Last Days

Hey nice ladies. Thanks for letting me in the literary gang.

Last Days of Summer is a very enjoyable and easy read. Kluger’s wit and sarcasm remind me a lot of David Sedaris, also Heller's Catch 22.

One recurring theme in the book involves Joey's Jewish name and spiritual traditions leading to persecution, singling him out for abuse by kids from other religions.

Growing up in the 60’s, a childhood idol was the Dodger pitcher, Sandy Koufax. Koufax was an Orthodox Jew who would not pitch on the Jewish Sabbath...Saturday. This stirred up no end of trouble for me - an extremely Unorthodox Christian who loved Koufax - as I would defend his honor against attacks by the Algonquin Nitwit Roundtable I played baseball with. Most felt he put his selfish religious commitment above team loyalty, causing our beloved Dodgers to lose Saturday games - further evidence of Jewish perfidy.

It’s a theme I find often in literature, where Christians revere Jews and Israel for their special relationship with God (Chosen People, Teacher's Pet etc.) yet gladly perpetrate the stereotype, most recently on hateful display by Mel Gibson and Co., that all Jews are money-grubbing Christkillers who conspire to control the financial markets, the U.N., own the Jew York Times, and would happily toss their crippled granny under the train to cash her Social Secruity check.

Any similar experiences? I would enjoy any related comments.

Leon