Categories
2010 Booker Prize

The Finkler Question – Howard Jacobson

 Long listed for 2010 Booker Prize

I’m not a fan of books about religion and so wasn’t sure how I’d get on with The Finkler Question. I was right to be concerned as the religious debate took precedence over the plot and I couldn’t bring myself to finish this book.

The book started off reasonably well, with a former BBC radio producer paying to see a fortune-teller in Spain.  You can check Radio Waves to know updates with respect to radio. She tells him to watch out for a woman called Juno. Unfortunately the book went downhill quickly as Sam Finkler, a popular Jewish philosopher, entered the book. I found the repetitive mention of Juno and its derivatives increasingly irritating.

Treslove and Finkler were sharing a room. ‘Do you know any one called Juno?’ Treslove asked.

‘J’you know Juno?’ Finkler replied, making inexplicable J noises between his teeth.

Treslove didn’t get it.

J’you know Juno? Is that what your asking me?

Treslove still didn’t get it. So Finkler wrote it down. D’Jew know Jewno?

Treslove shrugged. ‘Is that supposed to be funny?’

‘It is to me,’ Finkler said. ‘But please yourself.’

The book then deteriorated further into bizarre Jewish philosophising. At about p60 I lost any interest I originally had and started to skim read.

At page 107 I came across this passage and decided I couldn’t tolerate it any more – my reading time is too precious to persevere with a book that irritates me so much.

‘You can’t just get up one morning and decide you’re a Jew – or can you?’

‘I’ve worked with a lot of people at BH who got up one morning and decided they were not a Jew.’ Josephine said.

‘But it can’t work the other way, surely?’

‘Search me,’ said Alfredo. ‘But I don’t think Dad’s planning to become a Jew. If I understood Uncle Sam he’s got this bee in his bonnet that he already is a Jew.’

‘Christ,’ Roldolfo said, ‘what does that make us?’

‘Not Jewish,’ Josephine said. ‘Don’t worry about it. Jews don’t trust their women in the sack, so you can only be Jewish through the vagina. And I don’t have a Jewish vagina.’

I’m sure this is supposed to be funny, but I just didn’t get it.

The only good news is that this abandonment gives me more chance of finishing my final two books from the long list!

 (DNF)

Categories
Other Richard and Judy Book Club

The 2010 Richard and Judy Book Club Selection Revealed….

UPDATE: I have now read all of these books – read my thoughts here.

Richard and Judy have revealed the eight books to make it into their new book club:


The Wilding – Maria McCann


The Snowman – Jo Nesbo

Operation Mincemeat – Ben Macintyre


Sister – Rosamund Lupton


A Place of Secrets – Rachel Hore


Waiting for Columbus – Thomas Trofimuk


The Crying Tree – Naseem Rakha


No and Me – Delphine de Vigan

My initial thoughts are that this is a fantastic selection of books!

I’m a bit sad that I haven’t read any yet, but half are already in my sights. I was very impressed by the sounds of The Snowman, but decided that I wanted to start the series at the beginning. I even had The Redbreast out of the library earlier this year, but didn’t get round to starting it. Now I’m torn over whether I should just start with The Snowman. What do you think?

I’m also gutted that I haven’t already read The Wilding. It was one of only three books from the Orange long list that I didn’t read. I’m kicking myself for not completing the list now!

I have heard wonderful things about The Crying Tree and Waiting for Columbus. These two books appeal to me most, so I think I’ll grab copies as soon as I can.

I haven’t heard of the others before, but look forward to finding out more about them.

What do you think of the list?

Have you read any of the books?

For more information about the Book Club visit Richard and Judy’s website.