Jewish Book Club discussion

Shalom All!

January's book is 'The Mathematician's Shiva'.

Enjoy!

שלומ

I wasn't able to get hold of this book so won't be reading with you this time.

I hope you all enjoy it x

This is an excellent book on so many levels. I read it back in 2014.

For those who didn't read it at the first of the year, it's still $1.99 for Kindle on Amazon.

However, I have the paperback. I got it used from Amazon back in September, for one cent plus the usual $3.99 shipping; in "like new" condition. It is a very soft, good-feeling paperback. :-)

4 stars. This was different, but totally captivating. I first spotted this book on Goodreads somewhere, and later saw it had been a Book of the Month pick for the Jewish Book Club awhile back. I don't know if anyone reviewed it, but I will add my review to the list. I also picked it as one of my four choices for my personal prosperity challenge. This was a good solid read. Its just interesting to note. When my prosperity books were ordered by rating, highest to lowest, this ended up almost at the bottom at Book Six. Yet, when I clicked on it to announce I was reading it, I saw all my friends had rated it 5 stars. Every single one, except for a couple of fours. That made me wonder to whom this book appeals. Let me describe my impression of it.

A prominent mathematician dies. This is not a spoiler, its in the title, as Shiva refers to a jewish mourning period, where people come to mark and celebrate a life recently passed. The mathematician is a russian woman, who (factiously) is one of the most eminent brilliant mathematicians ever in history, and one of the only women. The story is written from the point of view of her son, and we get to meet her ex-husband, his father, her brother, heir nephew, and an adopted daughter. And an unexpected surprise or two. And 400 eminent mathematicians who have shown up to honor her, but also see if she left clues to a brilliant math enigma that they are sure she has solved. They mourn and they try to "complete" her work, by solving a difficult postulate. The story, written from the point of view of the son, tries to understand both his brilliant mother, and the impact of her loss on all those left behind. There are pieces of it written by the mother herself. And interactions amongst the family and the mathematicians. Its was actually a beautiful read about what we leave behind, and about how we move forward when someone, brilliant or not, leaves a hole, a puzzle, and a mystery in their midsts. It was quite good. I deeply enjoyed it.

Five stars for me! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...