Unorthodox

The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

By: Deborah Feldman

Narrated by: Rachel Botchan, Cassandra Campbell

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Called “brave and riveting” by Jeannette Walls, Deborah Feldman’s New York Times best-selling memoir of escaping from a strict Hasidic community includes a new afterword by the author as well as the epilogues from the original 2012 editions detailing the circumstances of her life after leaving her husband and forging new beginnings for herself and her young son.

As a member of the strictly religious Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism, Deborah Feldman grew up under a code of relentlessly enforced customs governing everything from what she could wear and to whom she could speak to what she was allowed to read. Yet in spite of her repressive upbringing, Deborah grew into an independent-minded young woman whose stolen moments reading about the empowered literary characters of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott helped her to imagine an alternative way of life among the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Trapped as a teenager in a sexually and emotionally dysfunctional marriage to a man she barely knew, the tension between Deborah’s desires and her responsibilities as a good Satmar girl grew more explosive until she gave birth at 19 and realized that, regardless of the obstacles, she would have to forge a path - for herself and her son - to happiness and freedom.

Remarkable and fascinating, this “sensitive and memorable coming-of-age story” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) is one you won’t be able to put down.

©2012 Deborah Feldman (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

UnOrthodox

I enjoyed the book thoroughly what a brave woman I recommend it highly very good I learned a lot in the lifestyle they had to live what was forced upon them and how sad it is for gay people or women that can’t get pregnant we tossed aside thank you

a very emotional and beautiful story

a reminder of the importance of women's rights to empower an educate sons and daughters

Honest & Heartfelt Story!

Loved this story, though wish the author narrated it herself!! Such honesty & heartfelt writing!

To be or not to be

who really chooses our path? divine intervention your parents or the lack of your religion this woman has faced so much in her Young Life I couldn't stop listening I actually yelled out loud a few times I felt her pain mental and physical But she had a dream and a drive to achieve more to life than what was planned for her

Excellent

This book was good. Very detailed and well written. Always intrigued by other cultures. Thank you

Captivating story

Such a powerful look into the orthodox Jewish world. I was pulled in right away and couldn’t put it down

So Sad

Growing up in Crown Heights Brooklyn I saw so many Jewish people that were very strange to me. I always wondered what must have been like to be that Jewish as I listen to the story I became sad even angry. Religion should be freeing. Being a Christian, I know that Jesus came to free the Jews of his time from the laws that bound them and kept them more slaves than the Egyptians. The only Law that we should follow is the law of love.

this story really affected me

I watched the Netflix and decided to read the book. it really affected me. what struck me most is how across the board all fundamental and orthodox religions are ultimately about power. and only a handful ever come out on top. and almost never are they women or children. even religious communities that start out with their hearts in the right place become corrupted, negligent, secretive, abusive and sometimes even deadly. I was so thrilled the author was able to establish a meaningful authentic existence for herself and her son
so grateful she decided to tell her story to enlighten many, and bring desperately needed hope to others.

Excellent

A well told tale. Thank you Deborah for sharing in such raw form. I’m sure your story will change lives for generations.

Great listen...

Okay, it was great, but if you are expecting the book to have something to do with the mini-series you will be surprised by how little matches up. I kept waiting for the two to sync and there were moments, here and there, where they did but for the most part these are two distinctly different stories and using an image from the filmed version as a cover for the book is a mistake. It was a wonderful book but it took a while to realize it was not the story I was expecting to hear.