Richler, Mordecai

Oh Canada! Oh Quebec!: Requiem for a Divided Country

Average customer rating:

An Australian View Point
Requiem for a derided country
Yes, I liked it, too.
A defense of Richler's book
Oh Canada, Oh Québec, Oh Brother...

Oh Canada! Oh Quebec!: Requiem for a Divided Country
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Political | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Barney's Version

ASIN: 0679412468
Release Date: 1992-05-05

Customer Reviews:

An Australian View Point.......2006-07-26

As an Australian who lived for three and a half years in Quebec, I found this book very useful to show my friends here in Brisbane what I have told them is true. This book is invaluable because we in Australia are not only geographically a million miles away from Quebec we are a million miles ahead, and Mordecai Richler has cpatured everything that is Quebec. This book is a must for those trying to understand the psyche of the Quebecoir.

Requiem for a derided country.......2005-03-05

For anyone hoping to gain an understanding of the pre- (and now post-) millennial angst that often grips great swaths of our country at the mere mention of the terms 'distinct society' and 'sovereignty association', Richler's book is a solid and engaging read.

If nothing else, Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! serves as a useful counterpoint to the tightly-held yet misguided notions of many indépendantistes regarding the terms on which sovereignty is to be negotiated between Canada and a new nation of Quebec.

And for anyone familiar with the oft-maligned language laws in effect in Quebec, Richler's satirical notion that similar constraints might usefully be placed on the volume of spoken English can sometimes cut too close for comfort ...

Yes, I liked it, too........2001-07-25

My husband is an American of Canadian heritage, and we have spent a lot of time in Montreal. Of course, we've been interested in this language problem for many years; and I found Richler's book to be extremely informative because here in the Southwest, we are faced with the Spanish-English dilemma. Richler's wit and knowledge of his subject made the book extremely interesting. So what if it reeked of anti-simitism--he was just making a point about people who have values that they think should be shared by all; and if they're not shared, boy, are, "those outsiders" stupid.

A defense of Richler's book.......2001-07-14

As an American of Canadian descent, I found Richler's book to be a trenchant analysis of the problems the country faced with its separatist movement. I read the book a year or two after it came out in paperback, and I still recommend it to people who want to understand the divisions in Canada - whether they be English vs. Francophone, or Christian vs. Jew, a schism Richler knows well. If you have no stake or interest in what happens to Canada, perhaps it is indeed boring. But for those of us who care, it's indispensable...

Oh Canada, Oh Québec, Oh Brother..........2000-07-06

I was hoping that this book would be interesting since I find the Québec Separatism Movement to be one of the most fascinating things of recent politics. Well, I was wrong. I found this book to be extremely dry, I fell asleep a few times while reading it. I got annoyed with the fact that Richler kept bring Anti-Semitism into it. I understand his point of view, but I did not buy this book to read about Anti-Semitism, I bought it to read about the relations between Canada and Québec. Richler does get a plus because he at least explained things for the benefit of American readers, which was great or else I would be totally lost. He also gets a plus because he fully explains Québec's language laws. Overall, I was not too impressed with the book, I found it to be long, drawn out, and hopelessly boring.

Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Jacob Two-Two Adventures)

Average customer rating:

What Happens to Smart Aleck Kids?
We love Jacob Two-Two!
A JACOB TWO-TWO REVIEW
Movie?
You'll Go Crackers You'll Go Crackers

Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Jacob Two-Two Adventures)
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Tundra Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Jacob Two-Two-'s First Spy Case
Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur
Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Earthquake Terror (Puffin Novel)
Jacob Two Two and the Book of Magic

ASIN: 0887766862
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

Poor Jacob Two-Two. Not only must he say everything twice just to be heard over his four brothers and sisters, but he finds himself the prisoner of the dreaded Hooded Fang. What had he done to deserve such a punishment? The worst crime of all – insulting a grown-up! Although he’s small, Jacob is not helpless, especially when The Infamous Two come to his aid.

Customer Reviews:

What Happens to Smart Aleck Kids?.......2007-04-02

When you were really little, didn't you think that somewhere there was an awful place and if you were bad, you would have to go there? Well, this is what happened to Jacob Two Two.
The reason he was called jacob Two Two was because he was the littlest one in a big family and he always had to say everything twice to be heard. This characteristic is what started all his problems.
When he was sent to the grocery store for tomatoes, he said, "I want two pounds of firm, red tomatoes. I want two pounds of firm, red tomatoes." The grocer thought he was making fun of him and called a policeman to have him arrested for being rude to an adult. Then he was sent to the children's court where the judge sentenced him to 2 years, 2 months, 2 days, 2 hours and 2 minutes in the darkest dungeons of the children's prison for being a smart aleck.
The prison was surrounded by water with blood thirsty sharks and slimy crocodiles, their jaws snapping hungrily. The sign said, "This way to Slimers Island from which no brat returns." The jailer was called the Hooded Fang.

We love Jacob Two-Two!.......2006-03-17

Great book! i found this book at a thrift store and bought it for our son, he was 10 at the time. we actually read this one outloud as a family and EVERYONE enjoyed it! the story conveys a wonderful message about the strength of children and the importance of them being heard and understood, and treated fairly. We recommend this book whole-heartedly!

