Title: The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers
Author: Henry Bernstein
Genre: Historical memoir
Published: 2007
Number of Pages: 300
Recommended for: 13+
Summary: (official) The narrow street where Harry Bernstein grew up, in a small English mill town, was seemingly unremarkable. It was identical to countless other streets in countless other working-class neighborhoods of the early 1900s, except for the “invisible wall” that ran down its center, dividing Jewish families on one side from Christian families on the other. Only a few feet of cobblestones separated Jews from Gentiles, but socially, it they were miles apart.
On the eve of World War I, Harry’s family struggles to make ends meet. His father earns little money at the Jewish tailoring shop and brings home even less, preferring to spend his wages drinking and gambling. Harry’s mother, devoted to her children and fiercely resilient, survives on her dreams: new shoes that might secure Harry’s admission to a fancy school; that her daughter might marry the local rabbi; that the entire family might one day be whisked off to the paradise of America.
Then Harry’s older sister, Lily, does the unthinkable: She falls in love with Arthur, a Christian boy from across the street.
When Harry unwittingly discovers their secret affair, he must choose between the morals he’s been taught all his life, his loyalty to his selfless mother, and what he knows to be true in his own heart.
A wonderfully charming memoir written when the author was ninety-three, The Invisible Wall vibrantly brings to life an all-but-forgotten time and place. It is a moving tale of working-class life, and of the boundaries that can be overcome by love.
Content Review
Sexual content: None, really. I mean, nothing that would really offend anyone. A circumcision is told in somewhat detail.
Profanity: "Bloody 'ell" hell, one use of s***, b***ard. Racial slurs.
Violence: Jews are beat up, Henry's father goes into rages, smacks Lily, and pulls her hair on one occasion. Nothing super serious.
Drug content: Henry's father is a drunken idiot.
My opinion: I don't have a little brother, but if I did, I would want him to be like Harry. A librarian recommended this to me, knowing how much I like this kind of stuff and I was not disappointed.
(some minor spoilers included)
What makes the story the most is the people. I mean, the way their religion, background, and personality.
Harry - a sweet little Jewish boy who tells the story
Lily - Harry's intelligent Socialist sister, who has been deeply in love with a Christian since she was 12. (the character I felt most sorry for)
Arthur Forshaw - Christian boy in love with Lily, who fought in WWI
Harry's Mom - like any mother, who wants the best for her children and always trying to make ends meet.
Harry's Dad - a big jerk who doesn't care about his family, and who drinks and smokes and doesn't ever acknowledge his family
Rose - Harry's snotty sister who acts like her Dad
Sarah - Jewish girl sent to Australia for kissing a Christian boy
Freddy - Christian boy who Sarah kissed, goes to war, loses both his legs, and commits suicide
As a Christian who has been passionately curious about Judaism, hearing stories of Christian anti-Semitism make me so angry!! I can completely see why Jews don't approve of inter-marry. Jews have been persecuted for quite some time, and they want to keep their religion and traditions. This book (and some parts of Fiddler on the Roof) tell just how important keeping traditions are to them.
I think perhaps (in some cases, such as the two mentioned in the book) they take it a little to far, but I can see their point of view.
Anyways, the title seems to really fit the story. I mean, 2 rows of houses on the same street - each acting like the other doesn't exist? And then it is a love story that seems to tear off a few bricks on that invisible wall. Towards the end, the wall lowers, and is only a few feet high - the two sides can see each other, and are so much closer than ever before, but there is still a wall. And in the end, it is a baby who tears down the wall.
I would recommend it to high schoolers and up. There are some difficult sentences and I don't think anyone younger would get the plot enough to enjoy it.
Author: Henry Bernstein
Genre: Historical memoir
Published: 2007
Number of Pages: 300
Recommended for: 13+
Summary: (official) The narrow street where Harry Bernstein grew up, in a small English mill town, was seemingly unremarkable. It was identical to countless other streets in countless other working-class neighborhoods of the early 1900s, except for the “invisible wall” that ran down its center, dividing Jewish families on one side from Christian families on the other. Only a few feet of cobblestones separated Jews from Gentiles, but socially, it they were miles apart.
On the eve of World War I, Harry’s family struggles to make ends meet. His father earns little money at the Jewish tailoring shop and brings home even less, preferring to spend his wages drinking and gambling. Harry’s mother, devoted to her children and fiercely resilient, survives on her dreams: new shoes that might secure Harry’s admission to a fancy school; that her daughter might marry the local rabbi; that the entire family might one day be whisked off to the paradise of America.
Then Harry’s older sister, Lily, does the unthinkable: She falls in love with Arthur, a Christian boy from across the street.
When Harry unwittingly discovers their secret affair, he must choose between the morals he’s been taught all his life, his loyalty to his selfless mother, and what he knows to be true in his own heart.
A wonderfully charming memoir written when the author was ninety-three, The Invisible Wall vibrantly brings to life an all-but-forgotten time and place. It is a moving tale of working-class life, and of the boundaries that can be overcome by love.
Content Review
Sexual content: None, really. I mean, nothing that would really offend anyone. A circumcision is told in somewhat detail.
Profanity: "Bloody 'ell" hell, one use of s***, b***ard. Racial slurs.
Violence: Jews are beat up, Henry's father goes into rages, smacks Lily, and pulls her hair on one occasion. Nothing super serious.
Drug content: Henry's father is a drunken idiot.
My opinion: I don't have a little brother, but if I did, I would want him to be like Harry. A librarian recommended this to me, knowing how much I like this kind of stuff and I was not disappointed.
(some minor spoilers included)
What makes the story the most is the people. I mean, the way their religion, background, and personality.
Harry - a sweet little Jewish boy who tells the story
Lily - Harry's intelligent Socialist sister, who has been deeply in love with a Christian since she was 12. (the character I felt most sorry for)
Arthur Forshaw - Christian boy in love with Lily, who fought in WWI
Harry's Mom - like any mother, who wants the best for her children and always trying to make ends meet.
Harry's Dad - a big jerk who doesn't care about his family, and who drinks and smokes and doesn't ever acknowledge his family
Rose - Harry's snotty sister who acts like her Dad
Sarah - Jewish girl sent to Australia for kissing a Christian boy
Freddy - Christian boy who Sarah kissed, goes to war, loses both his legs, and commits suicide
As a Christian who has been passionately curious about Judaism, hearing stories of Christian anti-Semitism make me so angry!! I can completely see why Jews don't approve of inter-marry. Jews have been persecuted for quite some time, and they want to keep their religion and traditions. This book (and some parts of Fiddler on the Roof) tell just how important keeping traditions are to them.
I think perhaps (in some cases, such as the two mentioned in the book) they take it a little to far, but I can see their point of view.
Anyways, the title seems to really fit the story. I mean, 2 rows of houses on the same street - each acting like the other doesn't exist? And then it is a love story that seems to tear off a few bricks on that invisible wall. Towards the end, the wall lowers, and is only a few feet high - the two sides can see each other, and are so much closer than ever before, but there is still a wall. And in the end, it is a baby who tears down the wall.
I would recommend it to high schoolers and up. There are some difficult sentences and I don't think anyone younger would get the plot enough to enjoy it.
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