When you're ready to sit back and relax on Pesach, this
can be the entire family's light reading choice...
"Harry's Choice" is a story that will be particularly
appreciated by our sons. It contains the things that the
males of our species enjoy: adventure, intrigue, danger, but -
of course - a happy outcome.
The setting is originally historical, but although the
earlier part of the book is set during the time of the
Spanish Inquisition, it soon jumps to the present day.
We meet an American streetwise kid from the slums who wants
to be a magician. But his guardian angel has other ideas for
him, and helps him go to yeshiva in Israel. There his
conjuring tricks eventually pale against the magic of Torah
and Jerusalem. We also come across a private eye who was
formerly a Chicago cop - as I indicated before, it's a book
for boys, or for the vicarious experience of anyone who loves
reading. The cast of charaters includes an ex-Nazi hypnotist,
and also features a Father Bellini, who runs "Holy Land
Health Foods" and is trying to manufacture a Christian claim
to our Holy City.
The boys' side of the story includes a search for a 500-year-
old menora. Its more universal aspect, however, contains
something more - and in the end, this is rated far higher - a
search for the truth and for self.
And when one is as sincere as the hero of the book, these
cannot but be synonymous.
