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A Narrow Bridge
Shortly after Orthodox Jewish Brooklynite Jacob Fischer puts his young family on a bus to visit relatives, the bus explodes in a stunning act of terrorism. HIs faith shattered, Jacob flees the comforts of his community and disappears. He lands up in a predominantly black town in rural Alabama, where he meets Rosie, the single mother of a young son. Their developing relationship, along with the rekindling of his love of music, precipitate events that will change both their lives. This debut novel is a powerful page-turner that follows a complex man on a journey of salvation after tragedy.
296 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 10, 2017
"The whole world is a narrow bridge and we must not be afraid"
Sometimes the meaning of a book title escapes me, but in this case the title holds significant meaning. The chant that Jacob sings at the beginning of one of the classes he teaches young boys at the synagogue in Brooklyn stayed in my head, even though I didn't know the melody, as I read this heartbreaking story of a man who loses everything. The unthinkable happens and Jacob Fisher loses his wife and three children before his eyes in a matter of seconds. I don't think this is a spoiler as it is front and center in the description as it is in the novel. How could someone filled with such grief, such a loss, make sense of this and move on? Jacob at first thinks of going back to the drugs he was addicted to years ago before he had a family, a calling, and a normal life in the community of conservative Jews that he lives in. Instead he flees, aimlessly moving on a train south and ends up in a small town in Alabama. In that town he connects with Mo and his niece Rosie, and begins working in their Baptist Church and begins relationships that help guide him.
Family and religious tradition, horrific loss, Ptsd, confronting one's grief are among the themes. The characters move across religious, racial differences to find comfort and understanding that are the common denominator of being human - not Jewish or Christian or Black or White, discovering that people can truly "breathe life into one another." A moving story where the universal language of music is instrumental in the healing process.
I received an advanced copy of this from Prospect Park Books through Edelweiss.
February 2, 2017
This is not an unbiased review, because I published this debut novel. But there's a very good reason I chose it from the hundreds of submissions that didn't make the cut. This is a gripping, insightful, beautifully written story of how people can find hope and even embrace life after the worst tragedy strikes. It takes you into two very different worlds-- an Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn and a small town in rural Alabama whose focus is a Baptist church-- with two very different protagonists. Their developing friendship, and the relationships with their families, leads to a healing that no one thought possible.
In this era of political and cultural strife, in which we are told that people are increasingly staying in their camps and not understanding one another, A Narrow Bridge emerges as a timely and important book, not to mention a great read.
In this era of political and cultural strife, in which we are told that people are increasingly staying in their camps and not understanding one another, A Narrow Bridge emerges as a timely and important book, not to mention a great read.
February 7, 2017
Blazingly original debut by co-authors J.J. Gesher, A NARROW BRIDGE seeks to bring cultural, religious, and racial groups together through music, grief, and more.
After a childhood of rebellion, including drug abuse, Jacob Fisher has come to terms with his demons. Living as an Orthodox Jew in Brooklyn, his life is one of comfort and peace. Until the unthinkable happens and Jacob's world crumbles under the ruins of anguish.
What's a man to do but flee? He finds himself in a completely different world from his 'norm,' in the heart of the Alabama south...in the basement of a Baptist church. His life and presence is shrouded in mystique, but Rosie is determined to get to the bottom of Jacob's secret.
At once a psychological mystery and also a personal coming-to-terms novel. (It's not really suspense or thriller, but much more literary in terms of 'what's going on with this guy,' but we, the readers know). A NARROW BRIDGE merges the teachings of the Talmud with Christianity, intermingling with race, culture, resilience, the power of love and human connection--topics I find highly timely in this current political climate.
Written by co-authors Joyce Gittlin and Janet Fattal, the narrative is absolutely smooth and seamless, a strong sense of location, a deep understanding of culture.
In other comparisons, A NARROW BRIDGE reminds me a lot of the racial and religious animosity of Jodi Piccoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS meets MANCHESTER BY THE SEA meets Caroline Leavitt's 1993 INTO THIN AIR.It's required reading for 2017. Really.
For all of my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
I'm grateful to Prospect Park Books for the opportunity to be an early reader. A NARROW BRIDGE releases February 14, 2017.
After a childhood of rebellion, including drug abuse, Jacob Fisher has come to terms with his demons. Living as an Orthodox Jew in Brooklyn, his life is one of comfort and peace. Until the unthinkable happens and Jacob's world crumbles under the ruins of anguish.
