The Five: A Novel of Jewish Life in Turn-Of-The-Century Odessa

Anyone who thinks they know a thing or two about the author's politics, philosophy and place in history and then reads this terrific Russian novel, written in a style that is masterful despite perhaps owing a tad too much to Turgenev, will be astonished. Jabotinsky the politician was the scorched earth irredentist uber nationalist of the Zionist movement, the founder of right wing Zionism. The Jabotinsky who wrote this rueful paean to a lost cosmopolitan, assimilated, multinational secular city-state reminiscent of New York or London is pretty much the other Jabotinsky's philosophical and political opposite. How the two could exist in the same skin is beyond me, but I guess in Russian Jewish culture its possible. I can see why Jabotinsky's followers suppressed and censored it, and why it did not get translated into English until 2002. If you have any interest in Zionism and the mideast, this is a must read. If you have any interest in Russian literature, this is a must read. If you just like family sagas, also a must read.

This is a passionate novel in the Grand Russian tradition, which would make Pasternak proud. It not only brings to life the pre-revolutionary era in Russia, but is also an window on the current Russian psyche. (As a frequent traveler to Russia, I was amazed by the number of conversations from the book which could have been lifted directly out of my life. Russia - in truth - does not change much). As a picture of a foreign world in turmoil, it is fascinating. While a great read for any fan of the historical novel, "the Five" it is simply a must-read for anyone interested in Zionist history and for anyone concerned for the future of the Jewish people. The characters presage the story of "Fiddler on the Roof," with the different children meeting different, stereotyped fates. But they are dealt with here with seriousness and respect which is completely absent from those later characters. Finally, "the Five" provides a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the founders of the Jewish State. Jabotinsky was by no means a radical (except insofar as imagining a Jewish state before its inception might have been considered radical) and he is by no means a right-wing extremist (except insofar as disagreeing with the Communist mainstream of the Kibbutz movement could be construed as being right wing). He was certainly a veritable communist when compared to what passes for the Democratic Party in the U.S. today. The goal here is not to entertain but to challenge. If you can find it, buy it in hardcover so that it will be around for your children to read.