The Chosen

By: Chaim Potok

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Though they've lived their entire lives less than five blocks from each other, Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders exist in very different worlds. Reuven blends easily into both his secular Jewish faith and his typical American teen life, while Danny's conservative Hasidic clothes and appearance make him stick out in any crowd. Their improbable friendship teaches them that the differences separating people through cultures and generations are never as great as they seem.

©1995 Chaim Potok (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Anyone who finds it is finding a jewel. Its themes are profound and universal." (The Wall Street Journal)

Exceptional!

The writing and research of this book was exceptional! I learned more about Judaism in this story than I had ever known before. The narrator was fantastic and brought to life all the visual aspects of the story. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

A Story of Friendship, Faith and Growth

The Chosen by Chaim Potok is the story of two Jewish boys each from a different branch of Judaism who become friends and learn great life lessons from one another. Their story discovery and friendship captured my imagination and would not release until the very end. From a practical view The Chosen is an excellent opportunity to increase one's cultural intelligence with regard to the history and the spirituality of the Jews. I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to expand their cultural sensitivity and knowledge of diversity. I am really glad to have read this book.

Consumed this book - consumed by this book

I was so consumed with story and plot of this book that I consumed it whenever I could. I was thoroughly engrossed by it. I had to make myself “put it down” in order to get back to work or to go to bed at night.

The fact this story is told in the first person makes you forget from the outset that this not an autobiography by the author of his own teen/young adult years. At one point, early in the book (it took me a bit to remember and catch on that is a fictional tale), I found myself wondering why the author was using his own name when talking about himself. It was almost maddening to me!

Then I realized that a genius story teller was doing what genius story tellers do best...

Pulling you into the story like a super charged vacuum cleaner on high power and causing you to almost live in the story with the characters like it is all very real and practically happening to you.

Another aspect of this book - and what initially piqued my interest enough to purchase it - that really got me into the story was that it is about the lives of people in the Jewish culture. Although I am not Jewish, I am very much interested in the culture, customs, heritage, language, and religious principles or the Jewish people. I knew enough about Jewish culture and just enough Hebrew/Yiddish to understand and appreciate many of the references and words used in the story and for it to feel fairly familiar to me. Then I found myself deeply interested in absorbing the other words and nuances that was not familiar with yet. I started to learn more and gain an even deeper understanding. And, that pulled me in even more as I wanted to know more and see just it would all tie together and resolve itself.

The narrator did a great job with the story as he paced himself well and brought out the personalities of the characters. His use of accent and tonal variance allowed the characters in the book to feel even more authentic. Although, he did have a tendency to “slip” a bit during character dialog and it was minorly confusing at times as to who was speaking at the moment.

I love the fact that this story is told in a first person style that lends itself to making you feel like you are listening to someone share an intimate and impactful season in their life. It really makes the story enjoyable.

There were several time during the story where I was trying to guess what was going to happen to one or another of the characters. Most times I didn’t get it right. I love the fact that the storyteller plants questions into the story about a particular character or situation and then waits until he is ready to bring that particular part of the story to a close before he gives the answer. This causes you to be in suspense while waiting for the question to be resolved. By waiting to give the answer, and by asking the question more than once, an open loop is created in your mind that your mind wants to close and resolve. This makes you want to keep listening to the story and not put it down until you find out what the answer is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will listen to it again. I know I will pick up even more with the next go round.

wow!

What a wonderful healing classic story! Gives so much insite into Jewish culture and history and also relationships. Wonderful!

A deep penetration into life of a pair of fathers and sons both orthodox Jewish families of very different ethnic backgrounds

To start this book brought me to tears quite unexpectedly. The author was recommended to me by a fellow temple member and this was the only book I found on tape. I was raised and am reformed. Orthodox Judaism has always been a mystery to me. This book brought me closer to an understanding, but the surprise was the absolute passion between father and son and it was unexpected. Once into the story I could not put the book down. This story will move deep into your heart and soul and will dwell there. To say more will spoil the experience of enjoying this book

Arbitrary Chapter Breaks in Audible are Annoying

The story is a classic well worth reading. I can't add much that hasn't already been said.

Narration was excellent, but the Audible chapter breaks didn't match the novel, which is split into eighteen chapters over three parts.

Not what you think. A coming of age, young adult novel

Part high school memoir and part insight into conservative and Chabad (orthodox) Judaism.
This is an interesting book. The book is about the journey of two high school kids with major differences in their belief systems.
It really shows how there can be differences within religions and how young adults can find their way to work through it.

interesting Story

Beautifully written. Learned a little more than I cared to about the Hasid. But it was necessary for the story.

Still Great 24 Years later

Chaim Potok makes everything interesting and intriguing. What a great coming of age story. Emotional and a wonderful story about deep friendship.

fantastic!

read this when I was young and loved it, got so much more out of it reading/hearing it again - narration was sooo good! wish more of this author was available on audible