Houses of DETENTION by JEAN ENDE
4 Stars ABOUT THE BOOK - So, what's a nice girl from a good family doing in a place like the Bronx House of Detention? Like many immigrants who flee persecution, when the Rosens escaped the Nazis they thought life in America would be perfect. And for a while it was. Men developed successful businesses, a mink stole hung in every hall closet, overly abundant high-carb food graced all tables and grandma preserved traditions while finishing her weekly bottle of whiskey. But then cracks appeared-a teenager pushed boundaries so far that the police became part of the family story, an in-law loudly mourned the loss of status he had in their village and a woman with stricter beliefs married into the family causing catastrophic rifts. Despite the ever-present shadow of the Holocaust there's frequent humor. People who eat frozen, pre-packaged bagels are condemned, Cossacks who once incinerated towns are now Bar Mitzvah waiters carrying flaming cherries jubilee, the chippie dating...