A JACOB TWO-TWO REVIEW.......2005-04-05

Jacob Two-Two is one of the most imaginative stories I've read in a while. It reminds of being a kid in my carefree days. I have actually watered my mom's flowers an hour after she had and flooded her flowerbeds.
Basically, the story is about a 6 year-old boy who repeats everything twice just to be heard because he's the youngest out of five. Because he wants to be helpful, he wants to run an errand for the first time. He goes to Mr. Cooper, the greengrocer to get two pounds of firm, red tomatoes. After insulting Mr. Cooper (he didn't really insult Mr. Cooper, Mr. Cooper was just teasing him, but Jacob doesn't know that), he ran into Richmond Park to hide from the police. He was afraid the police might send him to jail for insulting a big person. Then, in Richmond Park he falls asleep into a crazy dream with the Hooded Fang, two super heroes, and a children's prison.

Movie?.......2003-08-29

I've never read Mordecai Richler's book Jacob Two-Two, but I have seen the movie. Not the one made in the late '90s but the one from the '80s. It really freaked me out as a kid and now I can't find anywhere to buy it online. If anyone else remembers this movie or know where to find it please email me.

Thanks

You'll Go Crackers You'll Go Crackers.......2002-01-15

We liked this story because Jacob thought the Hooded Fang was funny even though he was scariest person that you have ever seen. Jacob knew he was really childish. The funniest part was when the Hooded Fang said "I want my mommy." We liked how Jacob said everything twice. We could relate to how he couldn't do the things his brothers and sisters could. One of us is still terrible at cutting bread so she feels like him when one side comes out really thick and the other is like a sheet of paper. Another kid feels like him because her sister goes to 2 hours of gymnastics and she only goes to one. Written by a club of good readers who like to read.

The Innocents Abroad (1869) (Oxford Mark Twain)

Average customer rating:

Perfect Gift
Review of INNOCENTS ABROAD by Mark Twain
As always a wonderful read
Timeless Twain
One of the funniest books ever written

The Innocents Abroad (1869) (Oxford Mark Twain)
Mark Twain , and David E. E. Sloane
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Travel | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Roughing It (Enriched Classic Series)
Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World (Dover Books on Travel, Adventure)
Mark Twain : Mississippi Writings : Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn, Pudd'nhead Wilson (Library of America)
Twain: Collected Tales, Sketches, Speeches, and Essays: Volume 2: 1891-1910 (Library of America)
A Tramp Abroad

ASIN: 0195101324

Book Description

In 1867, Mark Twain set out from New York City for Europe and the Holy Land on the paddle-steamer Quaker City. The result of that trip was The Innocents Abroad, a travel book unlike any that had gone before it. Irreverent and irrepressible, Twain pokes fun at officious tour guides and offensive tourists alike. The book offers a glimpse of a major writer when he was young and just beginning to flex his muscles, and also serves as an enduring no-nonsense guide for the first-time traveler to Europe and the Holy Land. The trip stimulates Twain to meditate on how the "new world" is different from the "old" and engenders reflections on what a society must be like to be thought of as genuinely "civilized." The Innocents Abroad is alternately profound and profoundly entertaining. Twain may find himself exasperated or exhausted--but the story he tells is never dull. It is no wonder that the book was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Gift.......2007-03-05

If you don't know the person for whom you're buying a gift, well get them this. It's laugh-out loud funny even for someone who doesn't read much or who has never heard of Twain.

Review of INNOCENTS ABROAD by Mark Twain.......2007-01-15

In what must have been the first organized tour by Americans of the Old World, Mark Twain tells of his experiences as a member of a party of 150 taking a cruise steamer to tour the European mainland, the Middle East, and parts of Asia.

The "innocents" of the title applies to Twain and his comrades. It shows partly in their naivete such as being flattered by a French shopkeeper into buying a tawdry piece of apparel, and in their assumption that every native guide must be telling the truth. It shows partly in their attempting behavior that seasoned travelers would not attempt, such as riding a donkey all day, or making an evening foray to the shore of Athens--in violation of the quarantine--to observe the Parthenon under the moonlight. It shows mainly in Twain's sense of wonder at the monuments of civilization which tower over him in what seems the first confrontation of American culture with Europe and the East.

There are some memorable moments: Twain's audience with the Czar in the Caucasus; his arduous trek through the Syrian desert to the Holy Land; his measuring the blocks of the Baalbek temples and deciding they were as big as railroad cars; his being harassed by beggars in every town in the Middle East; his being made a virtual prisoner by his guide as he labors up the great pyramid in Egypt. And we realize that throughout this tour of the antiquities, some things remain as they were in 1867. Tour groups are still largely made up of the gray-haired, the Louvre with its miles of art galleries is still overwhelming, the sphinx remains inscrutable, and Arabs still hate Christians.

INNOCENTS ABROAD is typical Mark Twain, full of his humor, irony, and exaggeration. Brevity is not its virtue, however.

