Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English
by Natasha Solomons
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After escaping Germany during WWII, Jack and Sadie Rosenblum, together with their baby daughter, settle into a life of acting "English." In post-war England, however, no golf club will admit a Rosenblum. So Jack hatches a wild idea: he'll build his own. It's an obsession Sadie does not share, particularly when Jack relocates them to a thatched roof cottage in Dorset to embark on his project.Tags
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The original UK title for this book, Mr Rosenblum's List: Or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman, is so much better. I don't know why the publisher felt the need to change it.
Jakob "Jack" Rosenblum, his wife, and their infant daughter seek asylum in England just before World War II. Unfortunately, they find themselves treated poorly because of both their German accents and their Jewish surname. (I didn't realize that England "detained" citizens of German ancestry during WWII, much like the U.S.'s treatment of Japanese-Americans. Jack is released because he owns a carpet factory that has been turned over to the war effort.)
After the war, Mrs. Rosenblum is perfectly happy living in a predominately Jewish neighborhood in London, show more but Jack's greatest desire is to be a true Englishman. He initially follows a list of ways to assimilate provided by a local organization, but goes on to write his own list. The one item he's unable to complete is joining a golf club, so he decides to move out into the countryside and build his own. Various conflicts with the country farmers ensue.
For a long time, I really wasn't sure where this book was going. Certain events occur that indicate the ending will be a sad one:Jack's golf course being destroyed, Sadie nearly dying, Jack's course not being approved by the local council, etc. If you want to know the tone (but no details) of the ending: it all ends extremely conveniently and happily. It was a little too convenient for my taste .
In many ways, this book reminds me of [b:Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|6643090|Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|Helen Simonson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320539020s/6643090.jpg|6837577]: the English countryside setting, the golf club, class snobbery, treatment of immigrants, impending development of the land, etc. There is some humor in this book as well, but not to the extent I found in Major Pettigrew's dry wit. In general, I would say if you like [a:Helen Simonson|2995577|Helen Simonson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1253622119p2/2995577.jpg], you will most likely enjoy Natasha Solomons. show less
Jakob "Jack" Rosenblum, his wife, and their infant daughter seek asylum in England just before World War II. Unfortunately, they find themselves treated poorly because of both their German accents and their Jewish surname. (I didn't realize that England "detained" citizens of German ancestry during WWII, much like the U.S.'s treatment of Japanese-Americans. Jack is released because he owns a carpet factory that has been turned over to the war effort.)
After the war, Mrs. Rosenblum is perfectly happy living in a predominately Jewish neighborhood in London, show more but Jack's greatest desire is to be a true Englishman. He initially follows a list of ways to assimilate provided by a local organization, but goes on to write his own list. The one item he's unable to complete is joining a golf club, so he decides to move out into the countryside and build his own. Various conflicts with the country farmers ensue.
For a long time, I really wasn't sure where this book was going. Certain events occur that indicate the ending will be a sad one:
In many ways, this book reminds me of [b:Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|6643090|Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|Helen Simonson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320539020s/6643090.jpg|6837577]: the English countryside setting, the golf club, class snobbery, treatment of immigrants, impending development of the land, etc. There is some humor in this book as well, but not to the extent I found in Major Pettigrew's dry wit. In general, I would say if you like [a:Helen Simonson|2995577|Helen Simonson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1253622119p2/2995577.jpg], you will most likely enjoy Natasha Solomons. show less
For me, this book split into two halves.
The Rosenblum's arrive in Britain as refugees from pre-War Nazi Germany. On arrival they're given a list of do's & don'ts to help them acclimatise and assimilate into British life. Jack Rosenblum takes these to heart, adhering to them strictly and even adding additional 'rules' as he strives to become the perfect English Gentleman. The thing I found difficult with all this, is the casual, institutional racism - not that it didn't exist, but more that it must have mirrored the experiences of my Father when he arrived, post-war, as a refugee from Eastern Europe. I don't remember him saying that he was given a 'list' but he was certainly held in a camp for a couple of weeks whilst they were taught show more rudimentary English before sending them out into the working world. It was all too personal for me and I didn't enjoy reading it. That the author could engender that level of feeling is testament to her ability.