What's a man to do but flee? He finds himself in a completely different world from his 'norm,' in the heart of the Alabama south...in the basement of a Baptist church. His life and presence is shrouded in mystique, but Rosie is determined to get to the bottom of Jacob's secret.
At once a psychological mystery and also a personal coming-to-terms novel. (It's not really suspense or thriller, but much more literary in terms of 'what's going on with this guy,' but we, the readers know). A NARROW BRIDGE merges the teachings of the Talmud with Christianity, intermingling with race, culture, resilience, the power of love and human connection--topics I find highly timely in this current political climate.
Written by co-authors Joyce Gittlin and Janet Fattal, the narrative is absolutely smooth and seamless, a strong sense of location, a deep understanding of culture.
In other comparisons, A NARROW BRIDGE reminds me a lot of the racial and religious animosity of Jodi Piccoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS meets MANCHESTER BY THE SEA meets Caroline Leavitt's 1993 INTO THIN AIR.It's required reading for 2017. Really.
For all of my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
I'm grateful to Prospect Park Books for the opportunity to be an early reader. A NARROW BRIDGE releases February 14, 2017.
July 15, 2017
I would give this a 4.5. I was a very lucky goodreads giveaway winner of the well written book. It is actually written by two women authors. " A Narrow Bridge" is about a man named Jacob who is an Orthodox Jewish man. He has grown up in Brooklyn. When he is around 20, he gets mixed up in drugs and sent away to rehabilitate. When he gets home he marries and becomes a father to three children. His life is changed drastically when witnesses the deaths of his whole family when the bus they are on is blown up. Terribly destroyed by this horrible tragedy, Jacob walks away boards a train and ends up in Alabama. The small town has about 98% African American. He ends up on the steps of a small church. MO the man who tends to the church takes him in. Jacob does not speak and cannot tell the townsfolk what happened to him. Slowly over the year he gets to know the townspeople. They know nothing of what happened to him. he is a mystery to them.Rosie the niece of MO is at first suspicious of Jacob. This is the story of how people of different cultures can come together. I don't want to give too many spoilers. but this is a very good read.
June 15, 2017
A beautifully moving depiction of a man torn apart by tragedy and healed by kind and caring strangers in a place far different from his home.
June 4, 2017
Jacob Fisher, an Orthodox Jewish cantor from Brooklyn, New York watches as his wife and three children die in a bus explosion. Unable to deal with his grief, he disappears wandering aimlessly ending up on the front steps of a Baptist Church in Brent Alabama. Completely broken and unable to speak, he is befriended by an elderly African American man, Mo who lets him find refuge in the church basement, where he slowly begins to heal. A Narrow Bridge is a beautiful story of the healing power of music, friendship, and faith that goes beyond race, culture and religion.
February 23, 2017
Engrossing, emotional story.
August 13, 2017
I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I connected with the main character almost immediately, and although I was worried some of the details of Judaism might go over my head, the author did a great job of clarifying most of the traditions and rules described throughout the story. I did think the ending was a disappointment, but getting there was a deeply emotional, thoroughly engrossing experience.
This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I connected with the main character almost immediately, and although I was worried some of the details of Judaism might go over my head, the author did a great job of clarifying most of the traditions and rules described throughout the story. I did think the ending was a disappointment, but getting there was a deeply emotional, thoroughly engrossing experience.
August 2, 2017
Loved the middle and found some beautiful quotes in here - the beginning and end were not as satisfying.
June 30, 2017
Very emotional book. Totally understandable how Jacob deals with his grief. I enjoyed learning more about the Jewish culture. However, I wish it had a different ending. Overall, a good quick read.
June 13, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by J.J. Gesher! The character development is outstanding – anyone of them could carry their own sequel or prequel (hint, hint). I became so absorbed with each character and their lives that I had to keep turning the page to see what happened next and ended up finishing the book in one day. Highly recommend!
March 21, 2017
An inspiring book about people with vastly different backgrounds finding they share much more in common than what was originally thought... A reminder that even during these difficult times, we are all humans trying to survive in this crazy world, and that we should approach each other with compassion and an open mind. Loved it!
May 11, 2017
My biggest take away from this book is the amount of emotion and clarity the authors convey with the least amount of words. Clear, beautiful language is used throughout the book. The characters are also fully realized and understood. This book is as close to perfect as you'll find. I recommend that you read the last few chapters at home or somewhere private unless you like to cry in public!
