John Luiz's profile

Marvelous must read, May 21 2004

I wrote an earlier review under my old e-mail address, but I wanted to update it. I have read this novel about four times and love it more every time I read it. Sam Karnish is a copyeditor for a New Yorker-like magazine and his life is adrift. He has aspirations to being a writer, but no real determination to do the work and make the commitment it would require. On a flight to a friend's wedding, he meets a Hasidic couple -- Aaron and Magda. He immediately develops a crush on Magda, and her husband also becomes an important figure in Sam's life, prodding and challenging him on why he can't commit to anything. Aaron is committed to his religion and all the traditions and rituals Sam finds so… Read more