Jack is successful and when thwarted in his attempts to join a golf club, he ups sticks and moves to Dorset where he plans to build his own course. Again, racism rears it's ugly head but, to be fair, it's more of the 'incomer' to a small village than his race and religion per se. This is where the story picked up for me and I enjoyed the second half of the book much more. Jack takes to his task and begins to win friends in the village. His wife, Sadie, also comes more to the fore and you watch her work through her sadness of losing her home in Germany, then London before finally settling into Dorset life. Her sadness of family lost and the way she bakes to remember are so touching and yet totally ignored by Jack who is consumed by his Golf Course,
The story builds to it's denouement and is hardly a surprise, but still enjoyable. I did find, though, that it wrapped up rather too abruptly, I would have liked a little more of what happened next, before we got to the 'final' chapter.
One last thing: One of the things I found most interesting was the postscript notes. The real people that the author amalgamated to create the Rosenblums and the real list that was given to refugees at that time. show less
The Rosenblum's arrive in Britain as refugees from pre-War Nazi Germany. On arrival they're given a list of do's & don'ts to help them acclimatise and assimilate into British life. Jack Rosenblum takes these to heart, adhering to them strictly and even adding additional 'rules' as he strives to become the perfect English Gentleman. The thing I found difficult with all this, is the casual, institutional racism - not that it didn't exist, but more that it must have mirrored the experiences of my Father when he arrived, post-war, as a refugee from Eastern Europe. I don't remember him saying that he was given a 'list' but he was certainly held in a camp for a couple of weeks whilst they were taught show more rudimentary English before sending them out into the working world. It was all too personal for me and I didn't enjoy reading it. That the author could engender that level of feeling is testament to her ability.
Jack is successful and when thwarted in his attempts to join a golf club, he ups sticks and moves to Dorset where he plans to build his own course. Again, racism rears it's ugly head but, to be fair, it's more of the 'incomer' to a small village than his race and religion per se. This is where the story picked up for me and I enjoyed the second half of the book much more. Jack takes to his task and begins to win friends in the village. His wife, Sadie, also comes more to the fore and you watch her work through her sadness of losing her home in Germany, then London before finally settling into Dorset life. Her sadness of family lost and the way she bakes to remember are so touching and yet totally ignored by Jack who is consumed by his Golf Course,
The story builds to it's denouement and is hardly a surprise, but still enjoyable. I did find, though, that it wrapped up rather too abruptly, I would have liked a little more of what happened next, before we got to the 'final' chapter.
One last thing: One of the things I found most interesting was the postscript notes. The real people that the author amalgamated to create the Rosenblums and the real list that was given to refugees at that time. show less
Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English – Natasha Solomons
4 stars
In August of 1937, Jack Rosenblum, his wife and small daughter arrive in England. They are German Jewish Refugees. No other members of their family escape what is to come. Jack determines to follow every word of the advice given the pamphlet “While you are in England: Helpful Information and Friendly Guidance for Every Refugee”. Jack’s watchword becomes “assimilation”.
From an initial purchase of some odd lengths of carpet, Jack builds a successful manufacturing business. As the years pass he studies the English carefully and adds a growing list of behaviors to the helpful advice pamphlet. Jack aspires to be a typical English gentleman. To be an English gentleman one show more must belong to a golf club. And here Jack runs into a snag. Golf clubs being bastions of snobbery and prejudice, Jack is refused admission. Undaunted, Jack determines to build his own golf course and make the membership open to everyone.
