Can anyone help me with the title of this book?

[raccoon]

It's kind of an alt-history mystery, about Jews in Alaska after WWII, because for some reason Israel didn't work out. I believe it takes place shortly after WWII.


In a catalog, I read a brief summary of the book, but I can't remember title or author.

[madaboutharry]

1. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by

Michael Chabon.

[raccoon]

3. Boy, that was fast! Thanks, Mad! nt

[SheilaT]

2. The Yiddish Policeman's Union

by Michael Chabon.

I actually found it by using the Google: Jews + alaska + fiction. It came right up.

I just couldn't recall the title or the author either.

[raccoon]

4. Thanks to you too, Sheila! nt

[juno jones]

5. Is it good?

I've never heard of it, but I'll read it if it's good...:)

[raccoon]

6. Haven't read it, but I'm going to. :-) nt

[SheilaT]

7. It was well reviewed.

I haven't read it.

[Jim__]

8. I'd say it's good.

It's in the line of detective genre (the detective is a homicide cop rather than a private eye).

In the book, the Jews were thrown out of the Middle East in 1948. The US gives them access to a rather small patch of land in Alaska and they can stay for 60 years. The time is about up and they're not sure exactly what's going to happen.

Our detective lives in a broken down hotel. A murder is committed in the hotel. The story is largely about his investigation of the murder. Interesting intersection of his investigation with various Jewish groups (I'm not sure if the groups actually exist - for instance, one group is the Verbovers, a Hasidic group), aspects of the holocaust, and the alternative history that is the basis for this book.

[Goblinmonger]

9. It is pretty good, but not as good

as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay which I believe won the Pulitzer. That book rocks.

[Noodleboy13]

10. Chabon is an amazing american author.

I first read him in the early 90's, with "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh", so it's been interesting to follow how the craft of his prose has deepened in his subsequent books. For my money "Wonderboys" is always a good time.