I found this non-fiction work useful for its travel information, but even more readable for its digressions: those anecdotes, legends, spoofs, and mini-essays that liberally infuse the book. Twain's reproduction of a fancied playbill for the Coliseum of 2,000 years ago is hilarious. His well-evidenced argument that Egypt is the wellspring of western culture is a startling one. His portrayal of his experience in the Tomb of the Holy Sepulcher shows a devoutness that we do not associate with this American iconoclast. In fact, he marshals a fund of knowledge of the Bible and Christian history in demonstrating that Ephesus, now largely in ruins, is really the most important city in Christendom.

I purchased INNOCENTS ABROAD after I read it. It is the only book of Twain's that I own, because I will want to read its passages again and again, to myself and to others.

As always a wonderful read.......2006-12-02

Twain is not only timeless but his observations may seem all the more timely. This excellent read follows him on a journey to Europe and then the Middle East in the 1860s. We learn much about the time period and his observations are helpful in learning about the past, we see the brutality od the slave market in Istanbul where European slaves are sold, we see the arrogance of the europeans and we see the true view of the 'Holy Land' as Twain puts to shame former romantic accounts of the land of the Bible and brings it to life in its brutal squalor. Twain is ever cynical and whitty and in this the read sheds light on a nascent quinitsential Americanism. The American culture of Twain is not taken in with old europe, he is not impressed by luxory and he is not easily taken in with romance, there is no Lawrence of Arabia in Twain, there is skepticism about religion, about the Catholic church. People are not inherently good or evil, but jaded, Twain has a sense of justice but he dares to challenge his contemporaries and ironically the way his contemporaries viewed say the European or the Arab beoduin, has not changed in 140 years. Twain dared to challenge popular thought and in that he was one of the first Americans.

Seth J. Frantzman

Timeless Twain.......2006-11-14

Journey to the east in 1860's with the best travel writer ever, Mark Twain.
Colorful descriptions of people, places and events abroad with Twain humor. If you love travel stories, this will delight you.

One of the funniest books ever written.......2006-05-30

When I read Chapter 13 of this book where he describes the scene in Paris where 'Ferguson' is eating his breakfast and generally ripping them off as he pretends to guide them to the Louvre I had to put the book down because I was giggling and laughing so hard. Even now when I reread it for the 100th time it never gets old. Anyone who feels Twain was racist doesn't get how universally he applies his satire.

Average customer rating:

The Best (most controversial,honest &funny)novel in the history of Canada
Mandatory Reading...
Richler hadn't yet reached his peak
Bildungsromanovitz
A searing classic novel about the hidden costs of discounting the welfare of others in pursuit of one's dreams

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Barney's Version
Paris Requiem
Joshua Then and Now
The Incomparable Atuk (New Canadian Library)
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Jacob Two-Two Adventures)

ASIN: 0671028472

Book Description

From Mordecai Richler, one of our greatest satirists, comes one of literature's most delightful characters, Duddy Kravitz -- in a novel that belongs in the pantheon of seminal twentieth century books.

Duddy -- the third generation of a Jewish immigrant family in Montreal -- is combative, amoral, scheming, a liar, and totally hilarious. From his street days tormenting teachers at the Jewish academy to his time hustling four jobs at once in a grand plan to "be somebody," Duddy learns about living -- and

the lesson is an outrageous roller-coaster ride through the human comedy. As Richler turns his blistering commentary on love, money, and politics, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz becomes a lesson for us all...in laughter and in life.

Customer Reviews:

The Best (most controversial,honest &funny)novel in the history of Canada.......2006-06-14

I love everything about this novel;it's hilarious,controversial and culturally accurate;I think both the novel and film are excellent-and I can't decide whether I prefer the book or the film.If you only see the movie,you miss out on terrific lines-and insight into Duddy's Uncle Benjy,who I gotta go with as my favorite cultural insight from any novel,"There used to be...some dignity in being against the synagogue.With a severe orthodox rabbi there were things to quarrel about.There was some pleasure.But this cream-puff of a synagogue,this religious drugstore,you might as well spend your life being against the Reader's Digest.They've taken all the mystery out of religion"(p.126).And gems like this give the character's(particularly in the Kravitz family) a real honest two dimensional character.Without it,the novel is reduced to Duddy's grandfather's motto:"A man without land is nothing".Obviously,this is not as easy-morally or otherwise-that simple;I wish Richler had writtten a sequel-and I like to think that Virgil,the epileptic he "uses" and Yvette,who tells Duddy she's
through speaking to him,would've come around.Richler-who was criticized as a self-hating Jew-doesn't deserve the label;I love his honesty,accuracy and sense of humor.

Mandatory Reading..........2006-02-23

Duddy is a book about ambition. Each and every one of us wants more... Why else would we be on the internet looking for books to buy? This book is required reading as it serves to remind us that sometimes wanting more can be less. Duddy is driven by the advice of his grandfather that "a man without land is nothing." Duddy is a poor child from the slums of Montreal, and misinterprets this advice in search of change. He tries hard to succeed but wants to do so at all costs. Now, Duddy is not evil in any way, but he does not have the ability of seeing the harm that he causes to his friends and loved ones inadvertently with his actions.
This is a sad and beautiful book, and needs to be read by anyone who ever plans on having more than they have today...

Thank You Mr. Richler.

Relic113

Richler hadn't yet reached his peak.......2005-10-27

For an example of what this author can really do, read "Barney's Version."