What follows is a warm, humorous story. Initially snubbed by the Dorset natives, Jack wins them over to his cause. Setbacks and escapades abound in their efforts to complete nine holes in time for the Queen’s coronation. Jack charts his progress in a series of unanswered letters to Bobby Jones and drinks the fiery home-brewed cider provided by his staunch friend, Curtis. Meanwhile, Jack’s wife, Sadie provides a counterbalance to Jack’s ambitions. Sadie devotes her days to remembering the dead by baking the recipes preserved in Mutti’s cookbook. In a sometimes painful process, Jack and Sadie find their way back to their earlier loving relationship.
This is an English village comedy in the tradition of James Herriot with engaging characters, a beautiful setting and a sense of community. The underlying message is always felt, but it is not preached. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d like to go to Dorset to play a round of golf, even though, like Jack, I’ve never swung a club. show less
4 stars
In August of 1937, Jack Rosenblum, his wife and small daughter arrive in England. They are German Jewish Refugees. No other members of their family escape what is to come. Jack determines to follow every word of the advice given the pamphlet “While you are in England: Helpful Information and Friendly Guidance for Every Refugee”. Jack’s watchword becomes “assimilation”.
From an initial purchase of some odd lengths of carpet, Jack builds a successful manufacturing business. As the years pass he studies the English carefully and adds a growing list of behaviors to the helpful advice pamphlet. Jack aspires to be a typical English gentleman. To be an English gentleman one show more must belong to a golf club. And here Jack runs into a snag. Golf clubs being bastions of snobbery and prejudice, Jack is refused admission. Undaunted, Jack determines to build his own golf course and make the membership open to everyone.
What follows is a warm, humorous story. Initially snubbed by the Dorset natives, Jack wins them over to his cause. Setbacks and escapades abound in their efforts to complete nine holes in time for the Queen’s coronation. Jack charts his progress in a series of unanswered letters to Bobby Jones and drinks the fiery home-brewed cider provided by his staunch friend, Curtis. Meanwhile, Jack’s wife, Sadie provides a counterbalance to Jack’s ambitions. Sadie devotes her days to remembering the dead by baking the recipes preserved in Mutti’s cookbook. In a sometimes painful process, Jack and Sadie find their way back to their earlier loving relationship.
This is an English village comedy in the tradition of James Herriot with engaging characters, a beautiful setting and a sense of community. The underlying message is always felt, but it is not preached. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d like to go to Dorset to play a round of golf, even though, like Jack, I’ve never swung a club. show less
Jack and Sadie Rosenbloom emigrated to London, England just before the Second World War. When they arrived in their new country, Jack was given a checklist on how a proper English citizen behaves - a cheat sheet on how to blend in to his new home. Following it literally and without knowing all the nuances that any British citizen takes for granted sometimes leaves him puzzled and bewildered, but never daunted. Mr. Rosenbloom Dreams in English is Jack and Sadie's story of how they adapted to their new lives and sometimes how they didn't.
I really enjoyed Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English (called Mr. Rosenblum's List in the UK). I think Natasha Solomon did a fabulous job in relating what it's like to integrate into a new and very alien life. show more While I'm not Jewish, I found Jack and Sadie's experiences as Jewish immigrants easy to relate to and I recognized Jack's struggle to fit into a new country and its well-established culture very well. The author's light touch in representing the Rosenblum's struggle to blend in made the story a lot less heavy-handed than it might otherwise have been.
Food is used throughout the story to demonstrate how family and family history is cherished and memories held dear. One particular dessert, a baumtorte, is prepared by Sadie during her most challenging days and helps her cope with her feelings of sadness at the lives lost during the war. The author uses the layered cake as a rich metaphor for layers of memories.
The characters in this book are muti-faceted. Jack and Sadie are neither all good nor all bad - a bit of each quality are in both and it is what I believe gives the book depth and richness. The author knows her characters; Jack is normally an optimistic man and I couldn't help but root for him even when he did something that aggravated me. Writing from the perspective of a male character couldn't have been easy but Natasha Solomons succeeded.
