Snow in August

There is magic in snow, especially in the memories of snow in one's childhood. So, the grand adventure of a fatherless Irish Catholic altar boy in 1940's New York begins in snow. The voice through the snow, that of a Jewish rabbi newly emigrated to the U. S., is Michael Devlin's call to adventure. An unlikely and captivating friendship results with Michael teaching the Rabbi English, and the Rabbi teaching Michael about the mystical truths of kabbalah, Yiddish, and the Jewish ghetto of centuries past Poland. Just as Jackie Robinson emerges as the great black hope of baseball, Michael and Judah Hirsch emerge to fight off the racist, bullying Falcons. The fantasy of the Golem, a Jewish enforcer of justice, is restored to legendary status here. There is plenty of suspense and torture to overcome as Michael stands up for his Jewish friend and for his mother and himself. Michael comes of age through his exhibition of courage. Did it really happen? Who cares? This is a great story with a happy ending. Get transported to another time when all things are possible. Read Snow in August. Or hope for a great movie version.

It's 1947 in Brooklyn and altar boy Michael Devlin is 11 years old. He lives for the Brooklyn Dodgers, comic books, Saturday matinees and his Mother who was widowed during the War. But now his whole insular world is about to change. The Dodgers have a new player and he's black. Michael has a new friend and he's a Jewish rabbi--Judah Hirsch, a refugee from the Holocaust. And Michael and the rabbi have offended the local gang of Irish toughs, The Falcons and their brutal leader, Frankie McCarthy. Just when it seemed that the War had vanquished evil, it turns out that the malevolent forces of racism and hatred have a foothold in Michael's own neighborhood. In order to survive, Michael, his mother and the rabbi have to call upon resources that they don't even realize that they possess, including even the dreadful Golem of Jewish mystic tradition. I'm not a huge Pete Hamill fan and the political agendas that are at work here are a little bit heavy handed (particularly in one fight scene at Ebbett's Field). But I'm as big a sucker as anybody for those magical fantasies of boyhood (see Boy's Life by Robert McCammon, Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury, etc.) and what really makes this book a terrific read is the relationship between Michael and Rabbi Hirsch. Michael's friends originally put him up to finding the secret buried treasure of the Jews that they think lies buried within the synagogue. But as Michael helps the rabbi with his English and teaches him about America and the rabbi in turn teaches him Yiddish and unfolds the beauties of preWar Europe, Michael discovers that the real secret treasure is love of learning. Despite some scenes that may be excessively violent for younger readers, the emphasis on education and shared experience and love of words and literature is so compelling, that you hope that teens will read and love the book. And if the whole schtick with the Golem is a little bit over the top, I was willing to cut Hamill some slack because I'd bought into his characters and wanted to see justice served. This one has something for everybody--a bittersweet coming of age tale, a humanist message, an evocative glance back at Brooklyn in the 40's and Europe in the 30's, a hefty chunk of Judaica and a little bit of dark fantasy--it's a real crowd pleaser. GRADE: A

Pete Hamill's novel is a gripping and moving story of how people from different backgrounds of religion and ethnicity can learn from one another and grow deeper in their understanding of what faith truly means. Michael Devlin, the 11 year old Irish Catholic altar boy, is an unforgettable young man. At the age when childhood answers, ideas and solutions do not quite work anymore, he is opened to a world of "magic," that is really a world of profound faith. Rabbi Hirsch, recent immigrant from Prague and a Holocaust survivor, recaptures his faith and his trust in humanity through his friendship with Michael. The rabbi's efforts to learn and master the English language and its complexities while make readers smile. Michael's efforts to learn Yiddish from the rabbi while likewise entertain. But there are, too, profound moments of horror and sadness as these two characters--so different and yet so alike--confront the prejudices and bigotries of close-minded neighbors in 1947 Brooklyn. The novel is set against the backdrop of Jackie Robinson's call up to major league baseball. This event, too, solidifies the bond between Rabbi Hirsch and Michael Devlin. The morals and themes presnt in this novel are beautiful and transcend any one religion; they are ideals that all of humanity can and should grasp and live by. The Golem, part of Jewish legend, survives on two things: faith and truth. Faith and truth are the real winners in this beautiful story.

"Snow in August" is a beautiful book that I believe has powerful themes. One theme is that of "when good people do not act, bad people flourish." The strength of the Falcons was secured by the silence of people like Michael and his mother. This theme is reminiscent of the Holocaust when the world was silent as Hitler "cleansed" Germany and then more and more countries of Jews. Another powerful theme in this book is that ignorance is the cause of prejudice and knowledge is the force that destroys it. This was shown by Michael who in befriending and learning from the Rabbi, dissipated his own incorrect ideas about the Jews. The problem that he and many others face is how to deal with people who aren't enlightened.This was a beautiful work of literature and I congratulate Pete Hamill on effectively conveying such powerful and vivid themes.

Pete Hamill has written a truly marvelous story. A real page turner hard to put down novel "Snow in August." has a remarkable feel for the late 1947s. How well I remember the snow storm in the days of that year traipsing blocks with my grandfather from Morris Avenue to Jerome Avenue in the Bronx to check on his car parked in a gas station lot. The friendship between Rabbi Hirsch and young Michael is heartwarming. Their friendship, Michael working as the Shabbos Goy, the rabbi teaching this 11 year old Irish alter boy Yiddish and Michael teaching him correct English and the in and outs of baseball is captivating. Terrorized by a local gang of anti-Semitic hoodlums the main characters are caught up in hate and violence that only a miracle can bring to an end. Michael questions why can't his comic book super heroes come to his aid. Instead he conjures up a golem, not unlike the golem of the past century from Poland, which was told to him by his rabbi friend. There is more. To tell more would ruin the book for you. You must seek it out in the book store or in your library's holdings. It's a must read. For me my next read will be the "Golem.