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Rating: 
Summary: Lays blame where it is not due.
Review: A smart-alecky adolescent wants to prove that if God is almighty as Jews claim, He could have impregnated Mary with Jesus. Thus, in his mind, and apparently from the author's perspective, the Jews are to blame for inter-religious strife arising from their bigoted refusal to give creedence to fundamental Christian precepts. The Gentiles who read the story consider it a noble proclamation for religious tolerance. But the blood that spilled in the two thousand years since the death of Jesus has been the blood of Jews, hideously, brutally murdered by Christians believing they were doing the word of their lord. Roth attempts to create a totally false impression that he alone among the Jews is sufficiently wise and broad-minded to preach respect for tenets of other religions. But in fact it has always been a first principle of Judaism that any religion teaching belief in one God and charity and requiring just dealings among mankind is a valid religion. {These are the laws that the Jews' God imposed on the sons of Noah.) Christianity, by contrast, historically has deemed itself the one true faith, and many non-believers suffered awful deaths as a result. Roth wrote this story to broaden his readership beyond the small population of Jews in America -- who would find his charicatures of themeslves funny--so that he could sell his work to wider audiences. For Roth, the royalties he sought justified his trashing the truths about his people and supplying ammunition to those who would ridicule my brothers and sisters. I detest him.
Rating:
Summary: Lays blame where it is not due.
Review: A smart-alecky adolescent wants to prove that if God is almighty as Jews claim, He could have impregnated Mary with Jesus. Thus, in his mind, and apparently from the author's perspective, the Jews are to blame for inter-religious strife arising from their bigoted refusal to give creedence to fundamental Christian precepts. The Gentiles who read the story consider it a noble proclamation for religious tolerance. But the blood that spilled in the two thousand years since the death of Jesus has been the blood of Jews, hideously, brutally murdered by Christians believing they were doing the word of their lord. Roth attempts to create a totally false impression that he alone among the Jews is sufficiently wise and broad-minded to preach respect for tenets of other religions. But in fact it has always been a first principle of Judaism that any religion teaching belief in one God and charity and requiring just dealings among mankind is a valid religion. {These are the laws that the Jews' God imposed on the sons of Noah.) Christianity, by contrast, historically has deemed itself the one true faith, and many non-believers suffered awful deaths as a result. Roth wrote this story to broaden his readership beyond the small population of Jews in America -- who would find his charicatures of themeslves funny--so that he could sell his work to wider audiences. For Roth, the royalties he sought justified his trashing the truths about his people and supplying ammunition to those who would ridicule my brothers and sisters. I detest him.
Rating: 
Summary: Real, yet surreal. My favorite pick out of hundreds.
Review: I felt that this story illustrated creative thematic continuity. The plot is precisely orchestrated. The symbolism is clear and allegoric. Both Old and New Testament allusions flow between the lines. The theme is intense and unified. The setting is literal, yet transcends figurative meanings. The narrator's point of view is dramatic. The theme is both illustrative and moving. The style is connotative of much deeper meanings. The diction is creatively suggestive. The characters are plausible and consistent. I think this is a masterpiece! The conclusion is strong and symbolic. Throughout the story, Roth saturates and consistently reinforces his theme in a satire of religious hypocrisy. I give you ten stars for this one! ********** Patty Stroe
Rating:
Summary: Real, yet surreal. My favorite pick out of hundreds.
Review: I felt that this story illustrated creative thematic continuity. The plot is precisely orchestrated. The symbolism is clear and allegoric. Both Old and New Testament allusions flow between the lines. The theme is intense and unified. The setting is literal, yet transcends figurative meanings. The narrator's point of view is dramatic. The theme is both illustrative and moving. The style is connotative of much deeper meanings. The diction is creatively suggestive. The characters are plausible and consistent. I think this is a masterpiece! The conclusion is strong and symbolic. Throughout the story, Roth saturates and consistently reinforces his theme in a satire of religious hypocrisy. I give you ten stars for this one! ********** Patty Stroe
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