I recommend this wonderful novel to anyone who enjoys reading stories about family bonds and true friendship. show less
I really enjoyed Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English (called Mr. Rosenblum's List in the UK). I think Natasha Solomon did a fabulous job in relating what it's like to integrate into a new and very alien life. show more While I'm not Jewish, I found Jack and Sadie's experiences as Jewish immigrants easy to relate to and I recognized Jack's struggle to fit into a new country and its well-established culture very well. The author's light touch in representing the Rosenblum's struggle to blend in made the story a lot less heavy-handed than it might otherwise have been.
Food is used throughout the story to demonstrate how family and family history is cherished and memories held dear. One particular dessert, a baumtorte, is prepared by Sadie during her most challenging days and helps her cope with her feelings of sadness at the lives lost during the war. The author uses the layered cake as a rich metaphor for layers of memories.
The characters in this book are muti-faceted. Jack and Sadie are neither all good nor all bad - a bit of each quality are in both and it is what I believe gives the book depth and richness. The author knows her characters; Jack is normally an optimistic man and I couldn't help but root for him even when he did something that aggravated me. Writing from the perspective of a male character couldn't have been easy but Natasha Solomons succeeded.
I recommend this wonderful novel to anyone who enjoys reading stories about family bonds and true friendship. show less
This book follows the fortunes of Jack and Sadie, Jewish refugees from Germany trying to gain acceptance into English society in the years following the second world war. The way Jack is treated by some “proper” English people begs the question why he would ever want to be one of them, and yet his tenacity is one of the things that make him such an engaging character.
The author writes with such skill – describing the rural setting in such a way that the greenery seems to poke up through the page, and doing so again and again and making it new every time. She also incorporates little bits of magic into the story without ever stopping it feeling real. There is profound sadness but it is nicely balanced by humour, and there are show more issues – like the loss of the characters’ cultural identity and links with the past – which are clearly traceable as the story unfolds.
The author’s notes – complete with recipe - at the end were illuminating too. I am so going to make a Baumtorte. show less
The author writes with such skill – describing the rural setting in such a way that the greenery seems to poke up through the page, and doing so again and again and making it new every time. She also incorporates little bits of magic into the story without ever stopping it feeling real. There is profound sadness but it is nicely balanced by humour, and there are show more issues – like the loss of the characters’ cultural identity and links with the past – which are clearly traceable as the story unfolds.
The author’s notes – complete with recipe - at the end were illuminating too. I am so going to make a Baumtorte. show less
I recently read Solomon's "A Novel in the Viola" and loved it, so was particularly eager to see if this novel retained a similar kind of magic. Actually for me, this was even better- because it was so wonderfully off the wall and was a brilliantly eclectic mix of humour, heartbreak and optimism. This is a really cracking novel and as far as debuts go, I found it flawless.
Though the title of the book initially appeared a bit frothy and the cover a little bit twee, the context of the novel is actually quite substantial, focusing on a Jewish immigrant family arriving in Britain during WWII. Jacob (Jack) Rosenblum becomes fixated with trying to be accepted by his new countrymen and fitting in as a proper `English gentleman' much to the show more chagrin of his long-suffering wife, Sadie. Moving from London to deepest Dorset, the book chronicles the trials and tribulations of the immigrants trying to gain acceptance, a theme which will no doubt resonate with a lot of readers.
The tone of this novel rather put me in mind of Alexander McCall Smiths books- gentle and thought provoking, despite the issues concentrated on. The plot is not fast-paced but becomes all the more appealing for that and as a reader you really get pulled into the story and experience Jack and Sadie's journeys and troubles along with them.
The characters are wonderfully written and retain a real sense of charm and whimsy with all of their funny little foibles. The only one I couldn't really feel a lot for was Elizabeth, Jack and Sadie's daughter, who did appear a little bit one dimensional. I really felt for Sadie, a woman who has suffered her own set of heartbreaks in the past, yet isn't really understood by her husband. She was a different kind of heroine to read about, which I enjoyed.
