7.6 /10 1 Votes
Language English Publication date October 4, 2007 ISBN 1-59448-955-6 Originally published 4 October 2007 Page count 320 Country United States of America | 3.8/5 Goodreads Publisher Riverhead Hardcover Pages 320 OCLC 122425087 Genre Memoir Preceded by Beware of God | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Memoirs A Heartbreaking Work of S, The Color of Water: A Black Ma, North of Ithaka: A Journey, Abominable Firebug, Fat Girl: A True Story | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir is a book by Shalom Auslander. The book chronicles his upbringing as an Orthodox Jew and his efforts to break free from it. Portions of the book have been featured in various media, including the PRI program This American Life.
Response
The Globe and Mail called the tome "humorous but burdened" and said "the book ably captures the strain between elements of Judaism." USA Today called it "edgy" and "bitterly funny." People magazine also called it "hilarious" and gave the book three-out-of-four stars. Regarding it as "one of its best memoirs", Time magazine called the memoir "blackly funny." More conservatively, Entertainment Weekly gave the book a B+, calling Auslander a "gifted writer" but concluding, "he's never going to find [something deep and rich in his problematic past] lunging after every sophomoric laugh."