A Guide for the Perplexed

Posted on 24 January 2018 by Dara Horn

The incomparable Dara Horn returns with a spellbinding novel of how technology changes memory and how memory shapes the soul.Software prodigy Josie Ashkenazi has invented an application that records everything its users do When an Egyptian library invites her to visit as a consultant, her jealous sister Judith persuades her to go But in Egypt s postrevolutionary chaos, Josie is abducted leaving Judith free to take over Josie s life at home, including her husband and daughter, while Josie s talent for preserving memories becomes a surprising test of her empathy and her only means of escape.A century earlier, another traveler arrives in Egypt Solomon Schechter, a Cambridge professor hunting for a medieval archive hidden in a Cairo synagogue Both he and Josie are haunted by the work of the medieval philosopher Moses Maimonides, a doctor and rationalist who sought to reconcile faith and science, destiny and free will But what Schechter finds, as he tracks down the remnants of a thousand year old community s once vibrant life, will reveal the power and perils of what Josie s ingenious work brings into being a world where nothing is ever forgotten.An engrossing adventure that intertwines stories from Genesis, medieval philosophy, and the digital frontier, A Guide for the Perplexed is a novel of profound inner meaning and astonishing imagination.See also String Theory The Parents Askenazi , the digital only prequel to A Guide for the Perplexed. Best Read [ A Guide for the Perplexed ] by [ Dara Horn ] For Kindle ePUB or eBook – kino-fada.fr Like other novels by the talented Dara Horn, this book has layers upon layers that challenge the reader intellectually without pulling you away from the story.This book is, on one level, a retelling of the Biblical story of Joseph, who was sold into bondage in Egypt by his jealous brothers If you haven t read that story in a while, I won t mention manyparallels, lest it be spoilery But in a nice twist, rather than Joseph, we have a story about Josephine or Josie , and her envious sist Like other novels by the talented Dara Horn, this book has layers upon layers that challenge the reader intellectually without pulling you away from the story.This book is, on one level, a retelling of the Biblical story of Joseph, who was sold into bondage in Egypt by his jealous brothers If you haven t read that story in a while, I won t mention manyparallels, lest it be spoilery But in a nice twist, rather than Joseph, we have a story about Josephine or Josie , and her envious sister Judith At Judith s encouragement, Josie leaves her husband and young daughter behind to travel to Egypt, and there she is kidnapped by revolutionaries.It is also a story about memory and th...I was left speechless by this book It is a story within a story within a story, all in a larger context of the questions what is memory and who am I, really It also explores the superficial and deeper meaning of relationships and connections, providing much food for thought and Torah drashes, if one is inclined in that direction, as I am Dara Horn uses the famous text by Moses Maimonides as the inspiration for her title, and incorporates his life and work into the story It is very ha I was left speechless by this book It is a story within a story within a story, all in a larger context of the questions what is memory and who am I, really It also explores the superficial and deeper meaning of relationships and connections, providing much food for thought and Torah drashes, if one is inclined in that direction, as I am Dara Horn uses the famous text by Moses Maimonides as the inspiration for her title, and incorporates his life and work into the story It is very hard to comment on this book without telling the story, and to tell the story would ruin it for anyone who wants to read it Let s just say you don t have to be Jewish to get the message A long time ago I took an adult ed class on the ori...Here is a short list that should tell you everything I think about this book 1 I got it at BEA.2 I carried it around during like the wettest two weeks ever, even in a derecho, and it is pretty well destroyed.3 I finished it at the park, lying in the last sun rays of the day.4 I will be gifting it to my mom next time I see her.So there you have it, right No Okay, let me break it down.1 means that A Guide for the Perplexed is going to be pushed hard by Norton, and ...I have been a big fan of Dara Horn and loved The World to Come I have also done a lot of reading in Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed I am a rabbi and a philosophy major So I was looking forward to reading this book a great deal.But I found it deeply disappointing I enjoyed the sections on Solomon Schechter and, to a lesser extent, the parts reflecting on the life of Maimonides Yet the contemporary sections struck me as contrived, completely improbably and, worst of all, cruel I did no I have been a big fan of Dara Horn and loved The World to Come I have also done a lot of reading in Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed I am a rabbi and a philosophy major So I was looking forward to reading this book a great deal.But I found it deeply disappointing I enjoyed the sections on Solomon Schechter a...Here is the challenge of a 19th century Jewish pioneer in Palestine, after a fall through a hole in the earth, to his twin brother, a Cambridge scholar While I was waiting to be rescued, I wondered how old the cistern must have been On the floor I found the answer a bronze coin from the time of the Maccabees, lying at my feet I m sure you make all kinds of important discoveries in your fancy library every day, but I doubt you will ever fall through a hole in the floor and land in the memor Here is the challenge of a 19th century Jewish pioneer in Palestine, after a fall through a hole in the earth, to his twin brother, a Cambridge scholar While I was waiting to be rescued, I wondered how old the cistern must have been On the floor I found the answer a bronze coin from the time of the Maccabees, lying at my feet I m sure you make all kinds of important discoveries in your fancy library every day, but I doubt you will ever fall through a hole in the floor and land in the memory of God.Oh, how wrong he is Throughout this book, people in several segments of history areor less literally falling down wormholes of memory, making for exploratio...For fear of appearing ungrateful for winning a Giveaway, I wanted to give this book 2 stars However, I feel that honesty especially where books are concerned isimportant than winningfree books Reading this book felt like work Had I not felt a sense of obligation to finish it, I would have stopped reading very early on and returned it to the library as I usually do with books that just aren t sitting well with me However, I tr...So, did we really need the hostage taking and all its brutality to make this story work IMHO, no it is a cop out and a cheat and I would have been so much happier without it It was the weakest part of the story and seemed to be there only as a hook for those who like those kind of thriller stories and it wasn t that well crafted as a thriller kind of story I wasdrawn by the philosophical side of the story, especially the exploration of what constitutes memory a theme I keep comin So, did we really need the hostage taking and all its brutality to make this story work IMHO, no it is a cop out and a cheat and I would have been so much happier without it It was the weakest part of the story and seemed to be there only as a hook for those who like those kind of thriller stories and it wasn t that well crafted as a thriller kind of story I was...It s rare that I give any book a five star rating This one earned it, in spades The triple story line involving modern characters, Solomon Schechter, and Maimonides overlaid with biblical and psychological themes is masterful Brava, Dara Horn.I began this book with low expectations, as the Washington Post had only given it a middling review To my surprise, I loved it The characters are fresh and interesting Most of the characters are majorly flawed in some way arrogant, manipulative, etc But Horn makes the reader understand what twisted the people in such a way, so that they feel utterly real, and becomesympathetic as the novel develops.The parallel storylines show how different pairs of siblings throughout history dealt I began this book with low expectations, as the Washington Post ha...I always feel smarter after reading a Dara Horn novel They are always filled with historical nuggets that often too strange to be true but are Her novels also often read as modern fables and always raise big questions for the reader to ponder She is a joy to read, and I consider myself extreme...

English
24 January 2018

Dara Horn