May 13, 2017
I savored this book. From the moment I began reading, it was hard for me to put it down. The characters were alive and very real. I cared about them and the story was touching and inspiring. I highly recommend this book because it really involved me and held my attention despite everything else going on around me.
February 18, 2017
Bridges worlds
A mesmerizing story of humanity and love that overcomes differences. The hope for the world is through understanding and this binds all together
A mesmerizing story of humanity and love that overcomes differences. The hope for the world is through understanding and this binds all together
March 25, 2017
A beautiful story sharing the heartbreak of a family and the journey to recovery and healing.
April 24, 2017
Loved the developed characters & how life's unexpected turns lead to new directions. It was very well written.
March 16, 2018
Overall, this book had a very interesting and unique plot. However, while reading, it sometimes felt as if very disturbing and emotional scenes were continually thrown at me as a reader. There seemed to not really be enough time between important plot pieces, making it tough to sometimes follow. Although this book had an incredible plot with many interesting scenes and characters, I felt as if it could have been spread out more and the book could have been at least fifty to a hundred pages longer, with more exposition and/or some more descriptions and reflections on the different aspects of society and religion portrayed in the story.
Besides those small weaknesses I saw with this book, it was a book that I enjoyed thoroughly. First off, it had a very unique plot, which I have never read anything like before. The authors combined two drastically different worlds, and made them come together in a meaningful way. The book also did a good job in exposing real world problems that are usually unheard of. For instance, drug addiction is a very prevalent problem in the orthodox-Jewish community, yet, it is generally unheard of; this book sheds light on these problems as well as uses them to create an interesting and new plot. A Narrow Bridge also is very strong in terms of character development. The authors take drastically unique characters, and give them interesting backgrounds and character traits, overall adding to the story.
As a whole, A Narrow Bridge is an above average book. Its unique characters and plot make for an interesting read that leaves the reader wishing for more.
April 1, 2018
A Narrow Bridge by J.J. Gesher
I’ve really been spoilt for good books these last few weeks. My latest, A Narrow Bridge by J.J.Gesher which is the pen name for co-authors Joyce Gittlin and Janet B. Fattal. Together, Janet and Joyce have won several prestigious screenwriting awards, including the Geller Prize and the Screenwriting Award at the Austin Film Festival
It is a deeply moving story about love, loss and redemption. This is the kind of book you want to make sure you have plenty of time for reading. It is not one that you can just put down so you can go and do other things while planning to pick it up again a little later on
It is a beautifully written and very moving story of Jacob, a man who experiences an unexpected and instantaneous loss. Jacob's shock, anguish and slow recovery are the heart of this story. Integral to Jacob's healing are Rosie, a Southern Baptist and her elderly, wise and patient, Uncle Mo. I loved the character of Uncle Mo!
During Jacob’s long convalescence, he remembers a significant passage, “The whole world is a narrow bridge, and we must not be afraid”. These words, adapted from the writings of the great Hassidic master Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav form the heart of the story and hence the title of the book. As Jacob, faces unimaginable tragedy, he finds his own narrow bridge to cross.
It is the story of a man torn apart by tragedy and healed by kind and caring strangers in a place far different from his home. Highly recommended and 5 stars from me
I’ve really been spoilt for good books these last few weeks. My latest, A Narrow Bridge by J.J.Gesher which is the pen name for co-authors Joyce Gittlin and Janet B. Fattal. Together, Janet and Joyce have won several prestigious screenwriting awards, including the Geller Prize and the Screenwriting Award at the Austin Film Festival
It is a deeply moving story about love, loss and redemption. This is the kind of book you want to make sure you have plenty of time for reading. It is not one that you can just put down so you can go and do other things while planning to pick it up again a little later on
It is a beautifully written and very moving story of Jacob, a man who experiences an unexpected and instantaneous loss. Jacob's shock, anguish and slow recovery are the heart of this story. Integral to Jacob's healing are Rosie, a Southern Baptist and her elderly, wise and patient, Uncle Mo. I loved the character of Uncle Mo!
During Jacob’s long convalescence, he remembers a significant passage, “The whole world is a narrow bridge, and we must not be afraid”. These words, adapted from the writings of the great Hassidic master Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav form the heart of the story and hence the title of the book. As Jacob, faces unimaginable tragedy, he finds his own narrow bridge to cross.