It seems that Richler specializes in making dislikeable characters (see Terry MacIver in "Barney's Version"), but he hadn't reached his peak as of this writing.

The character development is not all that good, nor is the general direction of the plot. In short, it's just one more among many kitsch bildungsroman. Save your time.

Bildungsromanovitz.......2005-07-05

Yes, here we have the classic Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age-story, that constitutes a (ahem, normally) delightful genre of literature. The classic of all English language Bildungsromans (generally conceded) is Joyce's Portait of The Artist As A Young Man where Joyce tells with a passionate, lyrical intensity what it was like for him (under the guise of alter-ego Stephen Dedalus) growing up in Dublin and coming to realise his calling as an artist using, famously, "silence, exile and cunning" to further that end.

There is also more than a bit of the picaresque to this novel, with the madcap rush of Duddy to grab his land by any means possible. But, alas, two things make this novel less than satisfactory or even, in the end, pleasing to read:

1) The writing. In contrast to Joyce or Thomas Wolfe or any other number of novelists who sketched their youth in a poetic lyricism that redeems even the protagonist's worst character flaws, Kravitz writes in a terse, hard-bitten prose that is rather off-putting (understatement) and exaggerates rather than casts into relief Kravitz's many small-minded, unfeeling, avaricious flaws.

2.) Duddy Kravits himself is IMPOSSIBLE TO LIKE. This might be an advantage for a character in a book like The Brothers Karamazov, where we have several characters interacting throughout the novel, some with rather bad character traits indeed, or in a novel like Donleavy'y The Ginger Man whose ptotagonist's faults are compensated by his humanity and the beautiful writing. But when the character is the raison d'etre for the book without many redeeming qualities at all (I mean, not even "bad" ones with which one finds one's self sympathising) and the writing, which reminded me of bricklaying, only exacerbates the situation, it's time to hang it up....Period.

For any readers who didn't fancy this book but still admire bildungsroman, picaresque anti-hero type of things, I couldn't do better than recommend Irish-American author J.P. Donleavy's Darcy Dancer trilogy.-Now THAT is what good novels of this sort are all about.

A searing classic novel about the hidden costs of discounting the welfare of others in pursuit of one's dreams.......2005-07-05

Written by a two-time recipient of the Governor General's Award, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz is a searing classic novel about the hidden costs of discounting the welfare of others in pursuit of one's dreams. Desperate to escape Montreal's Jewish ghetto, Young Duddy Kravitz lives by his grandfather's maxim that "a man without land is nobody", and he lies, cheats, and steals in his voracious pursuit of property. Even though his magnetic charisma sustains his business presence, he soon learns that the realization of his dream is not all he expected it to be. Originally written in 1959, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz rings more strongly true than ever in today's materialistic and greed-fueled society. Narrated by award-winning actor Paul Hecht, this audiobook version was originally broadcast on CBC radio. 4 CDs, approximately 4.5 hours, abridged.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
I love Mordecai Richler
Another Mordicai Richler Gem
My first Richler
Classic Richler

St. Urbain's Horseman
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Emblem Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Barney's Version
Joshua Then and Now
Cocksure
Absurdistan: A Novel

ASIN: 0771075197

Book Description

St. Urbain’s Horseman is a complex, moving, and wonderfully comic evocation of a generation consumed with guilt – guilt at not joining every battle, at not healing every wound. Thirty-seven-year-old Jake Hersh is a film director of modest success, a faithful husband, and a man in disgrace. His alter ego is his cousin Joey, a legend in their childhood neighbourhood in Montreal. Nazi-hunter, adventurer, and hero of the Spanish Civil War, Joey is the avenging horseman of Jake’s impotent dreams. When Jake becomes embroiled in a scandalous trial in London, England, he puts his own unadventurous life on trial as well, finding it desperately wanting as he steadfastly longs for the Horseman’s glorious return. Irreverent, deeply felt, as scathing in its critique of social mores as it is uproariously funny, St. Urbain’s Horseman confirms Mordecai Richler’s reputation as a pre-eminent observer of the hypocrisies and absurdities of modern life.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2004-09-29

A remarkable book, clever, interesting, and so well written that I often stopped just to marvel at how entertained I was. You'll be glad you got it.

I love Mordecai Richler.......2003-08-26

People of my parent's generation will always remember where they were when JFK was assasinated. Likewise, I'll always remember the day when I learned that Mordecai Richler had died. I was standing in the kitchen, making dinner, when it was announced on the CBC. I fell apart, and it's the only time I have ever cried over someone I didn't even know.
When people tell me that they've never heard of, or read, Mordecai Richler, I want to rail at the universe. He's simply the best there is - a novelist who was intelligent, comical, introspective, cynical, perceptive, heartfelt, brutally honest, and ultimately, unforgettable. Reading St.Urbain's Horseman saved me from a dismal semester in university. I was taking existentialist philosophy and sinking into gloom when I escaped into a story that was impossible to put down. I laughed out loud - so hard that I couldn't read. I could go on all day. Just read this book - I guarantee that you'll read it again. And then you'll have to read everything else Mordecai Richler wrote.
I wish there were more stories to look forward to.

