Almost Perfect Moment, An: A Novel

This latest novel from Kirshenbaum is truly remarkable. I loved the ways in which she writes about both the needs of the community and the problems faced by the individuals within it. I was particularly intrigued by the questions she raised, such as: What is the price of religious curiosity in a Jewish community? What must a community, Jewish or otherwise, do to preserve itself? This book was particularly enjoyable after having read her previous ones, such as "A Disturbance In One Place," "History On A Personal Note," and "Hester Among the Ruins." Instead of focusing on a single, first-person narrator, she writes about multiple, varied protagonists. If you liked her older work, however, never fear! Kirshenbaum deals with the same issues--guilt, sex, religion, identity through community--that are so prevalent in her earlier books, only shifts the focus to a smaller scope. Her voice, too, is still distinctive in its humor, candor, and empathy. I would recommend this to anyone; a really intriguing, enjoyable read.

This is an almost perfect novel that reminds me of the Beatle's song, "All the lonely people.." The author allows herself inside each character, and captures them rejecting intimacy and friendship even as they long for it. The mah jong players love and support for one another is real sisterhood in the days just before women's lib hit Brooklyn. The anthropologists view of the 70's in Canarsie is humorous. Poingant and uplifting at the same time. Much better than her last novel, Hester Among the Ruins, which was also quite good.

Binnie Kirshenbaum's latest novel is the funniest yet most poignant book I've read this year. From the hilarity of a Jewish teenager who looks like the Virgin Mary and sings the "Ave Maria" in a Brooklyn accent, extra r's included, to the gutwrenching portrayals of pathetic schoolteachers whose lonely lives draw our sympathies despite their often distasteful personalities, Kirshenbaum dazzles the reader with her insight into the human condition. What seems at first to be just a comic novel by the end is profoundly sad, and this is what impresses the most. You will recognize yourself in this wonderful novel. And wish you hadn't.

What an engaging hoot this book is! The characters, the language, and the braiding of the narrative voice with both challenges comparison. The two funniest books I've read until this one have been Buckley's "Thank You for Smoking" and Bing's "Lloyd: What Happened." But these two were satires by journeymen writers. Kirshenbaum's book is comedic literature that masterfully captures personalities and behaviors way beyond what the other two, delights though they are, even attempt. Moreover, I found it full of surprises. Everything that I knew was going to happen didn't. So much for my insightful forecasting. And for those who become as captivated by this book as I am, let me urge you to also read Kirshenbaum's "Hester Among the Ruins" and Myla Goldberg's "Bee Season."

This book grabbed me on page one and never let go. With rich characters and an intriguing plot that can be taken on different levels, Kirshenbaum has created a world that you will be thinking about long after you've turned the last page. Get your hands on this beautiful, funny, and flawless book!