Unorthodox Audiobook By Deborah Feldman cover art

Unorthodox

The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

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Unorthodox

By: Deborah Feldman
Narrated by: Rachel Botchan, Cassandra Campbell
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About this listen

Called “brave and riveting” by Jeannette Walls, Deborah Feldman’s New York Times best-selling memoir of escaping from a strict Hasidic community includes a new afterword by the author as well as the epilogues from the original 2012 editions detailing the circumstances of her life after leaving her husband and forging new beginnings for herself and her young son.

As a member of the strictly religious Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism, Deborah Feldman grew up under a code of relentlessly enforced customs governing everything from what she could wear and to whom she could speak to what she was allowed to read. Yet in spite of her repressive upbringing, Deborah grew into an independent-minded young woman whose stolen moments reading about the empowered literary characters of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott helped her to imagine an alternative way of life among the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Trapped as a teenager in a sexually and emotionally dysfunctional marriage to a man she barely knew, the tension between Deborah’s desires and her responsibilities as a good Satmar girl grew more explosive until she gave birth at 19 and realized that, regardless of the obstacles, she would have to forge a path - for herself and her son - to happiness and freedom.

Remarkable and fascinating, this “sensitive and memorable coming-of-age story” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) is one you won’t be able to put down.

©2012 Deborah Feldman (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio
Judaism Women Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about Unorthodox

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UnOrthodox

I enjoyed the book thoroughly what a brave woman I recommend it highly very good I learned a lot in the lifestyle they had to live what was forced upon them and how sad it is for gay people or women that can’t get pregnant we tossed aside thank you

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a very emotional and beautiful story

a reminder of the importance of women's rights to empower an educate sons and daughters

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Honest & Heartfelt Story!

Loved this story, though wish the author narrated it herself!! Such honesty & heartfelt writing!

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To be or not to be

who really chooses our path? divine intervention your parents or the lack of your religion this woman has faced so much in her Young Life I couldn't stop listening I actually yelled out loud a few times I felt her pain mental and physical But she had a dream and a drive to achieve more to life than what was planned for her

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Excellent

This book was good. Very detailed and well written. Always intrigued by other cultures. Thank you

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Captivating story

Such a powerful look into the orthodox Jewish world. I was pulled in right away and couldn’t put it down

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Such an inspiring and fascinating story.

So glad I listened to the book before the Netflix series comes out next week.

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8 people found this helpful

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Great read!

I read the book after binging the Netflix series. Netflix says their series is a loose adaption, and that's true. The book is so much better.

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A peek into the unknown

I live in an area where there is a huge Hasidic community. I’ve always been fascinated by them. I know they are a community that looks out for each other. And they have very strict rules and prefer not to social with non Hasidic people. It’s interesting to see inside their world. This is a well told story on both the authors, and narrators parts. I have so many more questions though!!

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Very thought provoking

We see the inside of the Hasidic faith and learn that not all who celebrate this religion are content with it. It is very well written.

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