Vent and Request-- Good Frum Writers!

Sherri

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 8:13 am

Ruchel wrote:

Oh no, I wanted to buy it!
Do you think it's no good for someone well read? I don't think only the classics are well written, at all. And I can forgive a blah style for a great great story.

I have to admit, I did like the story. I appreciate books that give me an understanding into different cultures than mine. And hey, it seems that I am the minority here- most everyone else puts it at the top of their "Best Jewish Books" list.

To the OP- this discussion of frum writing was hashed out in this thread, with many posters making good points about the topic, not just writing who they liked. You may find the analysis helpful.
http://imamother.com/forum/vie.....94666

PinkFridge

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 8:35 am

ValleyMom wrote:

What about Naomi Ragen?!
Her character development is excellent.
The main character in The Saturday Wife was so vile ---
I still find myself thinking about her.
I think she is a terrific writer. No long flowery words or boring descriptions, very concise. I enjoy that!

I think this thread is more about the mainstream Judaica market.

Raisin

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 8:41 am

Sherri wrote:

I read Sun Inside Rain because I see so many people on Imamother who are gaga over it... and I was kind of disappointed. It was okay, but I don't know if I would say it was written better than any other frum books out there. The topic was more unusual, I will grant you that. Otherwise? I'm not so sure.

)

phew, I had an almost identical reaction. Unusual plot, I liked that it tackled some unusualy issues, but the writing was ok, not amazing.

I've read a lot of secular books, including most of the classics, so I think I am a pretty good judge of writing.

Raisin

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 8:44 am

Isramom8 wrote:

Rabbi Teller himself is not pretentious! He always went out of his way to include seminary students with potential in "helping" with his books. He taught me a bit about editing, and my friend about drawing. He is the type to give young people a chance.

.

I didn't say he is pretentious - I'm sure hes an amazing person. And I like his books - I just don't think the long words are necessary. I think his books are well written on the whole, and with a little simpler language would be even better.

the world's best mom

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 10:12 am

Raisin wrote:

Isramom8 wrote:

But that's how he talks, too! Rabbi Teller doesn't sit there with a thesaurus and dress up his language, he writes the way he speaks.

the world's best mom

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 10:14 am

PinkFridge wrote:

the world's best mom wrote:

I think the best Jewish book I've ever read was Family for a While. I've read it a number of times and it makes me cry my eyes out each time.

The only Jewish author who I've seen who is skilled at using good English is Hanoch Teller. His books are quite enjoyable. They are short stories, some based on truth, others totally true.

Have you read anything more recent?

I don't have many Jewish books nowadays, nor do I have time to read much. If I had money to spend on books, I would love to buy some. But it's not happening right now.

Temilia

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 10:28 am

The books I like to read are usually shortlisted for the Booker Prize or other types of literary awards.
I don't like most contemporary fiction because I find the writing poor, and the plots generic. (I find nothing compelling about NY Times bestsellers like John Grisham-except for his first one or two books, or others similar)

My question is are there any books like that in the Jewish World?

Books that are not just telling a story, but books that are using words in original and unique ways.
Where the writing is so fabulous that the plot is almost incidental, and it doesn't just flow from beginning to end?

PinkFridge

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 10:34 am

Temilia wrote:

I don't like literary fiction or endless navel gazing. I go for mysteries. Read a few Caroyn Heilbruns, not my cuppa. Sharyn McCrumb's as classy as I get.
About the navel gazing: there's a lot of it in Judaica, especially the internal monologues in a lot of Israeli imports. Maybe there are people who enjoy being hit over the head with self-discovery; I like subtlety and elegance.
Very possibly the best writer on the market now is Meir Uri Gottesman, though his books are roller coaster rides. Rabbi Reinman is actually pretty good. I have a hunch he could write what you want but again, some of the best Jewish writers simply have different stories to tell.

soulful music

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 11:00 am

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Sender Zeyv. He writes very well, he wrote Aleph Shin, Ten Lost and Every Man a Slave.
I also like Hanoch Teller, Meir Uri Gottesman, Libby Lazewnick, Rachel Pomerantz.... and some others that I can't recall.

Ruchel

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 11:09 am

To me a frum writer, as in shomer mitsvos, who writes stuff that isn't in line with frum lit, may be frum but doesn't write frum lit. I have read a few of those. It turns me off much more than reading the same thing, or worse, from a non frum.

louche

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 12:38 pm

Ruchel wrote:

I wouldn't include N Ragen in the frum writers personally.

Neither would I, but possibly not for the same reasons. She's not of the genre "frum writer" but a writer who is frum. IOW, she has not appointed herself PR envoy or apologist for the frum world. Quite the reverse. Don't get me wrong, I think she's a terrific writer and I have read almost all of her books; however, because she is highly critical of many aspects of frum society, I wouldn't recommend her to anyone who will be offended by anything that doesn't show frum society as a kind of utopia in which even people's flaws are really merits.

sped

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 12:47 pm

Raisin wrote:

Sherri wrote:

I guess different folks... I think I would be considered pretty well read, as would my mother, sister and a few friends... In fact, probably unusually weel read for the frum, and quite critical too. Mostly, we really went for the book. I found it well written, relatively plausible, well researched, characters with depth and so on.

spinkles

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 1:53 pm

Does anyone remember a novel about a kallah who's disappointed to discover that her chasan's not such a masmid? She eventually learns how to appreciate him for who he is...and also how to encourage him in his learning. The end is a surprise siyum he and his son make at the son's bar mitzvah. I thought it was excellent, and would love to remember the name so I could buy it!

Raisin

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 2:17 pm

Temilia wrote:

I don't really think there are any frum writers booker prize shortlist style. Then again, I dislike that sort of book myself. Come on, has anyone actually sat down and read Ulysses cover to cover?

Most of the very literary sorts of books I picked up I did not really enjoy. I've read a lot of classics, but you know, todays classics were bestsellers 100 years ago.

But there are certainly frum writers who write as well as say, John Grisham.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 2:26 pm

chana_f wrote:

Yes, I remember that book...not sure which author/title...
Could it be Silent Dreams by Devorah Weiner, or am I mixing it up?

STovah

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 2:37 pm

I'm pretty disappointed by the quality of frum writing as well - I haven't read any fiction by a frum author that came close to the quality of say Amy Tan. I don't think I've read a book by a frum author in a long time, and I've even stopped buying the frum magazines and newspapers after disappointment week after week. I now read the New Yorker - while I don't agree with their liberal leanings, I enjoy the well-written, well-researched articles on interesting topics. In terms of books, I tend to stick with non-fiction.

louche

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 2:59 pm

Herman Wouk stands out as a Jewishly observant man who was a superb novelist. But he wrote books with jewish themes, not "Jewish books," if you understand the difference.

Which brings up the possibility that success in the form of good writing comes from concentrating on being a good writer. Happening to be a frum person and writing on Jewish themes is secondary, simply because you're writing what you know. This, as opposed to being a self-conscious "frum writer," meaning your primary concern is the frumkeit, and the writing just happens to be the vehicle for your preaching.

Isramom8

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 3:43 pm

louche wrote:

Shouldn't it be the latter? What mitzvah is there in stam being a "ggod writer"?