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Leaving Eastern Parkway Kindle Edition

by Matthew Daub (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 403 ratings
See all formats and editions

A family tragedy forces a Jewish teenage handball prodigy in Brooklyn to examine his identity in this engaging, debut coming-of-age novel.

1991. A fifteen-year-old Hasidic boy living in Crown Heights, Zev Altshul can hardly imagine life without handball. He has a gift for it, and that’s why he’s risking everything to play in a tournament on the Sabbath. But just as he worries about getting caught, his parents are killed in a hit-and-run and everything changes. Now his biggest worry is about where he will live . . .

At first, Zev is placed into the care of a family within his close-knit, closed community. But when that arrangement becomes problematic, Zev heads to Urbana, Illinois, to stay with his sister, Frida. The trouble is that she left the Jewish faith behind years ago, and going to her means Zev must turn his back on the only sort of life he knows.

The culture shock is intense. At first, it’s just changes to his hair and wardrobe. But then there are things like Star Wars, Shakespeare, Twin Peaks, and pepperoni pizza. It’s a world full of choices he’s never had to consider. And now, like it or not, he must decide the type of man he wants to be . . .

Praise for Leaving Eastern Parkway

“What a wonderful, evocative, gripping book—it reminds me of the thrill I had when I read Potok novels many years ago!” —Jeremy Dauber, professor at Columbia University and author of Jewish Comedy:A Serious History

“An authentic look at the joys and failings of insular religious culture as well as a trenchant depiction of the mind of a teenage boy dealing with trauma and dramatic change. When you enter the world created by Daub, you are transfixed. When you leave, you are wiser for the experience.” —Stuart Rojstaczer, author of The Mathematician’s Shiva

“Zev’s story is filled with memorable characters and hard-won wisdom, and the Yiddish and Hebrew that appear throughout lend authenticity. . . It adds up to a surprisingly universal coming-of-age novel about being true to oneself in a world that demands otherwise.” —Publishers Weekly
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  1. Print length
    318 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Delphinium Books
  5. Publication date
    September 13, 2022
  6. File size
    1953 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Leaving Eastern Parkway

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Zev’s story is filled with memorable characters and hard-won wisdom, and the Yiddish and Hebrew that appear throughout lend authenticity. (A glossary will help those who don’t know a mitzvah from a mikvah.) It adds up to a surprisingly universal coming-of-age novel about being true to oneself in a world that demands otherwise.” — Publishers Weekly

“What a wonderful, evocative, gripping book—it reminds me of the thrill I had when I read Potok novels many years ago!” — Jeremy Dauber, Professor, Columbia University; and author of Jewish Comedy: A Serious History

“Leaving Eastern Parkway is an authentic look at the joys and failings of insular religious culture as well as a trenchant depiction of the mind of a teenage boy dealing with trauma and dramatic change. When you enter the world created by Daub, you are transfixed. When you leave, you are wiser for the experience.” — Stuart Rojstaczer, author of The Mathematician’s Shiva

“A moving, coming-of-age novel.”  — The Jewish Book Council

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Matthew Daub is an artist and writer. His career as a visual artist has spanned more than four decades. His watercolor paintings and drawings have been widely exhibited at galleries and museums throughout the United States, including numerous invitational exhibitions at institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Academy of Arts and Letters, and The National Academy of Design. In 1991 The Metropolitan Museum featured a Daub watercolor in their annual engagement calendar, American Watercolors. He has written dozens of articles for nationally distributed art magazines as well as a monograph on the artist, Carolyn Plochmann. Matthew retired after 32 years as a university art professor to devote full-time to his writing. Leaving Eastern Parkway is Matthew Daub’s first novel. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B9X3CC43
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delphinium Books (September 13, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 13, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1953 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 403 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Daub

Matthew Daub

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Matthew Daub's watercolors and drawings have been widely exhibited for over four decades. He's had more than twenty solo exhibitions at galleries and museums throughout the United States, and his works have been included in exhibitions at venues such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Academy of Arts and Letters, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and The National Academy of Design. In 1991, The Metropolitan Museum featured one of his watercolors in their annual engagement calendar. He is the author of the monograph, A CHARMED VISION: THE ART OF CAROLYN PLOCHMANN, as well as more than thirty articles published in nationally distributed art magazines. LEAVING EASTERN PARKWAY is his first novel. You can find out more about Matthew and his creative work at www.matthewdaub.com .

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
403 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

William A. McNulty
5.0 out of 5 stars The challenges of living in modern world with ancient schooling.
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
This was story well told of a teen age boy looking for his place in a world.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Handball, Brooklyn, NY and family dynamics
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024
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If any of those topics interest you, Leaving Eastern Parkway is a book you will enjoy. It's a quick read along with an in-depth look into the rituals of the Hasidic Jewish community.
One person found this helpful
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Evie
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book. Learn about a culture within a culture
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024
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Book club and it promoted lots of good conversation
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Julie Yusim
5.0 out of 5 stars Really and surprisingly great!
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2023
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A shorter and Jewish version of Demon Copperhead. I loved it! I totally recommend it. Don’t miss out on a great book.
3 people found this helpful
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Roz Calvert
4.0 out of 5 stars A book with a lot of heart
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2023
This page-turner is very nicely written. Zev is easy to love. I would have followed him another few dozen pages. Much to see here.
One person found this helpful
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Cathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2023
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I chose this for my book club! I read the book first and then listened to the audio version. Very authentic vocal presentation. The story was fantastic on audio too. 7 members read the book and 3 listened to the audio. All of us liked the book in either version.
4 people found this helpful
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DKC
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Story, Rich in Authenticity
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
Leaving Eastern Parkway offers both moral dilemma and riveting read. I could not put it down. When finished, I didn't stop thinking about Zev Altshul. I was hooked from the first paragraph. The story moves fast and deep into a world that Zev is totally unprepared to live. Matthew Daub has us living and breathing Zev's journey. It opened a new world to me and I am wiser for the experience.
7 people found this helpful
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Julie D. Kravetz
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Debut
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Leaving Eastern Parkway. It was very human and inspiring. Life does not always take us n a straight path and this novel explores personal growth, belonging, doubts , community, connection and ultimately forgiveness. Well recommended. Beautifully written and engaging.
3 people found this helpful
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