Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Toby Pr (2005), Edition: First Edition, 500 pages
Description
Shulamit, a biblical scholar from England returnsto her grandparents? home in Jerusalem for a visit,after an absence of many years. Almost immedi-ately she becomes embroiled in a family feud overpossession of the so-called Shepher Codex, a mys-terious and valuable manuscript which has beendiscovered in the attic.
User reviews
LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
Shulamit, daughter of an Israeli (well, a British mandate Palestine Israeli) father, and a British mother, returns to Jerusalem to determine the disposition of the Shepher family codex, a variant of an ancient Sefer Torah (Old Testament). Her family members are among those who debate who should
The beauty of this book lies in its treatment of Israeli, and particularly Jerusalem, nostalgia. It's a book of reminisces of lost opportunities, family relationships, and an opportunity to visit the distant as well as the not-so distant past. I could feel the familiar aching that Shulmit experienced as she returned to Israel from a distant land. The most touching scene of the book was a graveyard scene in which Shulamit explains the meaning of placing stones on Jewish gravesites.
As the story of the Shepher family was revealed, however, I became lost in the many people who occupied different time frames as we moved back and forth from Shulamit's great-grandparent generation to the present. I kept thinking I was either missing part of the story, or it just was not there.
This story contained some phrases well-known to anyone familiar with Israel but not known to those unfamiliar with it. Although those phrases rang warm and true for me, I don't think they have an appeal to the general public and should probably have been used with more of a thought to their explanation.
What I liked about this book was its eye for characters. I would have liked to get to know them better and was disappointed that none was particularly well developed as the story was more centered around the codex. I like the author's knack for seeing the personality of Israelis and would love for her to write more in depth about any of the characters of this book in the future.
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take possession of this rare treasure. The beauty of this book lies in its treatment of Israeli, and particularly Jerusalem, nostalgia. It's a book of reminisces of lost opportunities, family relationships, and an opportunity to visit the distant as well as the not-so distant past. I could feel the familiar aching that Shulmit experienced as she returned to Israel from a distant land. The most touching scene of the book was a graveyard scene in which Shulamit explains the meaning of placing stones on Jewish gravesites.
As the story of the Shepher family was revealed, however, I became lost in the many people who occupied different time frames as we moved back and forth from Shulamit's great-grandparent generation to the present. I kept thinking I was either missing part of the story, or it just was not there.
This story contained some phrases well-known to anyone familiar with Israel but not known to those unfamiliar with it. Although those phrases rang warm and true for me, I don't think they have an appeal to the general public and should probably have been used with more of a thought to their explanation.
What I liked about this book was its eye for characters. I would have liked to get to know them better and was disappointed that none was particularly well developed as the story was more centered around the codex. I like the author's knack for seeing the personality of Israelis and would love for her to write more in depth about any of the characters of this book in the future.
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LibraryThing member angrystarlyt
While I agree that it is grossly misleading to classify this book as a thriller, I feel that this novel was a poignant and palimpsestic look at the way family, cultural legacy, and chance go into forming an individual. The prose, while meandering and thoughtful, was never bogged down with
I was particularly pleased with how careful Yellin was to elaborate on Jewish customs and terms that were of plot importance. Since the Jewish fiction I have reviewed has been primarily published with a Jewish demographic in mind, some authors do not elaborate on what they assume the reader should have a deep cultural understanding of (and rightly so), but Yellin, without breaking the natural flow of the language, clears up much confusion and illustrates both familial and Jewish traditions well.
The only part of the novel with which I was dissatisfied was Gideon, whose mysterious and mystical urgings at the beginning of the book, complete with enigmatic references to how the Shepher family might benefit from turning over the Codex, in no way match up with the rather prosaic explanation under the auspices of which he and Shulamit part at the airport. (Perhaps the back-of-the-book summarizer only got that far!) Also puzzling was Shulamit's immediate attraction to him, tension building the whole time, and the subsequent reaffirmation of her being alone didn't seem to follow from her and Gideon's relationship.
