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Beyond the Pale

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About this listen

Beyond the Pale - winner of the Lambda Literary Award - tells the stories of two Jewish women living through times of darkness and inhumanity in the early 20th century, capturing their undaunted love and courage in luminous and moving prose. The richly textured novel details Gutke Gurvich's odyssey from her apprenticeship as a midwife in a Russian shtetl to her work in the suffrage movement in New York.

Interwoven with her tale is that Chava Meyer, who was attended by Gurvich at her birth and grew up to survive the pogrom that took the lives of her parents. Throughout the story, historical background plays a large part: Jewish faith and traditions, the practice of midwifery, the horrific conditions in prerevolutionary Russia and New York sweatshops, and the determined work of labor unionists and suffragists.

©2003 Elana Dykewomon (P)2013 Audible, Inc. Historical Jewish World Literature Russia Survival New York Middle East Suffrage Midwife

Editor reviews

Beyond the Pale is a touching, lyrical story that follows two immigrant women from the Pale settlement in Russia to New York. Dykewomom presents a powerful look into the experience of being Jewish and a lesbian, while also looking at the greater immigrant experience against the backdrop of poverty. It's a treat to have the writer herself perform this audiobook. Because they are her own words, she easily captures the rhythms of the poetic language. Meanwhile, her voice is so loving toward the characters that is hard not to be swept away by this beautiful, moving audiobook.
All stars
Most relevant

Would you listen to Beyond the Pale again? Why?

I would read again - I enjoyed the detail and characterisation - its a fascinating journey

What did you like best about this story?

The description of the bathhouse, the description of this world with the two horses who took turns at pumping the water.

Have you listened to any of Elana Dykewomon’s other performances? How does this one compare?

not yet !

Any additional comments?

This was a story which needed to be told and has been told beautifully.

Heartwarming story

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