to realize, that it is worth being "a someone ethnic" because only by being Jewish, Sephardic, or any other culture can we "learn from the good that was part of your history, that which ennobled and raised your people even higher." We learn not "to insist that we were born rootless because the past can't be overcome." Nor should it be overcome. For in this world of "jeans and Rollerblades and bad T-shirts and Walkmans... there is no danger in our differences; but in the overwhelming tedium of the ... sameness that is drowning out what each of us has learned, what each of us can contribute." So in the end this beautifully-written historical romance asks (begs, really) all of us, whatever our culture or ethnicity to hold on to our rich heritage and thereby stop what many sociologists have called the McDonaldization of our world.
Rating:
Summary: a ghost story for us all
Review: At one level this is an historical novel that charts the course of a courageous woman's life. A woman who did much to save the Jews being persecuted by the various Inquisitions by, among other things, purchasing Safed to be a haven for Jews. But that is not what this book is "about." For the question it seeks to answer is a very modern one. This book tries to tell us why we should bother being Jewish, Sephardic, or anything at all; why being "just human" is not enough. And as the story weaves in and out of romance, history, and all-too-familiar contemporary issues of feminism vs. family vs. career, we gradually come to realize, that it is worth being "a someone ethnic" because only by being Jewish, Sephardic, or any other culture can we "learn from the good that was part of your history, that which ennobled and raised your people even higher." We learn not "to insist that we were born rootless because the past can't be overcome." Nor should it be overcome. For in this world of "jeans and Rollerblades and bad T-shirts and Walkmans... there is no danger in our differences; but in the overwhelming tedium of the ... sameness that is drowning out what each of us has learned, what each of us can contribute." So in the end this beautifully-written historical romance asks (begs, really) all of us, whatever our culture or ethnicity to hold on to our rich heritage and thereby stop what many sociologists have called the McDonaldization of our world.
Rating:
Summary: Great novel on the assimiliation of Jews in modern America
Review: At seventy-four years old, widow Catherine da Costa learns she is dying from her doctor. As she wanders around Central Park, Catherine begins to wonder who should inherit her vast wealth that her deceased grandfather, late father, and her husband had accumulated and left to her. Her daughter and son-in-law would use the money to show off their wealth. Her granddaughter Suzanne would give it away. Her other granddaughter Fransesca would probably double its value. None of them would enjoy it. In utter despair that the family heritage will die with her, Catherine receives a visitor in her sleep. A sixteenth century ancestor, Hannah Mendes will work with Catherine to help Fransesca and Suzanne find their lost heritage. Out of respect for their grandmother's last wishes, the two sisters travel to Europe in search of Hannah's manuscript. Soon, they meet appropriate males and Hannah begins to educate them as her story unfolds. The two story lines (contemporary and Renaissance) blend brilliantly together due to the strong writing ability of Naomi Ragen. The characters are all realistic; they question how Jewish assimilation into the Big Mac culture of America is dealt with through various eyes. Readers will especially enjoy the sixteenth century manuscript as that story is incredible and feels like a real artifact. Anyone interested in well-written novels starring Jewish culture needs to try Ms. Ragen's works (see THE SACRIFICE OF TAMAR, SOTAH and JEPHTE'S DAUGHTER) because they are fabulous, insightful tales. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Deeper than your average Romance Novel
Review: Catherine da Costa is a wealthy, elderly New York Jew who learns that she is dying and realizes that the family tree may die with her 2 single granddaughters. She receives visits from the Ghost of Hannah Mendes, a Renaissance ancestor based on the actual historical figure Gracia Mendes, born in Portugal in 1510. Hannah's ghost offers advice to Catherine. Send your granddaughters in search of my memoirs. Catherine persuades her granddaughters, twenty-somethings Francesca and Suzanne, to put their lives on hold and travel to Europe in pursuit of Hannah's lost diaries. As they discover portions of the manuscript, the story switches from the present to the past and describes Hannah's life during the Spanish Inquisition. Hannah and her family are forced to leave Spain and convert to Christianity while practicing their religion in secret. Hannah marries a fellow secret Jew and they become enormously wealthy through a thriving business of trade. Hannah uses her power and influence to assist those fleeing from religious