Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English: A Novel

Natasha Solomons
Reagan Arthur Books (2010)
ISBN 9780316077583
Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (08/10)


“Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English” is the funny and sad story of a Jewish couple who has emigrated from Germany to England during WWII. Jack and Sadie leave behind her parents and brother and bring only their baby daughter Elizabeth. Although this is a hard transition for Sadie, Jack throws himself into English life with gusto. Upon his arrival in England, Mr. Rosenblum is handed a pamphlet called “While you are in England: Helpful Information and Friendly Guidance for every Refugee.” Wanting so bad to fit in, he follows this list religiously, and even starts adding to it.

Natasha Solomons writes eloquently about the push and pull between Sadie and Jack, the past and the future. Sadie has strong ties to Germany and her Jewish heritage and doesn’t want to forget her family there. She looks at pictures of her family, keeps up with her Jewish ceremonies, and reads her mother’s cookbook for comfort and memories. Jack wants to be seen as and respected as an Englishman. He wears Henry Poole suits, drives a Jaguar and when his final list item of joining a golf club fails due to his Jewish background, he takes matters into his own hands and decides to build his own.

The book has a fairy tale quality about it, something I really enjoy in a book. Sadie tries the recipes from her mother’s cookbook and cooks sadness into each dish. A Baumtorte is built layer by layer, reaching almost to the ceiling. Jack goes to great lengths to build his golf course and creates wild earth-moving contraptions. He also becomes a believer in the myth of the wooly-pig. These are the bits that expand the imagination and make a book above and beyond just a story.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. “Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English” combines a longing for the past with a sweet optimism for the future. Through it all, Sadie and Jack move apart then come back together in this heart-warming story that made me laugh and cry. Jack's unending desire to reach his goals will be an inspiration to any reader.

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