The Yiddish Policemen's Union

I finished reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon last night, listed it on the Paperback Swap this morning and put it in the mail by noon today. See ya!

As I mentioned before, I'm not much of a book report writer, but here goes my paltry effort. The book is set in an imaginary Sitka, Alaska, a land given to the displaced Jews after the new state of Israel failed after two years. They are facing relocation yet again as the land is set to be returned to the Alaskans. Down and out cop Meyer Landsman is called to check out a suicide that takes place in the fleabag hotel he lives in following a divorce.

Michael Chabon is a master at developing his characters and I really love complex characters like Detective Landsman. I also love the smartass way Chabon writes dialog between his characters. The narrative is sprinkled with Yiddish and made-up Yiddish words "Sitka slang." Toward the end of the book the story takes a twist that might be more comprehensible to those who are either Jewish or Christians familiar with Revelations and the prophecy of "end times." As a pretty dedicated Agnostic, I found it confusing and convoluted.

In any case, I recommend it and will definitely seek out Chabon's other works.

I'm having a 3 week break until the Book Awards Reading Challenge II starts in August, so I'm indulging in a "beach read," Joseph Wambaugh's Fire Lover. I like Wambaugh and will rip this out while I'm on my vacation next week. I was going to make a snarky comment about Wambaugh not being an award winner, but while searching out this graphic I found out that this is an Edgar Award winner. Maybe I'll cheat and use this as my first book. Don't tell.