An absorbing read for those interested in well-crafted, self-reflective fiction about cultural heritage.
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extraneous detail, and the careful way Yellin replicated familial tradition first mentioned in prose and then into speech was interesting. I was particularly pleased with how careful Yellin was to elaborate on Jewish customs and terms that were of plot importance. Since the Jewish fiction I have reviewed has been primarily published with a Jewish demographic in mind, some authors do not elaborate on what they assume the reader should have a deep cultural understanding of (and rightly so), but Yellin, without breaking the natural flow of the language, clears up much confusion and illustrates both familial and Jewish traditions well.
The only part of the novel with which I was dissatisfied was Gideon, whose mysterious and mystical urgings at the beginning of the book, complete with enigmatic references to how the Shepher family might benefit from turning over the Codex, in no way match up with the rather prosaic explanation under the auspices of which he and Shulamit part at the airport. (Perhaps the back-of-the-book summarizer only got that far!) Also puzzling was Shulamit's immediate attraction to him, tension building the whole time, and the subsequent reaffirmation of her being alone didn't seem to follow from her and Gideon's relationship.
An absorbing read for those interested in well-crafted, self-reflective fiction about cultural heritage.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
What a fantastic read! This book was that wonderful combination of a tremendously moving story, a font of cultural information, and a pleasure to read due to the lovely writing. It is the type of book I search for all the time. We all have family stories locked away in attic trunks, but in this
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case the cultural significance enhanced the story further. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction, particularly if the Jewish culture is of interest. Show Less
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
While I don't necessarily agree that you need to be Jewish to understand the book, it would sure help a great deal. It was very difficult for me to get into, although the plot did pick up nearing the end. At first I couldn't determine if the main character was a man or a woman. There were other
I would describe this book as cross between The DaVinci Code, Everything is Illuminated, and some sacred Jewish text that I couldn't quite figure out.
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characters in the novel that went nowhere (i.e. the brother). I also had a problem keeping all the different time periods, and the characters and plot within, straight. Nothing seemed very well defined. I would describe this book as cross between The DaVinci Code, Everything is Illuminated, and some sacred Jewish text that I couldn't quite figure out.
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LibraryThing member jaybee2008
I couldn't get into this book and have given up after 80 pages. the story seemed like it would be interesting, but i couldn't get past the author's style. it was freakin annoying!
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
Some years ago, there was an ad campaign for Levy’s Jewish Rye Bread, a product of a New York City based bakery, that carried the tag line “You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Levy’s”. The same could be said of this book.
The Genizah at the House of Shepher, is first of all a story of
Secondly, it is story of Jewish tradition and esoteric knowledge, spanning over one hundred thirty years and many countries. Even if you are not Jewish, you will become involved with this story of intrigue involving a manuscript purportedly purloined from a mythical land where the people from some of the Ten Lost Tribes settled. You don’t need to be overly familiar with the traditions presented, Yellin works a lot of the details in to this portion of the story.
As a storyteller for this genre, I would put the author on par with Shalom Alechem or Chaim Potok. Outside of this genre, Ms. Yellin can hold her place easily, but it is difficult to find a similar story line, so I’m not sure who to compare her to. Scenery is presented with enough detail to carry the plot along without overwhelming you. People are sketched quickly, yet with detail, and her dialog flows realistically. Above all, this is a story being told to you.
Despite all the story has going for it, it cannot get a full five stars because the story does not have that lasting appeal of a truly great book. Once the heroine had completed her part in the story, I did not feel a longing to know what happens to her after this. By the same token, however, this signifies the story is told completely: all questions are answered, all quests are fulfilled and the circle is closed.
One aspect that some people may have trouble with is the story jumps around in time. In one chapter you are here now, the next may be happening one hundred twenty years ago and, after a brief return to now, you are taken back eighty years or so. In another series of scenes, there are some fantasy sequences, almost dreamlike, involving Moses. Some people may find these a little obscure or seemingly pointless. Please don’t ignore them as they are indeed important to the story.
