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THE SONG OF DAVID FREED by Abraham Rothberg

THE SONG OF DAVID FREED

By

Pub Date: Jan. 15th, 1967
Publisher: Putnam

A familiar tale in the genre, set in New York City of the thirties, about a young, orthodox Jewish boy's jog into manhood and the wide world, a tale which generates both annoyance and a casual pleasure in recognition. Young David, a veteran of battles with non-Jewish street gangs at a tender age, faced with the decision to fight or ignore persecution, begins to understand his parent's reluctance to fight the easier battles, as he hears about the youthful struggles of other elders in the old country. But a series of tragedies involving the Italian family who live in the same house--old Pop unbending in the face of new world hardships; beautiful Toni who dies bearing an unwanted child; Vito, jailed because of his drifting into ""bad company;"" Joe, who gives up the girl he loves--and the trials of his own family in the depression, call up doubts. However, it is David's firsthand glimpse of the bold hypocrisy of a famous cantor, and David's loss of his singing voice with which he had inspired congregations and earned money for his family, that cut most grievously and finally destroy his religious faith. In a final gesture of renunciation, David shaves off his earlocks and faces a puzzling but demanding future. The warmth of an old tune, heavy on the vibrato... predictable market.