Another Mordicai Richler Gem.......2001-11-29

The underappreciated novelist Modicai Richler was every bit the master of Jewish comedic fiction as Phillip Roth. When it came to describing the emerging Canadian middle class in the 1950 and 60s Richler got it just right and left one roaring with laughter to boot.

My first Richler.......2000-09-08

This was the first Richler book I've read and I enjoyed it very much.

Classic Richler.......2000-03-16

If you've had the pleasure of reading Barney's Version (also by Mordecai), read this novel, too. In it, you will find many of the very same comic characters and general situations that made Barney's version a Canadian prize winner.

Amazon.com

It is a rare sports book that can be enjoyed even by those with no serious interest in the sport itself. Mordecai Richler's On Snooker is one such work. While this form of billiards may be a marginal pastime in North America, the award-winning novelist--a self-confessed former "teenage poolroom hustler" in Montreal--brings the game and its players colorfully to life. In the early 1950s Richler relocated to London, the heart of snooker territory, to pursue his writing. Thankfully he wasn't skilled enough with the cue to derail a promising career, but he continued to indulge his other passion by following the enormously popular British snooker competitions, ultimately realizing the sport's literary potential at the end of his life (the book was published posthumously). Subtitled "The Game and the Characters Who Play It," Richler's profiles of the sport's heroes--and villains--are hugely entertaining. Such champions as Alex "The Hurricane" Higgins, Ronnie "The Rocket" O'Sullivan, and Cliff "The Grinder" Thorburn emerge with far more personality than your average professional sportsman. Of Canadian player Bill Werbeniuk (a top 10 player in the early '80s), he writes: "The UK Inland revenue allowed him to claim his legendary intake of beer as tax-deductible.... He had a nervous disorder causing trembling, a disability that could only be suppressed by a measured intake of lager, sometimes running to forty pints a day."

Snooker is the central theme here, but, like a virtuoso jazz sax player, Richler spontaneously riffs on a wide array of topics. These range from the state of the Irish economy to anti-Semitism in sports to the greed of today's athletes. In typically Richlerian style, he even jabs at icon Wayne Gretzky in a digression that castigates champions past their prime as strangers to dignity: "He will do TV promos for just about any product that will have him, except, so far, Tampax." Such is the author's mastery that the reader happily joins the game in all its dimensions without feeling the least bit snookered. --Kerry Doole

Book Description

The award-winning novelist--a self-confessed former "teenage poolroom hustler"--brings the enormously popular game of British snooker and its players colorfully to life.

Customer Reviews:

Chalk up one for Richler!!.......2003-10-28

Richler has given us a great read on snooker. It will be a long time before we see the likes of another as good on this from the viewpoint of a Canadian fan.Snooker has suffered at the hands of the establishment the same fate as Country Music,Comics,Reading and virtually all entertainment media.
Being about the same age as Richler;a lot of my youth was "mis-spent" ,but not regrettably,in the local Snooker Academy.That was where one learned early that "you paid for the lesson but the experience was for free".Richler brought back many menories to me of watching and talking with the greats during the Competitions at the CNE in Toronto in the early 80"s.At that time Alex Higgins was the character that created the fan interest and support.The establishment would just as soon he didn't exist.Perfection and dullness crept in.
Now in an effort to get the fans and money back;we are being fed 9-Ball.What the establishment never learns is that entertainment belongs to the fans;and they will make the choice of what they want and will support.

A lively first person expose of memorable characters.......2001-11-10

In On Snooker, Mordecai Richler here considers his love of the snooker game and his observations of the men and women who share his enthusiasm. Enjoy a blend of autobiography and game insights which examines snooker tables from Canada to Dublin, in a lively first person expose of memorable characters and games.

A North American View of Snooker.......2001-08-17

This book will be of intense interest to snooker enthusiasts and should hold some appeal for most billiards players and all Richler fans. A lifelong snooker fanatic, Richler begins with rich anecdotes from his childhood in Montreal, reviews the early history of cue sports, then devotes several chapters to coverage of the British snooker tournament scene, with special attention paid to Stephen Hendry, Alex Higgins, Cliff Thorburn and Kirk Stevens. He concludes with a discussion of sports themes in recent fiction. Some of the quotes and anecdotes will be overly familiar to the devoted snooker follower but entertaining for the more casual reader. Richler's final work is a welcome addition to the recently sparse snooker literature.

Average customer rating:

an often interesting yet overcooked saga...
The next best place . . .
Engrossing Story
This has to be my favorite book of all time.
Slow as a slug eating glue-stick potatoes

Solomon Gursky Was Here
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Barney's Version
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Joshua Then and Now
Oh Canada! Oh Quebec!: Requiem for a Divided Country
Cocksure

ASIN: 0394539958
Release Date: 1990-04-07

Customer Reviews:

an often interesting yet overcooked saga..........2003-09-19

I am a fan of Mordecai Richler. His books are well written, and often hilarious (..using the same sort of Judaic satiric wit ala Joseph Heller). And in 'Solomon Gursky...' we have a juicy premise: a Jew from mid-19th century travels to Canada and becomes a legendary figure among the Inuits, with his legacy felt over a hundred years later (in the twisted lives of his grandchildren). Unfortunately I was overall disappointed with the book. Why? ...