If you feel we are indeed part of one family, read this story and it will reaffirm your feelings. If you enjoy stories of Israel, stories of Jewish tradition and trying to put things right, pick it up. If you want something a little different from your usual read, try this as it is almost in a class by itself.
Nu? So sit down, have some fruit and read it already!
Oh yes, and like Levy’s Jewish Rye, The Genizah at the House of Shepher is very filling and satisfying.
The Genizah at the House of Shepher, is first of all a story of
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Family. Change some of the names, change some of the countries and I’m sure we can all find our relatives here in the story. Tamar Yelllin does a terrific job of showing us what families are like, especially in times of grief and stress. We are shown a family at each other’s throats over a manuscript of dubious provenance that may or may not be an imperfect copy, and therefore inherently worthless, of a Torah scroll set down as a book. Despite the internal bickering, they all turn as one against a stranger in their midst that wants to take it from them.Secondly, it is story of Jewish tradition and esoteric knowledge, spanning over one hundred thirty years and many countries. Even if you are not Jewish, you will become involved with this story of intrigue involving a manuscript purportedly purloined from a mythical land where the people from some of the Ten Lost Tribes settled. You don’t need to be overly familiar with the traditions presented, Yellin works a lot of the details in to this portion of the story.
As a storyteller for this genre, I would put the author on par with Shalom Alechem or Chaim Potok. Outside of this genre, Ms. Yellin can hold her place easily, but it is difficult to find a similar story line, so I’m not sure who to compare her to. Scenery is presented with enough detail to carry the plot along without overwhelming you. People are sketched quickly, yet with detail, and her dialog flows realistically. Above all, this is a story being told to you.
Despite all the story has going for it, it cannot get a full five stars because the story does not have that lasting appeal of a truly great book. Once the heroine had completed her part in the story, I did not feel a longing to know what happens to her after this. By the same token, however, this signifies the story is told completely: all questions are answered, all quests are fulfilled and the circle is closed.
One aspect that some people may have trouble with is the story jumps around in time. In one chapter you are here now, the next may be happening one hundred twenty years ago and, after a brief return to now, you are taken back eighty years or so. In another series of scenes, there are some fantasy sequences, almost dreamlike, involving Moses. Some people may find these a little obscure or seemingly pointless. Please don’t ignore them as they are indeed important to the story.
If you feel we are indeed part of one family, read this story and it will reaffirm your feelings. If you enjoy stories of Israel, stories of Jewish tradition and trying to put things right, pick it up. If you want something a little different from your usual read, try this as it is almost in a class by itself.
Nu? So sit down, have some fruit and read it already!
Oh yes, and like Levy’s Jewish Rye, The Genizah at the House of Shepher is very filling and satisfying.
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LibraryThing member heathersblue
I truly enjoyed this novel. I'd read that you needed to be Jewish to enjoy it, but that was not the case. It is a bit like visiting a foreign country where you need to pay attention to pick up new customs, but they are well explained and those that aren't are intuitive. The story was rich with
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family history, current drama, and religious legend and there was seldom a dull page. Some of it was pretty predictable, but the story was still fantastic. Show Less
LibraryThing member ninarucker
While the plot of "The Genizah at the House of Shepher" is interesting and drew me in, I felt the writing was not up to par. I didn't especially like Yellin's style, but did overall enjoy the book and felt like I learned a little about Jewish culture.
LibraryThing member abealy
This book was a joy to read. The language, rich and warm, particularly when describing the mythic history of the Shepher family going back to the 19th century. It is a tapestry of emotion, longing and want. The threads of family histories are woven into the story of love, of aging and missed
Shulamit Shepher, the narrator, enters the genizah, the storeroom of the past where every yellowing packet of letters and photographs, documents and receipts is weighted with significance for no one but the hovering spirits and the lonely seeker. Though she is a scholar searching out the truth of the ancient Codex found in her family home, this is primarily a story of relationships.
