Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English

When Jack Rosenblum escapes from Nazi Germany to England with his wife and daughter, he dreams of a new life in which their Jewish identity will finally be accepted. Using the guidelines in a pamphlet for refugees, Jack tries desperately to learn the mores of the English, but he encounters mixed feelings from his wife regarding his efforts as she struggles to let go of their old life and come to terms with their new one. Narrating with meticulous care, James Adams depicts Jack's difficulties as he manages to become a successful businessman in England. After this achievement, Jack focuses on designing and constructing an English golf course in Dorset, and, with reluctant assistance from the locals, he manages to achieve his dream. Despite his successes, however, there are still those who will never accept him as a proper Englishman. In the end, Jack finds that it's his truest friends and loving family he values most. B.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine


When Jack Rosenblum escapes to England from Nazi Germany with his family, he dreams of acceptance and a new life. Following instructions in a pamphlet, Jack works hard to live by traditional English norms. His wife, who misses their old life, has mixed feelings about his efforts. Narrator James Adams portrays Jack with meticulous care and an inviting British accent. With affection, Adams depicts Jack's difficulties as he evolves into a proper English businessman. From that achievement, Jack sets another goal--to design and construct a golf course--with reluctant assistance from locals. In a compassionate tone, Adams portrays Brits who will never accept Jack as a true Englishman, despite his tireless efforts to impress them. In the end, Jack finds it's his truest friends and loving family he values most. B.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

April 19, 2010
Screenwriter Solomons's debut novel is the pleasant, ripped-from-the-family-archives story of German exile Jack Rosenblum and his unlikely postwar quest to build a golf course in the Dorset countryside. Fresh off the boat and with a “Helpful Information and Friendly Guidance for Every Refugee” pamphlet in hand, Jack dives passionately into assimilation, starting a booming carpet business, buying his suits at Henry Poole and his hats at Lock of St. James, and avoiding his native tongue at all costs. And while he can afford golf clubs at Harrod's, he can't check off the last item on his list: join a golf club. On impulse, he buys a damp acreage and embarks on the final leg of his assimilation. Meanwhile, his wife, Sadie, obsesses over the past, churning out Baumtortes
and other confections. It's undeniably winsome, and while the pace is lackadaisical at best, the details of postwar Britain are nicely observed, and the narrative offers a sweet perspective on some very heavily traveled turf.