Name: Unorthodox
Rating: 4.072916666666667 (48 reviews)
ISBN: 9781439187012

Deborah Feldman

Traces the author's upbringing in a Hasidic community in Brooklyn, describing the strict rules that governed her life, arranged marriage at the age of seventeen, and the birth of her son, which led to her plan to leave and forge her own path in life.

The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

Unorthodox

Comment j'ai fait scandale en rejetant mes origines hassidiques

Jennifer

Wow. This sh*t is effed up. So glad I read it. I learned so much.<br /><br />The ending glosses over the logistics of how exactly she got out (not a spoiler), so I was kind of disappointed in that, but I appreciated her graphic descriptions of what happened. I also appreciated that she followed up on what happened to some of the messed up events she mentions. I would read a sequel if she ever wrote one. 

LA HISTORIA CONTADA POR SU PROTAGONISTA: EL MEMOIR ACLAMADO POR LA CRÍTICA QUE VA MÁS ALLÁ DE LA SERIE «Millones de personas confinadas en todo el mundo se han dejado fascinar estos días por Unorthodox, [...] un mundo tan exótico como real.» Ana Carbajosa, El País «Uno de esos libros que no puedes soltar.» Joan Rivers, The New York Post Como miembro de los satmar, una comunidad de judíos ultraortodoxos de Williamsburg (Brooklyn, Nueva York), Deborah Feldman crece bajo un estricto código de normas que rige desde su idioma #el yiddish# o su indumentaria hasta sus lecturas y las personas con las que se le permite relacionarse. Siendo adolescente, intuye que puede existir una forma de vida alternativa entre los rascacielos de Manhattan, y se debate entre la responsabilidad de ser una buena judía jasídica y sus anhelos de independencia, como los que anidan en las protagonistas de las novelas de Jane Austen o Louisa May Alcott que lee a escondidas de su familia. Pero pronto se ve atrapada en un matrimonio concertado que resulta frustrante, sexual y emocionalmente. Todo cambia cuando, a los diecinueve años, da a luz a su hijo y comprende que, a pesar de todos los obstáculos, ha de encontrar para ambos un camino hacia la libertad. La crítica ha dicho... ««Un libro elocuente y atractivo. [...] Probablemente muchas chicas lo escondan bajo el colchón, lo lean con las luces apagadas y se planteen, tal vez por primera vez, su propia huida.» Cristian Alarcón Casanova, The Huffington Post «Toda una revelación. [...] Emotiva y valiente.» Roger Ferran, Vilaweb «Uno de esos libros que no puedes soltar.» Joan Rivers, The New York Post «El estilo natural de Feldman oculta profundas reflexiones.» The New York Times «Unas memorias frescas, ácidas y absolutamente absorbentes.» Library Journal «Una historia de transición a la vida adulta memorable y llena de sensibilidad, en la línea del clásico de Betty Smith Un árbol crece en Brooklyn.» Pittsburgh Post-Gazette «De obligada lectura, conecta con cualquier persona que se haya sentido alguna vez un extraño en su propia vida. Feldman desnuda su alma con valentía.» School Library Journal «Una historia inolvidable.» Kirkus Reviews «Una lectura fascinante.» Booklist «Dolorosamente bueno. [...]. Una escritora de gran talento y sensibilidad.» JewishJournal.com «Cautivador, [...] extraordinario.» Marie Claire «Una historia valiente y cautivadora. [...] Unorthodox es desgarradora, pero sale victoriosa.» Jeannette Walls «Primero como lectora y luego como escritora, Feldman logra reinventarse como ser humano.» Newsday «Fascinante. [...] La voz de Feldman resuena en cada página.» The Jewish Daily Forward

Mi verdadera historia

Geschenkausgabe

Flavia Louise

Sehr interessanter Einblick in ein Leben sehr anders als mein eigenes

Sharon Steinman

I watched Unorthodox on Netflix and thought that the story would be pretty similar to the book and  would have more details of her circumstances. The book is very different from the story on Netflix, there were a few common themes but it is essentially not the same story.  She doesn't go to music school in Germany. 

I'm unsure if the book was a quick read or if I was eager to read it and got through quickly.  I found her strength inspiring as there is so much pressure growing up in a Hassidic community that would have been dealing with and very few opportunities to question things.  What she described to me in this Hassidic community didn't surprise me as I grew up attending jewish day schools and had a more secular jewish upbringing so I was familiar with some of the expectations that are placed on Orthodox women.  

Her story leaves me wanting to learn more and know more about her life now.  I hope she's been able to create a wonderful new circle of family and friends.  I hope she's been able to create a nice connection with her mom.


Although the memoir is about leaving a Hasidic sect it's a story of a woman empowering herself and building her own life, finding her identity, and having the freedom to make choices independently of her community.

Jane Krauss

How to scare a Hasidic male, ensue that something is your 'private female stuff'. 

Although quite a serious memoir, Deborah Feldman made me laugh with her younger child self. Oh, how I could relate to the curiosity, how I wanted to know more, and how often I was told it wasn't something for me to know. Her writing is so vivid, and I felt like I had been transported into Feldman's world. 
Aunt Chaya's views on compassion for spiritual welfare are what I've heard from many, even experienced. Furthermore, the comparison of spiritual matters is an affliction I have built into me. To look to others and see their spiritualness, modesties, and compare them to me. Where was I falling short? How could I get better? What we see it only the outside, the mask that we all show. The truth behind that mask is often different. The weapon of shame seems to be a major motivator in most fundamental religious sects. 

I feel like I learnt so many Yiddish phrases that I will want to use in my vocabulary. 

I am glad I'm reading the 2020 edition as Feldman's epilogue really speaks to many of those who view her 2012 book very presumptive. It's great; she even speaks of the Netflix show and how she was highly involved in telling her story. Please read this book; it is powerful and really lifts the lid of an often hidden society >>> Now to watch the series. I can't wait.

Lydia Enge

Lena 

Rebeca Keren Nuñez

Elizabeth Jones

Hanna Schacter

💒lara

Nancy Ryder

Kemie G

Sarah Schumacher

Grisell Martinez

Joline Hordijk

Maja Cieslik

David Tomasoni-Major 

Ambar

Giulia Giacometti

"Unorthodox ist ein Enthüllungsbuch, das sich wie ein Roman liest." (Die Welt) Am Tag seines Erscheinens führte »Unorthodox« schlagartig die Bestsellerliste der New York Times an und war sofort ausverkauft. Wenige Monate später durchbrach die Auflage die Millionengrenze. In der chassidischen Satmar-Gemeinde in Williamsburg, New York, herrschen die strengsten Regeln einer ultraorthodoxen jüdischen Gruppe weltweit. Deborah Feldman führt uns bis an die Grenzen des Erträglichen, wenn sie von der strikten Unterwerfung unter die strengen Lebensgesetze erzählt, von Ausgrenzung, Armut, von der Unterdrückung der Frau, von ihrer Zwangsehe. Und von der alltäglichen Angst, bei Verbotenem entdeckt und bestraft zu werden. Sie erzählt, wie sie den beispiellosen Mut und die ungeheure Kraft zum Verlassen der Gemeinde findet – um ihrem Sohn ein Leben in Freiheit zu ermöglichen. Noch nie hat eine Autorin ihre Befreiung aus den Fesseln religiöser Extremisten so lebensnah, so ehrlich, so analytisch klug und dabei literarisch so anspruchsvoll erzählt.

Unorthodox The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

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