All families are flawed, have their strengths and weaknesses hidden in attics and closets that are perhaps better left undisturbed. You cannot go back on the road not taken to see where it actually led.
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opportunity. Yellin is particularly masterful in showing us the passage of time. Shulamit Shepher, the narrator, enters the genizah, the storeroom of the past where every yellowing packet of letters and photographs, documents and receipts is weighted with significance for no one but the hovering spirits and the lonely seeker. Though she is a scholar searching out the truth of the ancient Codex found in her family home, this is primarily a story of relationships.
All families are flawed, have their strengths and weaknesses hidden in attics and closets that are perhaps better left undisturbed. You cannot go back on the road not taken to see where it actually led.
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LibraryThing member jimhart3000
Tamar Yellin writes a multi-generational saga of Jews in Jerusalem and England. Much of the story centers on a mysterious Torah codex and the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, but the codex is a Macguffin that leads the novel's heroine, Shulamit Shepher, to explore her family's history: her
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great-grandfather's search for the Lost Tribes, her zionist grandfather, and her father's love for a woman who Shulamit had never heard of. These stories, especially that of Shulamit's father, are ultimately more interesting than the narrative of Shulamit, family squabbles, and the codex whose importance is stated but never truly felt. Shulamit's knowledge of Biblical studies, the mystery of the codex, and the mysterious stranger Gideon are all the makings of a thriller which really never gets going, and that pulls the reader in a direction that the book never really feels like it wants to go. The truly interesting stuff is the generational saga, and it's well-portrayed in a way that makes reading the book worthwhile. Show Less
LibraryThing member read_dance_bliss
Almost. This book was almost suspenseful enough to be great, it was almost profound, it was almost spiritual and almost a love story and almost Foer/Kraussian in its Jewishness and literariness and longingness. It was almost historical and almost thought-provoking and almost deeply woven enough
I thought there were was too much going on in this book; I thought there were too many characters that weren't fleshed out enough that I lost track of who was who and didn't care quite enough to track them down... I thought, many times, 'boy, I'm glad I already know what this word means or what this tradition is because I wouldn't have understood from this flimsy sentence.'. I thought it was a shame, too, because it *is* almost great... the blocks are there but the structure doesn't quite stand. The codex is supposedly important, but I didn't quite believe it. (I was told, not shown, as they say.) The love story is supposedly wistful and meaningful, but I didn't quite believe it. The bits of both Judaism and Israeli culture that are utilized or mentioned are wonderful and I wish they *were* better explained and explored... but they just weren't quite. Almost.
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that the reader can sink into its many layers and its four generations and its varied plot lines and yet.. only almost. I thought there were was too much going on in this book; I thought there were too many characters that weren't fleshed out enough that I lost track of who was who and didn't care quite enough to track them down... I thought, many times, 'boy, I'm glad I already know what this word means or what this tradition is because I wouldn't have understood from this flimsy sentence.'. I thought it was a shame, too, because it *is* almost great... the blocks are there but the structure doesn't quite stand. The codex is supposedly important, but I didn't quite believe it. (I was told, not shown, as they say.) The love story is supposedly wistful and meaningful, but I didn't quite believe it. The bits of both Judaism and Israeli culture that are utilized or mentioned are wonderful and I wish they *were* better explained and explored... but they just weren't quite. Almost.
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LibraryThing member sduff222
This book is quite interesting, but it is very dense and difficult to get into. Additionally, it requires quite a bit of foundational knowledge of Judaism - or quite a bit of research along the way. There are some great themes of family and tradition in this book, but it may be off-putting to some.
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The characters are, at the very least, well-developed, and it's a good story. Show Less
LibraryThing member LauraBrook
I had a difficult time getting in to the book at first, but I ended up enjoying it. Not knowing much about Jewish culture I was a little lost sometimes, but it certainly did not deter me. It was a nice was to spend a few evenings.
