Itzhak Mordekhai

Being a first-born son to Mashhadi parents who were born and raised in Mashhad, I found this book a fascinating read. Through Esther's descriptions I was taken on a mesmerising journey, at times funny, at times sad and painful, but always intriguing. I was transported on a magic carpet to the Eidgah (the jewish ghetto of Mashhad), hovering above its alleyways, smelling, hearing and seeing the everyday life my parents and ancestors lived. I saw the joys as well as tragedies, especially when my maternal grandfather had contracted typhus at the young age of forty, resulting in death on account of the primitive medical facilities in the city, leaving behind a widow, six young daughters and a son. I could also feel the joy my parents experienced as they played among themselves, trying to live a normal childhood in a concealed jewish reality, so dramatically portrayed in the book. When the writer's parents moved to America, what stood out most to me was their inability of removing Mashhad from their new lives, constantly re-living the "schizophrenic" existence they led in their home town. Even Esther and her two brothers were seemingly unable to "detox" their parents from their earliest life in Mashhad. Esther's writing skill can only be surpassed by her bravery and sincerity, especially when touching sensitive and painful memories. I cannot recommend HIGHLY ENOUGH this spellbinding memoir.