Stern

by Bruce Jay Friedman

Book Overview

Well before Philip Roth in Portnoy's Complaint turned the special predicament of the American Jew into a long psychiatric joke, Friedman told the original story and got the first laugh. Stern is the story of a Jewish family displaced from the city to the suburbs, and more particularly, of the mild-mannered Every'man of the title, under siege in his new home, set upon by voracious caterpillars as well as shades of bigotry that range from the genteel...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802137504
• ISBN13: 9780802137500
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

perhaps the funniest book i have ever read

Stern is perhaps the funniest book i have ever read. it has incredible depth and, at the same time, has remained true to the humerous aspect of the story.

An excellent book, amazingly witty, surprisingly insightful

Bruce Jay Friedman wrote the screenplay for several movies including "Splash". His book, "Stern" is the story of a man named Stern who has forsaken New York City for a home in the suburbs with his family. Things in paradise quickly collapse when a neighbor yells a slur at Stern's wife and knocks her down. Stern is overcome with a mixture of guilt, fear, anger and dementia. His attempts to confront the neighbor (as well as his own fears) lead to an endless paranoid mind-game and Stern's eventual physical collapse. Yeah - I guess this sounds sort of sad - BUT I guarantee you this book is HILARIOUS!! As in all of Friedman's books - the world of "Stern" is seemingly normal but filled with ridiculous and comic elements. Stern's attempts to face his neighbor, to convince himself that he can "take him" are really funny. I can not recommend this book highly enough. If you have ever felt persecuted or if you are neurotic AT ALL - this is the book for you.