Well quite simply Richler has made the book far too grandiose in scope. He introduces too many characters, too many disconnected scenes, and the overall focus of the story becomes clouded over long before the end. While there are a good many interesting elements and characters to enjoy, and Richler's prose is as fine as ever, the book compares badly to his later works (such as Barney's Version). 'Solomon Gursky...' is a clear example of where less would have been more.

Bottom line: Richler goodness is largely wiped out by this overly long and complex saga. For die-hard Richler fans only.

The next best place . . ........2001-02-22

In Christian mythology the Wandering Jew is a subject of scorn. Bereft of a homeland, this accursed wraith crosses the landscape again and again, often as not bringing some tragedy or distress in his wake. Seen as the symbol of the Jewish Diaspora, the wanderer is the subject of suspicion, fear and accusation. This solitary and often tragic figure gives rise to repression and becomes the justification for unspeakable acts, of which the 20th Century Holocaust is merely the latest and best known.

Mordecai Richler has given us an astonishing and riveting account of one of these wanderers as he might have appeared in North America. As a child, Montrealer Moses Berger encounters the Gursky family. It's the first step in what will become an almost heroic quest for the truth behind the Gursky family's shadowy ancestor, Ephraim Gursky and the grandson, Solomon, who accompanied him on a journey in Canada's North. Ephraim, against all reason, apparently shipped aboard the HMS Erebus with John Franklin's ill-starred expedition into the Arctic. Richler demonstrates the Christian attitude toward the Jews with accounts of the many searchers for Franklin's remains. Those necrophiles uniformly scoffed at the notion a Jew could have been aboard, let alone survived, since "all know" these urban dwellers wouldn't have the fortitude or presumption to attempt such a feat. The evidence, however, suggests . . .

Richler has woven a rich tapestry with this mixture of invention and history. He does it so well that separating the threads of fact and fiction becomes an insurmountable task. And why not? He's given us a unique picture of the world's second largest nation. A fresh picture indeed, given that the nation of "two solitudes" conveniently forgets those of its number who are neither English nor French. If Ephraim Gursky sailed with Franklin and initiated a dynasty of Inuit Jews with such names as Gor-ski, Girskee, or Goorski. They wander, like their mentor, into the southern lands wearing, against all reason [again!] Jewish prayer shawls. They seem as homeless as their cantor, fulfilling, even in these outlandish circumstances, the Christian prejudice against wandering Jews.

Homeless he may be, but rootless the Wandering Jew is not. No matter where they settled, the Jews brought an endless capacity for adaptation, seizing whatever opportunities emerged to assist in their survival. Wherever they settled, they viewed it as "the next best place". The homeland of Israel remained within their consciousness, but they would do the best they could in whichever land they occupied. In the Gursky's case, circumstances kept opportunity at bay until Americans, in a flush of Protestant fervour, enacted Prohibition, almost certainly one of the least honoured pieces of federal legislation ever enacted. This was the moment the Gursky clan was able to seize, starting from minimal beginnings to emerge as a mighty empire built from alcohol. Richler has again merged fantasy with reality as his account of this aspect of the Gursky family would be better spelt "Bronfman".

Mordecai Richler's inventive mind and well-honed writing skills have provided us with a true masterpiece. He knows people, certainly the Montreal Jewish community, but far beyond that urban confine also. He takes us to the Arctic, the Prairies, flirts with England, pokes into America. The only missing scene is Van Dieman's Land [Tasmania], where Ephraim Gursky arrived as a transportee only two years before Franklin arrived as governor. These, however, are simply locations in which Richler can place his people. His cast is enormous, but he handles the lot with unmatched skill, presenting every persona as fully credible. We may not know the Jewish community intimately, but reading this book is an excellent means of viewing that community and how it sees the world. Moses Berger's quest for the Gursky story makes him the pivot around which this superb novel orbits as he encounters the key players in the story - especially the Wandering Jew.

It's good to see this book restored back in print. That gives more people an opportunity to comprehend Richler's absolute mastery of story-telling and conveying moods. He remains Canada's leading writing talent. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Engrossing Story.......2000-10-08

I thoroughly enjoyed Solomon Gursky and his colorful life so expertly described by M. Richler. He truly is a genius at making the story come alive. This (his)story of the Gurskys is written so well, that you cannot put it down. It incorporates the good and the somtimes gruesome and grueling things that can happen in life, and is set in such settings as the prohibition years, and 19th century England, among others. You just can't get bored with this book, it draws you in!

This has to be my favorite book of all time........1999-04-20

This book is among my favorites of all time. I have actually re-read it four times and each time I have found something new. Smith the dedicated anti-bootlegger and anti-corruption campaigner, comes through as a complete pain in the neck and don't you hate him. Solomon, the crook is a hero. A reader would hate to be like Moses Berger but is it not a sneaking regard that you are left with. It was great. And I'll read it again.

Slow as a slug eating glue-stick potatoes.......1998-12-11

I found that Solomon Gursky was one of the most boring books that I have ever read. Possibly Mr. Richler's worst yet. The book is like one long, slow introduction. Never any action that is worthy of noting. The whole book centers upon this boring old fat man who is trying to write an on going biography of a man of whom he has never known. I really like Mr. Richler's other works. He is a very descriptive writer who focuses on family life in all of its glory and despair. Overall, I found this book extremely slow and impossible to get into.

