Mr Rosenblums List: Or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman

by Natasha Solomons | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0340998598 Global Overview for this book
Registered by bookguide of Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on 8/13/2011
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1 journaler for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by bookguide from Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Saturday, August 13, 2011
A charming story about a Jewish refugee family's life, starting in the Jewish areas of London during the war, but mostly about their transition and acceptance into a rural community in Dorset. The main character, Jack Rosenblum, is an incorrigible optimist and determined to become an English gentleman. His wife on the other hand, is unable to put the past behind her, and clings to her Jewishness and her memories, keeping up appearances as expected, but underneath the surface rejecting the English way of life. Their daughter, meanwhile, is brought up as if she were English, and rejects her family's history.

Set in Hardy country, the majority of the book contains many references to the scents, sounds and flowers of country life. Jack's attempts to be accepted, his struggle to build his golf course (the final phase of his campaign to become an Englishman) and his growing friendship with ancient local character Curtis are all amusing, and in some cases hilarious. Sadie, his wife, slides gradually into depression, but when push comes to shove, she joins in Jack's crusade, and is also slowly absorbed into the fabric of village life. I love the way that the locals rename Jack as Mr. Rose-in-Bloom, which fits well with his wife's love of her garden. Like Hardy, there are moments of high drama and comic relief. Best of all, there is the tale of the woolly-pig, and the uncertain promise of whether Jack will ever live to see it in real life.

Journal Entry 2 by bookguide at ForeignExchange BCZ (bookboxes) in Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Saturday, August 13, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (8/13/2011 UTC) at ForeignExchange BCZ (bookboxes) in Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Added to the ICON / ForeignExchange book boxes.

This book has been released as part of the following BookCrossing challenges:
- The Ultimate Challenge - read and release books, with extra points for a monthly theme
- Reduce Mount TBR (To Be Read) - read and release books on the TBR list since before June 2010. My reading goal is 75 books.
- Pages Read Challenge - read a self-set target number of pages in 2011. My goal is 25,000.
- 2011 Movie Books Challenge (in production)

Journal Entry 3 by bookguide at Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, December 8, 2011
Taking to the Nijmegen Book Club book swap.

Journal Entry 4 by bookguide at Villa Lux in Nijmegen, Gelderland Netherlands on Friday, December 9, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (12/8/2011 UTC) at Villa Lux in Nijmegen, Gelderland Netherlands

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

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