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kaddish.com
224 pages, 2019
fiction
1382 booksNathan Englander's brilliant, streamlined comic novel is a stunning meditation on the conflict between religious and secular worlds, and the hypocrisies that run through both. The story begins when Larry--an atheist in a family of orthodox Jews--must say Kaddish for his father.
To appease his mother and sisters, who are horrified by his refusal to mourn properly for his father, Larry hatches an ingenious plan: to hire a stranger through a website called kaddish.com to recite the daily prayer and shepherd his father's soul safely to rest.
As Englander explores the lives of two generations of Jewish men, he finds humor even in the most solemn matters--and humanizes those who might seem so different from us as to be unapproachable.
This is Nathan Englander's freshest and funniest work to date--a satire that touches, lightly and with unforgettable humor, on the conflict between religious and secular worlds, and the hypocrisies that run through both.
In kaddish.com, Nathan Englander explores the theme of faith and tradition. He shows us how the protagonist, Larry, struggles with his Jewish faith and traditions after the death of his father. This book encourages us to look into our own beliefs and traditions, and how we navigate them in the modern world.
Englander uses the concept of kaddish.com, a website that hires someone to say Kaddish (a Jewish prayer for the dead) for you, to highlight the impact of technology on religion. It's a fascinating look into how technology can both simplify and complicate our religious practices.
The book takes us on Larry's journey of redemption. After years of guilt for outsourcing the Kaddish for his father, Larry decides to reclaim his responsibility. This story encourages us to reflect on our own actions and the possibility of redemption.
Englander beautifully portrays Larry's transformation from a secular Jew to an Orthodox one. It's a deep dive into the exploration of identity and personal transformation, inspiring us to embrace change and growth in our own lives.
kaddish.com is a powerful exploration of guilt and responsibility. Larry's guilt over outsourcing the Kaddish leads him to drastic changes in his life. This book encourages us to reflect on our own feelings of guilt and responsibility, and how they shape our actions.