Average customer rating:

Well-deserving of praise
Barney's Gripes
Life takes a whole lot of living
idiots
A dark comedy for today

Barney's Version
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews
Jacob Two-Two-'s First Spy Case
The Wise Men of Helm and Their Merry Tales
Oh Canada! Oh Quebec!: Requiem for a Divided Country

ASIN: 0671028464

Amazon.com

Barney Panofsky smokes too many cigars, drinks too much whiskey, and is obsessed with two things: the Montreal Canadiens hockey team and his ex-wife Miriam. An acquaintance from his youthful years in Paris, Terry McIver, is about to publish his autobiography. In its pages he accuses Barney of an assortment of sins, including murder. It's time, Barney decides, to present the world with his own version of events. Barney's Version is his memoir, a rambling, digressive rant, full of revisions and factual errors (corrected in footnotes written by his son) and enough insults for everyone, particularly vegetarians and Quebec separatists.

But Barney does get around to telling his life story, a desperately funny but sad series of bungled relationships. His first wife, an artist and poet, commits suicide and becomes--à la Sylvia Plath--a feminist icon, and Barney is widely reviled for goading her toward death, if not actually murdering her. He marries the second Mrs. Panofsky, whom he calls a "Jewish-Canadian Princess," as an antidote to the first; it turns out to be a horrible mistake. The third, "Miriam, my heart's desire," is quite possibly his soul mate, but Barney botches this one, too. It's painful to watch him ruin everything, and even more painful to bear witness to his deteriorating memory. The mystery at the heart of Barney's story--did he or did he not kill his friend Boogie?--provides enough forward momentum to propel the reader through endless digressions, all three wives, and every one of Barney's nearly heartbreaking episodes of forgetfulness. Barney's Version, winner of Canada's 1997 Giller Prize, is Richler's 10th novel, and a dense, energetic, and ultimately poignant read. --R. Ellis

Book Description

When a sixty-seven-year-old Canadian rascal named Bernard Panofsky decides to write "the true story of my wasted life." the result is Barney's Version, Mordecai Richler's wickedly funny blend of satire, social commentary, and brilliant introspection on the state of contemporary life.

Hoping to rebut the charges about him made in a rival's autobiography Barney feels compelled to pen his account of events. From his bohemian misadventures during the 1950s in Paris to the fortune he amassed through his trashy TV company Totally Unnecessary Productions and the three women he married, he quickly proves that his memory may be slipping, but his bile isn't. He skewers feminists, politicians, the bourgeoisie, fads, social movements, and most of all himself. And when it comes to being charged with the murder of his own best friend -- caught in bed with the second Mrs. Panofsky -- Barney's version is as contradictory and slippery as real life right up to its astonishing end.

Wildly vulgar, superbly ironic, and brilliantly manic, Barney's Version is Mordecai Richler's comic masterpiece, the great work of a satirist at the top of his game.

Customer Reviews:

Well-deserving of praise.......2005-08-21

`The portrayal of Barney, pen overflowing with years of accumulated weaknesses, shortcomings and flaws, is weighted by the manfs sincere fondness for what was, was lost, and still remains in his world. His words are often offensive, but his actions and failures are so very human that itfs hard to begrudge an old man crippled by actions he cannot undo.

Barney's politics are less threatening than is the fleeting sense of self that slips from the pages as Barney unsuccessfully clings to his` memories. His gruff, critical voice in the present is contrasted by the delicate manner with which he describes events that occurred in the past, making apparent their fragile existence and his urgency to record them on paper.

This book came highly recommended but took me a while to get into because I tried to read it in short intervals over a long period of time, a method the format of the book doesn't lend itself to at all. There are a multitude of characters and events that take place` over a broad span of time, and it's best (like with most novels) to get a good feel for the characters before putting the book down after that first reading.

It was quite frustrating to pick it up again after some time had passed and immediately feel lost in the many distinct, though interrelated stories, being told nearly simultaneously. Yet even that mood was appropriate for the workfs subject material. After all, Barneyfs Version was written as a memoir written by a man in the`` process of losing his very memories.

Richler creates an incredibly complete world: endearing despite malcontented and despondent overtones. Itfs full of regret coupled with hope and a deep sense of attachment to everything that has ever made itself a part of Barneyfs life. Barneyfs Version is funny, sad, and beautifully written. I wish I had read it sooner and plan to read it again.`

Barney's Gripes.......2005-08-16

The main character in this abbridged CD version of Barney's Version is an irritating alcholic who does nothing but click his glass to let the listener know he is drinking yet another scotch,(or whatever),coughs his phlemy cough and feels sorry for himself. What is the point of this book other than a character study of a sad sack guy who drives everyone he loves away from him (including the reader) and then obesses over the loss of wife # three whom he really loved? OH yes, and his guilt re: the guy that drowned after drinking too much with his drinking buddy, because he (Barney) didn't stop him