LibraryThing member xevver
An interesting book, filled with Jewish folklore and arcana, about a woman's search to find herself in her family and her world. The story takes a while to unravel, but once it did, I was hooked. The language sometimes gets in the way of the story, and there were certainly times I wanted to tell
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the author to "get on with it" but overall, a very good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member break
You know the saying suggesting that something is bigger than the sum of its parts? That does not apply in my opinion to Tamar Yellin's The Genizah at the House of Shepher. It has plenty of beautiful and memorable parts. The way the author treats old and new Jerusalem creates a nostalgic feel even
But the book as a whole is too far from being perfect. The story runs on too many threads in too many different eras and areas. Some authors can pull it off. I love reading grand family sagas arching over centuries. However I would have preferred to read the content of this book as a series of short stories. Apparently in the newer addition of the book there is an interview with the author in which she mentions that she thinks of herself more as a short story writer. I have to agree with her,
One way to handle my dissatisfaction of the book is to think of the book itself as a genizah. Genizah refers to depositories of synagogues, where unused sacred texts are kept, before they can be buried. This book has chapters that seemingly have nothing to do with the rest of the book. I thought long and hard trying to figure out how the four midrashim (stories) about Moses-- some of them are traditional, others are made up by the author--connects to the plot. I came up empty. That's when I decided that just as in a genizah--where next to each other can lay two unrelated items, one of them a historical gem, the other useless junk—the subsequent chapters next to each other may have nothing to do with each other. The value of the genizah is in its mix, so maybe the value of this book should also be sought in the mix of genres it offers.
I am sorry to say that this approach didn't work for me. Despite that the story in itself is interesting. Next time I want to read Yellin (and it is worthwhile, because her descriptive powers are impressive) I will check out her short stories.
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in those who never been there. The introductory description of every single major character is precise and make them look and feel alive. The academic treatment of biblical scholarship. These and many more ar delightful to read on their one.But the book as a whole is too far from being perfect. The story runs on too many threads in too many different eras and areas. Some authors can pull it off. I love reading grand family sagas arching over centuries. However I would have preferred to read the content of this book as a series of short stories. Apparently in the newer addition of the book there is an interview with the author in which she mentions that she thinks of herself more as a short story writer. I have to agree with her,
One way to handle my dissatisfaction of the book is to think of the book itself as a genizah. Genizah refers to depositories of synagogues, where unused sacred texts are kept, before they can be buried. This book has chapters that seemingly have nothing to do with the rest of the book. I thought long and hard trying to figure out how the four midrashim (stories) about Moses-- some of them are traditional, others are made up by the author--connects to the plot. I came up empty. That's when I decided that just as in a genizah--where next to each other can lay two unrelated items, one of them a historical gem, the other useless junk—the subsequent chapters next to each other may have nothing to do with each other. The value of the genizah is in its mix, so maybe the value of this book should also be sought in the mix of genres it offers.
I am sorry to say that this approach didn't work for me. Despite that the story in itself is interesting. Next time I want to read Yellin (and it is worthwhile, because her descriptive powers are impressive) I will check out her short stories.
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LibraryThing member EmAzing
The book's a little slow,
but it's not without beautiful imagery.
You follow a woman who is trying to find her place in the world.
It's historic and artistic.
but it's not without beautiful imagery.
You follow a woman who is trying to find her place in the world.
It's historic and artistic.
LibraryThing member darwin.8u
A beautiful story. More than anything the author was able to create, more than any book I've read before, the idea of Jerusalem as a character and not just a city. At times slow and uneven, the book is still worth your time. The languate reminded me a little of 'Ahab's Wife.'