It is the story of a man torn apart by tragedy and healed by kind and caring strangers in a place far different from his home. Highly recommended and 5 stars from me
August 17, 2017
"The whole world is a narrow bridge and we must not be afraid." The saying is taken from the great Hassidic (Orthodox Jewish) Rabbi Nhaman of Bratzlav. In Hebrew it sounds like this: Kol ha-olam kulo gesher tzar m’od v’ha-ikkar lo l’faheid k’lal. In English, the translation is:
“The whole world is a narrow bridge, and the essential thing is not to fear at all.”
I am the lucky recipient of this electronic novel as a Goodreads giveaway winner. I entered the giveaway hoping for a book which addressed my spirituality and tradition as a Jewish woman, and educated my quest for understanding African-American life. My hopes were all fulfilled, as I followed the journey of Jacob Fisher as he navigates his way through his beliefs, his tragedies, and his struggle of man vs himself. For the most part, I found the book to be beautifully written, the characters richly formed, and I found myself engrossed to the point that I could not put it down. This rarely happens with me. The only thing that disappointed was the conclusion; it confused me and felt empty, although I completely understood the symbolism.
Please give this author (who is, in fact, two authors) a chance. You'll be glad you did.
“The whole world is a narrow bridge, and the essential thing is not to fear at all.”
I am the lucky recipient of this electronic novel as a Goodreads giveaway winner. I entered the giveaway hoping for a book which addressed my spirituality and tradition as a Jewish woman, and educated my quest for understanding African-American life. My hopes were all fulfilled, as I followed the journey of Jacob Fisher as he navigates his way through his beliefs, his tragedies, and his struggle of man vs himself. For the most part, I found the book to be beautifully written, the characters richly formed, and I found myself engrossed to the point that I could not put it down. This rarely happens with me. The only thing that disappointed was the conclusion; it confused me and felt empty, although I completely understood the symbolism.
Please give this author (who is, in fact, two authors) a chance. You'll be glad you did.
January 20, 2019
Jacob, an orthdox man, watches his family blown up by a bomb. He goes numb and somehow wakes up much later in the South. The black community, particularly Rosie and Mo, take him under their wing and he becomes the custodian of their church. The interaction of the people with Jacob makes him heal somewhat, but Rosie figures out who he is and unites him with his mother. He tries to come back to New York. The ending is strange, and unfulfilling.
October 2, 2019
3 3/4 Stars: A lovely book about horrific tragedy, grief, losing, and then eventually finding oneself. Great characters, mostly good writing. I hated the ending - it came out of nowhere, like the authors had to complete the book in that very moment. There were other weak writing moments, but the well-drawn characters helped lift it and kept me engaged.
December 20, 2020
A great read during a difficult year.
I having been reading many books during the pandemic. This is one that was highly entertaining, thoughtful and well written. The story deals with many of life's struggles in a believable way. Read this, you'll enjoy it.
I having been reading many books during the pandemic. This is one that was highly entertaining, thoughtful and well written. The story deals with many of life's struggles in a believable way. Read this, you'll enjoy it.
March 3, 2021
Excellent story, It was filled with excellent characters and the plot contained issues of suspence, love and Orthodox jewish life style in New York, and Southern Baptist negro church. Music. Surprise was it was written by two authors under on author name. I can recommend it wholeheartedly
July 23, 2017
Once I picked up this easy to read book I could not put it down. The story is very well written and keeps you interested. I highly recommend this book.
October 6, 2017
Great read!
Story grabs you and you cannot put it down. Characters you would never think to meet bond in a magical way
Story grabs you and you cannot put it down. Characters you would never think to meet bond in a magical way
April 2, 2018
This is an absolutely beautiful book, completely compelling, I could not put it down. The story lyrically describes Jacob's slow and gradual healing from the nightmare of seeing his entire family killed in an explosion on a bus. An Orthodox Jew who finds healing and reminds himself of love and music in a southern baptist church
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2018
See my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
October 6, 2019
Sad but lovely
I really enjoyed this book. The view into the Jewish faith was interesting, as was the way that another faith was also able to comfort Jacob.
I really enjoyed this book. The view into the Jewish faith was interesting, as was the way that another faith was also able to comfort Jacob.
February 8, 2020
This is a deeply moving book. It is heartbreaking, gripping and uplifting at the same time. I found the ending a bit disappointing, but this book was well worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews