Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir is a book by Shalom Auslander. The book chronicles his upbringing as an ultra-Orthodox Jew, and his efforts to break free from it. Portions of the book have been featured in various media, including the PRI program This American Life.
Critical reception The Globe and Mail called the tome "humorous, but burdened", and said that "the book ably captures the strain between elements of Judaism".A. J. Levin. Globe and Mail, November 24, 2007: D28 USA Today called it "edgy" and "bitterly funny".Minzesheimer, Bob (December 6, 2007), "Experience that 'very special gypped feeling'". USA Today People magazine also called it "hilarious", and gave the book three-out-of-four stars.Abrahams, Andrew (October 29, 2007), "Foreskin's Lament". People. 68 (18):53 Regarding it as "one of its best memoirs", Time magazine called the memoir "blackly funny".No byline (October 15, 2007), "Foreskin's Lament". Time. 170 (16):79 More conservatively, Entertainment Weekly gave the book a B+, calling Auslander a "gifted writer", but concluding: "He's never going to find [something deep and rich in his problematic past] lunging after every sophomoric laugh."Reese, Jennifer (October 5, 2007), "Shtick Figure". Entertainment Weekly (957):73
References