persecution while trying to evade persecution herself. Meanwhile, in the contemporary storyline, Francesca and Suzanne meet wonderful Jewish men and fall in love as they reconnect with their heritage and learn of the suffering their ancestors faced in order to practice their beliefs. I picked up this book because of the beautiful cover art and the synopsis sounded good. I am not Jewish and I had no expectations of this book in terms of learning something about Jewish traditions, Gracia Mendes or the plight of the Sephardic Jews during the time of the Inquisition. I can see how some might expect much more depth to this easy reading romantic story. Some difficult questions are asked. How does a family instill the importance of tradition, respect for our ancestors and maintain a sense of our family values? The author concludes the story with the simplest of all solutions facilitated by a ghost, but in the real world interfaith marriages, marriages without children or living single are becoming increasingly common choices. I do understand the message that embracing our roots is part of each person's wonderful uniqueness and that the freedom to practice what you believe is not a right that should be taken for granted. The themes of religion, tradition and family are common to humanity and were certainly touching in this book. But the tone was very light and I didn't take the book too seriously. Overall, this was a fun read with a happy ending.
Rating:
Summary: Deeper than your average Romance Novel
Review: Catherine da Costa is a wealthy, elderly New York Jew who learns that she is dying and realizes that the family tree may die with her 2 single granddaughters. She receives visits from the Ghost of Hannah Mendes, a Renaissance ancestor based on the actual historical figure Gracia Mendes, born in Portugal in 1510. Hannah's ghost offers advice to Catherine. Send your granddaughters in search of my memoirs. Catherine persuades her granddaughters, twenty-somethings Francesca and Suzanne, to put their lives on hold and travel to Europe in pursuit of Hannah's lost diaries. As they discover portions of the manuscript, the story switches from the present to the past and describes Hannah's life during the Spanish Inquisition. Hannah and her family are forced to leave Spain and convert to Christianity while practicing their religion in secret. Hannah marries a fellow secret Jew and they become enormously wealthy through a thriving business of trade. Hannah uses her power and influence to assist those fleeing from religious persecution while trying to evade persecution herself. Meanwhile, in the contemporary storyline, Francesca and Suzanne meet wonderful Jewish men and fall in love as they reconnect with their heritage and learn of the suffering their ancestors faced in order to practice their beliefs. I picked up this book because of the beautiful cover art and the synopsis sounded good. I am not Jewish and I had no expectations of this book in terms of learning something about Jewish traditions, Gracia Mendes or the plight of the Sephardic Jews during the time of the Inquisition. I can see how some might expect much more depth to this easy reading romantic story. Some difficult questions are asked. How does a family instill the importance of tradition, respect for our ancestors and maintain a sense of our family values? The author concludes the story with the simplest of all solutions facilitated by a ghost, but in the real world interfaith marriages, marriages without children or living single are becoming increasingly common choices. I do understand the message that embracing our roots is part of each person's wonderful uniqueness and that the freedom to practice what you believe is not a right that should be taken for granted. The themes of religion, tradition and family are common to humanity and were certainly touching in this book. But the tone was very light and I didn't take the book too seriously. Overall, this was a fun read with a happy ending.
Rating:
Summary: moving book about embracing deep cultural values
Review: Despite its imperfections, I loved this book - couldn't put it down, was moved to tears more than once, was left very thoughtful about my own identity, and enjoyed the wish-fulfillment fantasy of a grandmothter being able to help and bring wisdom and good marriages to her granddaughters. The historial background was fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: Restore your belief in Love, Angels, Faith, & Divinity
Review: Even though this book focuses on the Jewish religion, it really has appeal to all faiths who hold their teachings to their heart. As a member of the Catholic faith, I even felt acute religious awareness while reading it, because of the connection between faith, and family. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and could not put it down after the first hundred pages. I would give it five stars except I felt that the author assumed the reader had too much knowlege of the Jewish faith and I wanted further explanation of some rituals.
| 
