REVIEWS+

My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner

A Family Memoir
by Meir Shalev
My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner: A Family Memoir. Schocken. ISBN 9780805242874. $24.95.
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A shiny American-made vacuum cleaner weaves its way, Zelig-like, through Shalev's affectionate portrait of growing up on the moshav in 1920s Palestine. The muddy hardships of settlement life are evident, but family stories hold center stage. (LJ BookSmack! 5/19/11) — "Best Books 2011: Memoir," Booksmack! 12/1/11
The elusive character of a sturdy but glamorous American-made vacuum cleaner pops up, Zelig-like, throughout Shalev's affectionate memoir of growing up in Palestine as the grandson of Ukrainian settlers in Nahala in the 1920s. The joys and hardships of life on the moshav (communal farm) are recounted in a bemused tone. Shalev's characterization of Grandma Tonia and her obsessive battle against the dust and mud of the settlements is most finely drawn. What I Am Telling My Friends An impressive storyteller, Shalev recounts a sweet family saga that will resonate with anyone who thinks about family and how stories keep them going. You decide how much of it is true. — "Memoir Short Takes" Booksmack! 5/19/11
Reviewed by Staff , Dec 01, 2011
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