David Hirshberg

Too many characters and interweaving plots don’t have enough gravitas to make it worth reading. The political stuff including graft and voter tampering left me cold. The very side story about an ostrich and circus provide a few moments of interest This story about Joey a retiring radio announcer barely holds the lose glue of the plot together. Much of the book revolves around Joey’s Uncle Jake (Jacob) who survived the holocaust and pretended to have polio instead of admitting he was depressed from survivor’s guilt that would lead him to suicide. Each character had a story that gets refuted later in the novel as not being true. Then the author cops out, by telling us that he can make up whatever he wants. Talk about an unreliable narrator.… (altro)

It always surprises me to see a book about the 1960s listed as historical fiction. In some ways, it doesn't seem that long ago -- those were the years that I grew up - from 12 to 21! Jacobo's Rainbow looks at those years - at the free-speech movement, the Vietnam protests and the anger that the college students had against the government. It also shows the racism and sexism that existed even among the same college students who wanted free speech. Unfortunately we still see a lot of this in America today.

Jacobo grew up in a small town and went to college at University of Taos in 1963. The students on campus believed that he was Indian because of his name and where he grew up. He was quickly caught up in the free speech movement on campus led by a charismatic man who seemed to have all the answers. Instead of being a real part of the action when the group takes over an administration building, he is handed a notebook and told to keep track of everything that is said during the protest because he's still considered an outsider. When things go terribly wrong with the building takeover, Jacobo is blamed and he sneaks out of town and heads home. When he's arrested he's given two choices - either jail or joining the military and going to Vietnam. He continues to chronicle his life and fifteen years after the original free speech protest, he looks back on his life and all of the changes that he's been through.

This book is about the protests of the 60s but, to me, more importantly it's about prejudice - against Jewish people, against women and against everyone who thinks differently than the leadership of the protest. This was a well written introspective book about what was going on in the 60s and how we see some of the same attitudes today. It gives the reader a lot to think about. I look forward to reading future books from this author.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.… (altro)