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Foreskin's Lament: A Memoir by Shalom Auslander

Foreskin's Lament is Shalom Auslander's memoir of growing up in an abusive New York Orthodox Jewish family juxtaposed against his present life. His father was an alcoholic and his mother raised them according to strict Jewish law. He was constantly taught about an angry, vengeful God, and as he became older and stopped observing many of the Orthodox requirements, he was afraid of incurring God's wrath. Auslander takes a humorous look at his life with a serious consideration of exactly what type of relationship he should have with God. The Foreskin's Lament of the novel's title concerns his dilemma about whether to have his son circumcised or not. Foreskin's Lament has received positive reviews with the Cleveland Plain Dealer saying, "Some surely will view the book as heretical, because it probably is. Auslander calls God names you're not allowed to call your little brother. I found the book lyrical, hysterical and refreshingly atypical."