The Finkler Question (with "Shortlisted" jacket)
by Jacobson, Howard
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Midhurst, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Bloomsbury, 2010. Reprint. Hardcover. Early printing ("Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010" printed to jacket). 8vo. With jacket. 307 pp. FINE / FINE
Synopsis
Howard Jacobson is a British journalist and author. He is best known for writing comic novels that often revolve around the dilemmas of British Jewish characters. He is the 2010 winner of the Man Booker prize for The Finkler Question. This novel takes on the challenges of love, male friendship and loss as it explores the relationship between a radio producer and philosopher, while questioning what it means to be Jewish today. It’s described as a bright, witty novel with some of the most sharply intelligent writing to date. The book follows the character of Julian Treslove, once of the BBC and now earning a living as a celebrity lookalike. Treslove is not Jewish but, in simple terms, the narrative details his love affair with an intense inquiry into what Jewishness means – politically, socially, economically, romantically, intellectually, emotionally, culturally, musically and so on. He wants to be part of something vast and ageless, something abounding and intense. In short, he is trying to become Jewish.
Reviews
On Nov 20 2013, CloggieDownunder said:
The Finkler Question is the fourteenth book by Howard Jacobson, and winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize. There are three main characters: Julian Treslove, who wants to be a Jew; Sam Finkler, a Jew who is ashamed of Jews; and Libor Sevcik, a Czech Jew who is grieving the loss of his wife. This unlikely trio have known one another for many years, and in the first part, each looks back on events in their lives. The second part concerns the events after Julian is mugged, he believes, for being a Jew, and introduces a new love interest for him, a Jewess names Hephzibah, someone he feels is his destiny. This novel is very slow-moving, there is very little in the way of plot and while some of the dialogue is clever, amusing or even thought-provoking, many of the characters are difficult to relate to. Perhaps to fully appreciate this book, one would need to be a Jewish intellectual, preferably a British one. Lots of Jewish angst, talk of foreskins, anti-Semitic violence and Holocaust denial. This Man Booker Prizewinner fails to impress.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Wheeler's Bookshop
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 0015165
- Title
- The Finkler Question (with "Shortlisted" jacket)
- Author
- Jacobson, Howard
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- Reprint
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 2010
- Keywords
- oldstock2018
Terms of Sale
Wheeler's Bookshop
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About the Seller
Wheeler's Bookshop
Biblio member since 2024
Midhurst, West Sussex
About Wheeler's Bookshop
From secondhand and antiquarian to the latest in-print titles... Old and new books in our historic shop premises in Midhurst, West Sussex. Find us in Red Lion Street, the heart of the old town.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Reprint
- Any printing of a book which follows the original edition. By definition, a reprint is not a first edition.
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
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