Life takes a whole lot of living.......2005-02-13

I have been a long time fan of Richler and have read most of his books.This one was delightfully funny, serious,thought provoking,meandering,sarcastic,observant,and in many a review of life for the past 50 years of a person who lived life to the fullest ,mainly in Montreal, but also flavoured with Paris,London,New York and Toronto.Having lived in Montreal throughout the 60's,after just finishing university,all the places mentioned brought back fond memories.I also enjoyed many wonderful times at the cottage in the Laurentians and experienced the changes that took place with the emergence of separatism.I remember many interviews that Richler gave and it was very clear that he felt that racism was running wild and because he loved Montreal and everything about Quebec so much,it made him very angry.This book is as much a story of Richler's life as that of Barney.A reader who did not know Montreal in those days, may not appreciate how real life and places mentioned in the book really are.I spent many hours in places mentioned but was not familiar with Dink's on Crescent St.That may be another name for a place that Richler frequented in the same area.
References to hockey and particularly the Canadiens or as we more commonly called them 'The Habs'is right on.That was when hockey was the heart and soul of sport fans in Montreal.I followed it just like Barney and Richler did, and attended many games in the Forum.For anyone who was interested ,it was easy to meet the players, either socially or accidentally.Several played in softball leagues in the off season and one would sometimes pass by them walking along Ste Catherine's St.or in restaurants,particularly Ben's.With what has happened to hockey;I don't bother with it any more.As I'm writing this the final negotiations are underway to try to salvage a bit of the 2004/2005 Season-but at this point -who really cares?
Richler had an utter contempt for what was taking place in Montreal, for instance,on page 145 ,when asked by Solange,"but why shouldn't we have our own country?' he replied,"Because it would destroy mine.Your ancestors were stupid.They should have sold Quebec and kept Louisiana."

The 60's in Montreal were wonderful times,full of excitement,and on its way to becoming one of the best cities in the world.The politics of division changed all that ,and Barney laments the great exodos of so many to Toronto and other places.I was one of those and felt the sadness of being in a place where I wasn't wanted.Life is too short for that nonsense.
A lot of people write Richler off as a sarcastic character,but I find he is one of Canada's best writers .He portrays Montreal as well as Caldwell and Faulkner does the South or as Steinbeck and Twain did California and Missouri.
That's not to say he felt that Toronto was so great."Self-satisfied Toronto is not a city I've ever warmed to.""On a walk on Avenue Road with Miriam they came upon a small park and thought they would stop for a rest,but the gate was padlocked,and a sign screwed into the railing read:

NO EATING
NO DRINKING
NO MUSIC
NO DOGS
"Squeezing Miriam's hand,I said,"SometimesI think what inspires this city,its very mainspring,is the haunting fear that someone,somewhere,may be happy."
Richler is gone now,and we miss him.However, we still have his books to enjoy.

My only regret was it took me so long to get around to reading what I feel is one of his best books.Boy,what a movie this would make.Maybe this would be a good project for what Richler calls "mediocrity's holy trinity" on page 83.

idiots.......2003-12-30

yeah you guys are right...this wasn't very good. Wait, actually it's PHENOMENAL! What kind of comment is that, "he's not very likeable but I guess you can get something out of this book..."???!!! Yeah, it only won the Giller Prize. This is one of my favourite books, a page turner but filled with heart, fascinating, and hilarious all in one. I can't recommend this book strongly enough. Idiots.

A dark comedy for today.......2003-12-05

Richler is in top form here. This, next to Solomon Gursky was Here is his best novel to date, and certainly his most relevant. He pokes and prods every group out there, jews, women, quebecois, candians, N. Americans, video store workers....everyone! Mordecai has immense fun with the world of the politically correct, and the petit Canadian Intellectual. It is a great end to a brilliant career and showed that Richler never lost it. All of his novels are about himself and his world, that's obvious, but what is great about it is that his is never pointlessly condescending, or overtly egotistical. This great writer displays the same dissatisfactions with the world that we all have. Obviously being a great writer doesn't make you feel any better about life (T.S. Elliot and Celine, amongst others, have said as much), it just helps you to articulate those dissatisfactions a little better. Most importantly this book is a riot. Certainly understanding candian history and culture is a help but no, it is not necessary. Incidentally the cigar on the cover isn't what Barney smokes, that is what Richler smoked.

Average customer rating:

Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur
Mordecai Richler
Manufacturer: Tundra Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Jacob Two-Two-'s First Spy Case
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Jacob Two-Two Adventures)
Jacob Two-Two and the Hockey Card
Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

ASIN: 0887767125
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Book Description

When his parents return from Kenya with a cute little green lizard on his eighth birthday (he’s two times two times two), Jacob Two-Two is thrilled. But it isn’t long before Jacob realizes that his new pet Dippy isn’t a lizard after all. And as months pass, it is apparent Dippy isn’t so little either. Soon Dippy is attracting all sorts of unwanted attention and before he knows it, Jacob is on the run from the Canadian government with a full-grown dinosaur to hide.

From the Hardcover edition.

Average customer rating:

JACOB TWO TWO MEETS THE HOODED FANG
Mordecai, Illustrated by Fritz Wegner Richler
Manufacturer: New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OA4GUG

Authors:

Authors

Authors