A story of a man coping with his religion and family life. The main character learns about the struggles of his family members and the beauty behind his religion. His place in the family is defined by his role in the Passover Seder. He feels trapped by his family and his religion. This is his story of reconciling independence and family values. The secondary characters were intriguing and their individual stories revealed bit by bit throughout. This makes for a wonderful story of self realization and acceptance. ( )

1946. A Jewish guy with an abusive father and a lesbian sister goes through psychotherapy during WWII. They smoke constantly in therapy. He figures out how he feels about his family and moves on from the way he was stuck in life. A good portrayal of what therapy can do for a person. Good character development. Jewish issues. Oh and he's a newspaper photographer which is pretty cool. A lot of focus on how the seder has affected him year after year as the youngest son, reading the questions, but feeling that his father was desecrating what ought to be sacred just by being there. Dense, but worth the effort of reading. ( )