Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons
After escaping Germany during WWII, Jack and Sadie Rosenblum, together with their baby daughter, settle into a life of acting "English." In post-war England, however, no golf club will admit a Rosenblum. So Jack hatches a wild idea: he'll build his own. It's an obsession Sadie does not share, particularly when Jack relocates them to a thatched roof cottage in Dorset to embark on his project. worldcat - image & summary
JHT - When the Rosenblums arrive in England they are given a pamphlet written for immigrants on how to act like the English. This list becomes Jack's blueprint for fitting in. Wife Sadie years for life back in Germany. She is obsessed with remembering and doesn't want to become English.
Author Natasha Solomons uses her grandparents' experiences as the basis for this book. They were Jews who left Germany to settle in England. Internet searches didn't reveal whether or not her grandfather built a golf course as Jack did in this story.
This wasn't a page-turner for me. At times I came close to giving up on the book. I'm glad I persevered. When I read the last few pages, the word that came to my mind was "sweet." Jack and Sadie both found friendship and a new home and they rekindled their love and appreciation for each other.
I read the author's The Song of Hartgrove Hall and requested two of her other books from the library. This author is Jewish; religion or ethnic background seems to be an aspect of each of her books.
Themes I noticed – friendship, belonging, and relationship with the land. Can you remember the past in a way that it doesn't interfere with enjoying and learning from the present?
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