I would say that if you are looking for a different kind of read away from gushy romance or gory horror then to definitely give this a go. It is wonderfully old-fashioned and sweet- but thankfully never sickeningly so.
*This review also appears on Amazon.co.uk* show less
Though the title of the book initially appeared a bit frothy and the cover a little bit twee, the context of the novel is actually quite substantial, focusing on a Jewish immigrant family arriving in Britain during WWII. Jacob (Jack) Rosenblum becomes fixated with trying to be accepted by his new countrymen and fitting in as a proper `English gentleman' much to the show more chagrin of his long-suffering wife, Sadie. Moving from London to deepest Dorset, the book chronicles the trials and tribulations of the immigrants trying to gain acceptance, a theme which will no doubt resonate with a lot of readers.
The tone of this novel rather put me in mind of Alexander McCall Smiths books- gentle and thought provoking, despite the issues concentrated on. The plot is not fast-paced but becomes all the more appealing for that and as a reader you really get pulled into the story and experience Jack and Sadie's journeys and troubles along with them.
The characters are wonderfully written and retain a real sense of charm and whimsy with all of their funny little foibles. The only one I couldn't really feel a lot for was Elizabeth, Jack and Sadie's daughter, who did appear a little bit one dimensional. I really felt for Sadie, a woman who has suffered her own set of heartbreaks in the past, yet isn't really understood by her husband. She was a different kind of heroine to read about, which I enjoyed.
I would say that if you are looking for a different kind of read away from gushy romance or gory horror then to definitely give this a go. It is wonderfully old-fashioned and sweet- but thankfully never sickeningly so.
*This review also appears on Amazon.co.uk* show less
This book is about a Jewish man and his wife who escape the Nazis and find shelter in England. Jack has burning desire to become an English man and fit in. He tries to join a golf club, but then decides to build his own because this is the final item which will make him truly English. This book eloquently shows us what it means to be human through Jack's successes and his setbacks. Many books have good characters and good plots, but this book goes deeper. The immigrant experience in this book teaches us about ourselves and one another. Some of these phrases are somewhat cliche, but this book merits that description.
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In its attention to the ways immigrants can become alienated from both their native and their adopted countries, Mr Rosenblum's List has much more to it than the nostalgic vision of Englishness suggested by its cover.
added by wandering_star
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wilfully eccentric little england (cosy read novels, england)
45 works; 15 members
jewish themed novels
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Author Information
9+ Works 2,878 Members
Natasha Solomons writes novels and screenplays. Her first book, Mr. Rosenblum's List was published in 2010. Her other books include The Novel in the Viola (also published as The House at Tyneford) and Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English. She is finishing a PhD in eighteenth-century poetry. (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English
- Original title
- Mr Rosenblum's List
- Original publication date
- 2010
- People/Characters
- Jack Rosenblum; Sadie Rosenblum; Elizabeth Rosenblum; a Dorset woolly pig; Curtis; Sir William Waegbert (show all 7); Bobby Jones
- Important places
- Dorset, England, UK; Germany; London, England, UK
- Important events
- World War II; Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
- Dedication
- On his ninetieth birthday, I promised my grandfather that I would dedicate my first novel to him. So, this is for Mr. P. E. Shields, O.B.E., 1910-2000. And for David, with love.
- First words
- Jack Rosenblum éteignit le poste de TSF et se renfonça dans son fauteuil en cuir.
Jack Rosenblum switched off the wireless and nestled back into his leather armchair. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Elizabeth referma la brochure, la glissa entre les pages du carnet de recettes et se hâta pour rattraper le vieil homme qui descendait la colline d'un pas ferme.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Elizabeth closed the leaflet, slipped it back inside the recipe book and hurried to catch up with the old man walking steadily down the hill. - Blurbers
- Paul Torday; Sadie Jones
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 832
- Popularity
- 32,769
- Reviews
- 47
- Rating
- (3.56)
- Languages
- 7 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 30
- ASINs
- 9