LibraryThing member edella
This "debut novel is warm and engrossing, rich with historical detail and unmet yearning" A warmly portrayed, densely researched fictional history of a scattered Jewish clan migrated to Jerusalem
LibraryThing member wendyrey
Pretty decent first novel which is perhaps a little over complex , there are some very short chapters based on biblical musings that could easy be ommitted without any loss to the plot . The plot is very subtly presented and the book progresses slowly and although entertaining is not gripping. I am
Interesting first novel which although slow to develop is well worth reading
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also unsure if the use of its 'jewishness' as a marketing tactic will be effective in the UK as the book will interest the wider reading public as well as the compartivly small jewish market.Interesting first novel which although slow to develop is well worth reading
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LibraryThing member timothy.d.reed
The author brings some stunning imagery to this novel, but that is all there is to it. Overall, the plot of this story is slow moving and thin. Although the author does a great job of giving the story a sense of time and space, it simply isn't enough to keep the poorly paced narrative moving. If I
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hadn't received this from early reviewers, I never would have finished it. Show Less
LibraryThing member wandering_star
I really enjoyed this book - a rambling, witty tale of a no-longer-young Biblical scholar, Shulamith, and her crazy, argumentative family - the present-day stories interleaved with the lives of her grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Superficially, the modern-day story is about the family dispute
The book does lose its way a little towards the end, but it's a great read, and I'd always rather read a book which is ambitious, even if it fails, than one which sets out with limited aims, however much it succeeds.
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over what to do with an ancient Codex, but in fact the whole thing is more about the nature of stories themselves, and the way they can be created and re-created out of almost nothing. The various histories - personal, family, political - are as disputed as the variant Biblical texts which Shulamith studies. And the Jewish myth that the Torah was created from a heap of letters - which could have formed into any number of alternative combinations - is echoed in the way that people redefine their own lives. The book does lose its way a little towards the end, but it's a great read, and I'd always rather read a book which is ambitious, even if it fails, than one which sets out with limited aims, however much it succeeds.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Shulamit Shepher is a middle-aged unmarried female scholar who narrates this story about her great-grandfather, Shalom Shepher. At a young age, he disappeared for a couple of years in search of the Ten Lost Tribes. He returned with a Codex, or manuscript, of the Pentateuch (the first five books of
A secondary theme is that we all live by memories stored in our own personal “genizahs.”
My reaction to the book was that it had sophomoric prose, a confused plot, and in no way approached the status of "thriller in the Da Vinci code tradition" as promised by the jacket. The author's website promotes the book as "a large canvas novel of exile and belonging, displacement and the struggle for identity." I guess I buy that writ small. But none of these philosophical issues were resolved in a coherent way. This author is not in the same league as Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, Isaac B. Singer, Henry Roth, etc. - I wouldn't even put her in the same room, much less the same league. As for the other blurbs: "gripping" "a page-turner" "impossible to put down" - I think they were put on the wrong book jacket by mistake. I was very disappointed.
(JAF)
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the Bible). (A codex is a book with pages that turn as opposed to scrolls that unroll; this was an intermediate step between scrolls and the invention of the printing press.) Shulamit’s Uncle Cobby found the old codex in the attic, or “Genizah” (in the Hebrew sense of repository of old sacred documents). Fighting ensues among the relatives and others over its provenance, value, and future.A secondary theme is that we all live by memories stored in our own personal “genizahs.”
My reaction to the book was that it had sophomoric prose, a confused plot, and in no way approached the status of "thriller in the Da Vinci code tradition" as promised by the jacket. The author's website promotes the book as "a large canvas novel of exile and belonging, displacement and the struggle for identity." I guess I buy that writ small. But none of these philosophical issues were resolved in a coherent way. This author is not in the same league as Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, Isaac B. Singer, Henry Roth, etc. - I wouldn't even put her in the same room, much less the same league. As for the other blurbs: "gripping" "a page-turner" "impossible to put down" - I think they were put on the wrong book jacket by mistake. I was very disappointed.
(JAF)
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LibraryThing member Valkitty
This book was a riveting read for me. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the past given through the writings, as well as the complex interplay between family members and the sense of place given through the descriptive prose.
Awards
Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature (Winner — 2007)
Wingate Literary Prize (Shortlist — 2006)
Harold U. Ribalow Prize (2006)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
500 p.; 5.75 inches
ISBN
9781592640850
Local notes
2006-07 Reading Circle selection
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