Davita's Harp: A Novel
Books / Paperback
Books › Fiction › Psychological
ISBN: 0449911837 / Publisher: Ballantine Books, August 1996
The daughter of a nonbelieving Jewish mother and a nonbelieving gentile father--dedicated Communists both--Davita Chandal, growing up as the world suffers through the Spanish Civil War and World War II, turns to Judaism for consolation and spiritual sustenance
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For Davita Chandal, growing up in New York in the 1930s and '40s is an experience of indescribable joy'and unfathomable sadness. Her loving parents, both fervent radicals, fill her with the fiercely bright hope for a new, better world. But the deprivations of war and the Depression take their ruthless toll. And Davita, unexpectedly, finds in the Jewish faith that her mother had long ago abandoned both a solace to her questioning inner pain and a test of her budding spirit of independence. To her, life's elusive possibilities for happiness, for fulfillment, for decency, become as real and resonant as the music of the small harp that hangs on her door, welcoming all guests with its sweet, gentle tones.Praise for Davita's Harp'Rich . . . enchanting . . . [Chaim] Potok's bravest book.''The New York Times Book Review'It is an enormous pleasure to sink into such a rich . . . solidly written novel. The reader knows from the first few pages that he is in the hands of a sure professional who won't let him down.''People'Engrossing . . . Filled with a host of richly drawn characters. Potok is a master storyteller.''Chicago Tribune'Gripping and intriguing . . . A well-told tale that needed telling.''The Philadelphia Inquirer
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