How could I not love a book written by my father, David S. Burcat, and me? Here is what others have said:
“Father-and-son writing team Joel and the latHow could I not love a book written by my father, David S. Burcat, and me? Here is what others have said:
“Father-and-son writing team Joel and the late David Burcat have crafted a novel rich with Philadelphia history and a heavy dose of baseball…A fresh, heartfelt take on the American dream and the golden era of the national pastime.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Immersive & culturally rich—a novel about lifechanging choices—and temptations—over the course of the Phillies miraculous 1950 season...An emotionally resonant tale of love, loyalty, and finding one’s path, Whiz Kid is a cerebral, personal reading experience. But it is also about the love of baseball…Both historically and culturally rich, especially for the Philadelphia fan, Whiz Kid is a vivid evocation of a lost era in America, where baseball and love were enough to get people up in the morning.” —Peggy Kurkowski, Independent Book Review
“Strong in mind and spirit, this one is an entertaining nugget, a tempest of emotion, worth every second of your time." —Steve Berry, NY Times Best-Selling Author
“Whiz Kid is a heartfelt historical novel about identity and ambition that recreates in vivid detail post-war Philadelphia, particularly post-war Jewish Philadelphia and Camden. In this remarkable homage to his father Joel Burcat has fashioned a beautiful setting into which he has set the sparkling gem, the manuscript of a novel that his father had left him…[A] loving, beautiful work by his son.” —Howard Langer, winner of the 2025 National Jewish Book Award (Book Clubs) ...more
Howard Langer’s The Last Dekrepitzer is a compelling and unusual novel that I highly recommend, particularly for readers interested in stories that exHoward Langer’s The Last Dekrepitzer is a compelling and unusual novel that I highly recommend, particularly for readers interested in stories that explore identity, faith, and cross-cultural connections. The book traces the remarkable life of Rabbi Shmuel Meir Lichtbencher—known by several names, including Sam Lightup, Sam Light, and the Dekrepitzer Rebbe—from his childhood in a small Polish village, through the horrors of World War II, and ultimately to his life in America, spanning rural Mississippi, Manhattan, and a chicken farm in New Jersey.
Shmuel Meir is the last scion of the Dekrepitzer Rebbes, leaders of a small and obscure Hasidic dynasty in Poland. His world is shattered by the Holocaust, which wipes out his community in a brutal fashion. He survives only because he is rescued by African American GIs who smuggle him back to the United States at the end of the war. This bond with the Black soldiers introduces him to their community in rural Mississippi, where he is cared for and begins to rebuild his life. While the war strips Shmuel Mair of much of his faith, he retains a profound belief in God and develops a deep appreciation for the people who saved him.
One of the most striking aspects of the novel is Shmuel Mair’s violin. He plays a mixture of Hasidic melodies and Black gospel music, a symbolic merging of his two worlds. Notably, he plays his great-grandfather’s violin "backwards," holding it in his right hand and the bow in his left—an apt metaphor for his unique and unconventional journey. His music becomes a beacon as he performs across New York City, longing to reconnect with anyone who might have survived the destruction of his village.
The novel is particularly sensitive in its portrayal of the Black communities in rural Mississippi and New York City. Sam, as he is often called, finds solace, love, and a sense of belonging among these communities, seeing them as an extension of the family he lost. His relationship with Lula, a Black woman who converts to Judaism and becomes his wife, is tender and beautifully rendered, drawing parallels between the isolation and resilience of both their cultures.
While The Last Dekrepitzer doesn’t serve as a primer on Hasidism or Judaism, it offers a vivid window into life in mid-20th-century Mississippi and New York City. Langer’s descriptions of these settings are immersive and evocative, capturing the texture of the era and the intersections of race, religion, and music. The novel resonates with echoes of Michael Chabon’s masterpiece, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, blending historical fact and fiction in a similarly inventive way. It also outshines at times, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store in its exploration of the deep, historical bonds between poor Black and Jewish communities of the mid-Twentieth Century.
The book’s strengths lie in its richly drawn characters and its exploration of identity through Sam’s multiple names. Each represents a different facet of his life and identity, shaped by trauma, resilience, and love. Langer also gives depth to Lula, portraying her as a woman of immense faith, love, and compassion. The novel’s portrayal of the street music scenes in New Orleans and New York City during the 1950s and 60s is particularly vivid; you can almost hear Sam’s violin blending with the rhythms of gospel and jazz in the subways and streets.
However, the novel has its flaws. As Langer’s debut, it occasionally suffers from uneven pacing, with some parts of Sam’s life detailed exhaustively while others are rushed or skipped. The narrative perspective can also be confusing, shifting between characters without clear transitions. Most notably, the ending is abrupt, lacking a proper climax or resolution.
Despite these shortcomings, The Last Dekrepitzer is a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. Langer’s ability to weave themes of music, faith, and cultural intersectionality makes this novel stand out. I look forward to his future works—perhaps a sequel exploring the life of Sam and Lula’s son, a Black Hasidic violinist navigating the complexities of New York City in the 1960s and 70s. Now that would be another story worth telling.
Ms. Nork provides a peek at several different worlds. Her characters are extremely well-developed and she provides a strong senseExcellent debut novel
Ms. Nork provides a peek at several different worlds. Her characters are extremely well-developed and she provides a strong sense of place. I really didn’t think a book about an insurance investigator would be fun to read- i’m glad I was wrong. An excellent debut novel.
Merged review:
Excellent debut novel
Ms. Nork provides a peek at several different worlds. Her characters are extremely well-developed and she provides a strong sense of place. I really didn’t think a book about an insurance investigator would be fun to read- i’m glad I was wrong. An excellent debut novel....more
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