The Outside World

by Tova Mirvis

Book Overview

Tzippy Goldman was born for marriage. She and her mother had always assumed she'd graduate high school, be set up with the right boy, and have a beautiful wedding with white lace and pareve vanilla... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400041619
• ISBN13: 9781400041619
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Satire of Religious Jewish Life

I read this book as a satire of Orthodox Jewish Life in America. Everything she writes about it is true, but so exagerated! The author knocks both the Boro Park types and the Modern Orthodox equally. I grew up in a Modern Orthodox world and now live in the "black hat" world, and her descriptions are accurate down the last detail, but highlight the most negative aspects of both communities. The majority of people from both communities are committed to Judaism and to their fellow human, not people merely observing the laws from rote with no feeling or spirit.There are no "heroes" in this novel. Unlike The Ladies Auxillary, where Batsheva was good and everyone else in Memphis portrayed as bad, in this book, each character epitomizes the worst characteristics of the typical stereotypes: Baruch, the insensitive "nouveau frum" son; Joel, who wants to blend in the outside world; Naomi, the spineless peacemaker; Shayna, who cares only about being accepted; Ilana, the rebel; Tzippy, who has no concept about why we are religious; and of course, Hershel, the typical dreamer on the verge of making it big! Of course I know people like these characters, but Tovah Mirvis has drawn a caricature of them, exagerated to bring out the worst. Just as her religious characters in The Ladies Auxillary are missing the spirit, the passion and the dedication to their religion, with the exception of Naomi and Baruch, these characters live it without any idealism or involvement.The two communities have different values and priorities, but the differences are exagerated as well. They both keep the same Sabbath and holidays, the same laws between fellow human beings, the same basic Kosher laws, the same marriage laws, etc.The book is extremely well written, and I have a hard time putting it down. Enjoy the book, just remember not to take seriously this portrayal of Orthodox life!

Insider's View

I loved this book simply because it captured feelings that I have felt, as an Orthodox Jewish girl in general, and more specifically as one who grew up in a modern Orthodox community like Laurelwood and married someone with a more "ultra-Orthodox" background. Through this book I was able to relive parts of our courtship, engagement, and the early years of our marriage, especially the parts photographs can't capture.The characters in the book are people that I know. The feelings they feel are real. This is not a book that creates conflict and strife as a literary device as some have hinted, they reflect what those struggling to live Orthodox lives in the modern world actually feel. Each of these characters, though different, experienced feelings that me and others that I know have felt- the desire to fit in in a world where minute distinctions between people are magnified, a yearning for a greater level of spirituality, the desire to fit in with society at large, and the questioning of whether or not God actually cares. Most thinking Orthodox Jews experience this at one point or another. Tova Mirvis has done a beautiful job of putting my world on paper. If anyone wants insight into the real world of Orthodoxy, this is the book for you.

A Gem of a Book

On the way down for a needed vacation, picked up a copy of The Outside World, started it in the waiting area - flight delayed - and kept going, had it finished before I landed, then went back for more... more choice scenes, more great dialogue and descriptions... the book such a delight. There's a subtlety here -an argument, if you will -- that one might not notice. The modern Orthodox community is a community, and like all others, is composed of members who live their lives in real time, concerned mostly with the decisions of everyday life-not the big metaphysical quandaries of theology. They live their lives in their kitchens, on their living room couches, in their laundry rooms, shopping in their supermarkets and butcher shops, visiting friends, worrying about livelihoods, arranging weddings and all the rest. Mirvis' characters are real people stirred to try new experiences and defend old ones, undertake forays they relish or regret, and make sense of their families as they begin their own. What you'll find here is intelligent empathy, insightful psychology, terrific writing and a terrific read. Enjoy!

A lovely novel

I haven't read Tova's first book, but I plan to after just finishing THE OUTSIDE WORLD, one of the warmest and most insightful novels I've read this year. To call her book merely a "Jewish novel" -- though Jewish it certainly is -- doesn't do this story about love, family, tradition and the conflict between the sacred and modern, justice. Tzippy and Baruch's courtship are the foundation upholding a fine cast of characters, each as wonderfully flawed as they are compelling. Mirvis brings a fascinating world to light in these pages; and her description of the Talmud as houses, or Tzippy and Baruch's anxious through-the-glove touching, are as universal as they are eloquent. THE OUTSIDE WORLD is a wonderful novel that should inspire a great deal of discussion about the nature of family and love.

Mirvis gives us a beautifully written novel

Tova Mirvis has followed-up her best-selling literary debut with a beautifully written book that captures the conflicts inherent in living a spiritual or religious life in the secular modern world. Mirvis skillfully shows the reader how each individual's personal struggle affects their relationship with their spouse, their children and their greater community. I was eagerly awaiting Mirvis' next book after reading The Ladies Auxiliary. It was certainly worth the wait! The Outside World is a gem.