My Review:
My Mother’s Son by David Hirshberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4.5 charming stars to My Mother’s Son! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟.5
Thank you to my friends, Elyse and Angela, for this wonderful recommendation. I am ecstatic after reading this book.
Joel worked as a radio host for over 40 years, and he is our narrator with the present day being the 1950s (one of my favorite time periods of which to read because both my parents were children during that time). Joel tells us the story of his life in post WWII Boston.
Hot button issues of the time form the historical backdrop of this endearing story and include the Korean War, the polio epidemic, the years after the Holocaust, and all the various political scandals.
My Mother’s Son is a carefully woven tale of the same topics that know no time and place- betrayal and hate, and on the flip side, steadfastness and immense love. I took off half a star just because some of the baseball stuff was a little draggy to me (I’m just not a baseball fan). Otherwise, this is book gold!
Thank you to David Hirshberg for this lovely debut, as well as Fig Tree Books and Edelweiss for ARC. My Mother’s Son is available now!
View all my reviews
Synopsis:
In the spirit of Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America and Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay comes My Mother’s Son, the meticulously-crafted debut novel from David Hirshberg. The story is told by a radio raconteur revisiting his past in post-World War II Boston, the playground and battleground for two brothers whose lives are transformed by discoveries they never could have imagined. From the opening line of the book, “When you’re a kid, they don’t always tell you the truth,” the stage is set for this riveting coming-of-age story that plays out against the backdrop of the Korean War, the aftermath of the Holocaust, the polio epidemic, the relocation of a baseball team, and the shenanigans of politicians and businessmen. Hirshberg deftly weaves together events, characters, and clues and creates a rich tapestry of betrayal, persecution, death, loyalty, and unconditional love that resonates with today’s America.
The 50’s were happy days! Great review. I have this one on my tbr list.🎶📚
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know you loved those days! I think you’ll enjoy this one! ♥️
LikeLike
Wonderful and interesting review!🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that you are cartwheeling right now, Berit! 🤸♂️ 💃 ♥️ Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome review ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Priyasha! 💕
LikeLike
Sounds like this was really well done. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It was a lovely read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello ,
I saw your tweet about animals and thought I will check your website. I like it!
I love pets. I have two beautiful thai cats called Tammy(female) and Yommo(male). Yommo is 1 year older than Tommy. He acts like a bigger brother for her. 🙂
I have even created an Instagram account for them ( https://www.instagram.com/tayo_home/ ) and probably soon they will have more followers than me (kinda funny).
I have subscribed to your newsletter. 🙂
Keep up the good work on your blog.
Regards
Wiki
LikeLike
Thanks, Wiki! I followed you over on IG – beautiful cats you have! ♥️
LikeLike
Lovely review, Jennifer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Marialyce! 💜
LikeLike
Sounds great,,, well, except for the baseball! But I do love books that give a real sense of a place at a particular moment of time and it sounds like this one does that. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, FF! You hit it on the head- the time and place is well-defined and so enjoyable. I love to step back in time like that!
LikeLiked by 1 person