Lipshitz Six, or Two Angry Blondes

by T. Cooper

Book Overview

A postmodern family saga by one of America's freshest literary voices Upon landing at Ellis Island in 1903, Esther and Hersh Lipshitz discover their son Reuven is missing. The child is never found,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 052594933X
• ISBN13: 9780525949336
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Dutton Books
• Length: 434 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A Worthy Read

This book should be read simply because Cooper knows how to tell a compelling story. Half way through, I found myself unable to put it down. The transition from third person historical narrative to first person, while abrupt, was pulled off deftly, and the latter part of the book was utterly convincing for me. Throw in moments of laugh-out-loud hilarity and authentic, moving scenes, and you have a richly entertaining tale. Highly recommended.

SOMEWHAT QUIRKY NONETHELESS INTRIGUING

This author's first book, Some of the Parts, established her as one who created strong voiced characters , and wove somewhat quirky nonetheless intriguing plots. She follows this pattern with her second novel - there's little self-effacing about Esther or T. Cooper. Our story of the Lipshitz family begins with their escape from 1903 Russia and the cruel pogroms. Esther, Hersh and their four children gratefully arrive at Ellis Island only to discover that their son, Reuven, is nowhere to be found. They search all over New York City for their blond, blue-eyed son but are stymied at every turn. Finally, the family join a relative in Texas and establish a home in a place the most unlike Russia they've seen - the dusty panhandle of the Lone Star State. Esther continues to mourn the loss of her son, and when she sees a newspaper photo of Charles Lindbergh announcing his 1927 transatlantic flight she becomes convinced that he is her long lost son now grown and famous. She is so obsessed by this notion that she corresponds with the Lindbergh family and saves every scrap of news about the aviator. Now, segue to New York City a half a century later and Esther's great-grandson, T. Cooper, a writer who is not doing much writing but earns his bread and butter by imitating Eminem at bar mitzvahs. When Cooper's parents are killed in an auto accident he returns to Texas to make final arrangements, and it is there that he faces his strange family history. Actor/musician Kirby Heyborne gives a notable reading to the Lipshitz saga, by turns imbuing it with dogged determination, consternation, and humor. - Gail Cooke

Great read!

T Cooper manages to combine two very different (yet also quite similar) stories with two very different voices into one page-turning novel. Unique characters, combined with a unique writing style make for a very interesting, witty, and enjoyable read.

Great story ride

I loved this book -- thoroughly enjoyed the what's-next curiosity I had throughout and the fast emotional involvment I felt with the uniquely crafted, quirky characters. And all of it heightened by the context of fascinating historical concepts. Such fun to hear the different voices used to convey various times and perspectives, and Cooper's witty, fluid writing style tells it all with graceful, insightful ease. Such a pleasure, wanted more.

A gripping story from an original voice

This is a fascinating, ambitious far-ranging book. In the hands of a lesser storyteller, such disparate material could have failed to cohere, but T Cooper guides the reader through this multi-generational saga with expertise and materful writing. The buzz surrounding Cooper is well-deserved; this book is both weighty and readable, funny and emotionally riveting.