Review:

Mary Glickman's newest novel One More River tackled a story-line that I had not heard before – Jewish men trying to make their own way in the deep south of Mississippi. The story jumped back and forth between the life of Mickey Moe in the1960's to that of Bernard – his father around the 1920's/1930's. Both men embarked on journeys of discovery that affected them, and their children, for the rest of their lives; each story brimming with beautiful dialect and descriptions. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Mickey Moe and Laura Anne, their parental defiance setting the tone for the entire book. I also liked reading about Aurora May, one of my favorite characters, (no spoilers). Both story-lines come together to solve one mystery, and the level of detail left me reading all night. Unfortunately, my biggest pet peeve was no quotation marks! I do not enjoy having to figure out who is conversing, particularly when a book goes between different sets of characters and/or times. I think that the whole story would flow better with a more practical quotation method (“”). Overall, I found One More River to be a realistic family saga filled with nostalgia for down-home southern comfort. Recommended for historical fiction lovers, or those wanting to experience the South of the1920's through 1960's.

Rating: Bounty's Out (3.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Open Road Integrated Media) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. ( )

Addressing the same themes as those of the author’s earlier Home in the Morning, One More River explores issues of race, poverty and prejudice through two stories alternating between the 1920’s and 1960’s. In 1965, Mickey Moe Levy, in order to satisfy his future in-laws that he is good enough for their precious daughter, seeks to find out about his long dead father, Bernard Levy. His father’s story is told in parallel and through both tales the reader gets a glimpse of the prejudice and terrible conditions suffered by blacks in the 1920’s and the remnants of those conditions well into the 1960’s as the civil rights and feminist movements dawn, and also enjoy two powerful love stories.

Unfortunately, the similarity of themes to Home in the Morning takes away from the impact of this second book. There is no new ground covered here: poverty, racism, prejudice, discrimination against blacks and Jews -- the story is different (although it tangentially involves some of the same families) but ultimately the message is the same.

Thanks to the author and LTER for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )

An interesting story of a man's search for the truth of his father's past. The stories of the man and is father are interwoven so the reader gets a hint of present and past a little at a time. Good characters. ( )

I cannot recommend highly enough ONE MORE RIVER by Mary Glickman. I’ve been calling people to tell them to read it. I even convinced someone’s book club. Plus, ONE MORE RIVER is a 2011 National Jewish Book Award finalist in fiction, first runner up to Aharon Appelfeld's UNTIL THE DAWN'S LIGHT.

ONE MORE RIVER begins in the 1960s in Vietnam. That’s where Mickey Moe Levy is, associating what is around him with what he knows from home in order to live through his time there. In so doing, he recalls his family’s past.

Mickey Moe remembers especially meeting his wife, the beautiful Laura Ann. And now we need some background.

So we go back to Mississippi in the 1930s and 1940s before Mickey Moe was born. His mother, a beautiful high-born southerner, was somehow attracted to his father, an unattractive man with an unknown past but lots of money. They married, raised a family, and lived in a huge home in a swanky neighborhood and gave lavish parties. They always had lots of money, and were unaffected during the Great Depression.

But then Mickey Moe’s father died in World War II, and his mother couldn’t locate his money or his relatives. Mickey Moe was only 4 years old at the time. But it wasn’t until he was 25 that he bothered to look into the mystery that was Bernard Levy, Mickey Moe’s father. Mickey Moe needed to prove to Laura Ann’s parents that all his family history would meet with their approval.

So ONE MORE RIVER tells Bernard Levy’s story, beginning with his childhood. In alternating chapters, Mickey Moe recalls his and Laura Ann’s search for the truth about Bernard Levy. This is two stories, one mystery.

The writing is superb, the style original. At least, I can’t think of another author whose writing style is like Glickman’s. This book made me wish I could read it nonstop, with no interruptions, no need to go to work.

This review is of a copy won from popcornreads.com. ( )

The story of Mickey Moe as he goes back and traces his father's life trying to find out more about him. His father dies when he is four years old and Mickey knows little about him but finds out quite a lot and what an unusual man he was. The book had strong characters and read like a memoir however, the ending came and I was still wanting to read more. Will definitely read her previous novel and any in the future. ( )