Dear Reader, In this conversation between fellow Substack writer Joshua Doležaland me, we discuss how our formal education shaped our lives. Josh grew up in rural Montana in a deeply religious Christian home. I grew up in Manhattan as an assimilated Jew. But here we are, friends with very different backgrounds discussing how the stories of our education played out in unexpected ways.
Thanks for an interesting conversation. I always wished I had gone to college, but I was a mediocre student, at best. I finally reached a point where I was okay with the fact that I didn’t, but sometimes I wonder…
Wow, guys, what an excellent dialogue. At a time when so many Americans are finding reasons to be divided, deaf...and judgemental...you have demonstrated the value of just talking to one another. One note...when I was growing up, I lived at 222 E. 8th St. in Brooklyn. Apartment 4A. At one point, the tenants in 3A moved out and we heard that a rabbi had moved in. One night, my mother, father and I were walking home from a late dinner and the light was on in 3A. My mother laughed and said, "Maybe he's writing a book." He was. On the downstairs buzzer after 3A was "Potok," and he was writing The Chosen.
We never really got to know him, but when Nancy and I ran parent/child book groups, we used The Chosen for, I think, 7th grade. It's a great lesson in how you cannot really understand a point of view in conflict with your own unless you probe a little. That's pretty topical too.
Oct 21, 2023·edited Oct 22, 2023Liked by david roberts
Enjoyed reading the early parts and on education. I made comparisons and thought of those who could not afford college or education. How simple it is to differentiate and segregate people from early on. I don’t know much about Montana so could you explain why people from there are believed to be militia?
My Mom grew up in the Bronx till she nine, then her family moved to Louisville (in 1945), where I grew up. Most of her aunts and uncles never left the NYC area. When I was a kid, Mom always told me that New Yorkers were the most provincial people in the country.
Such a fascinating conversation. I found myself identifying with different aspects of both of your backgrounds. I’m from the south but had an academic father and always looked to the great cities of the north with a kind of romanticism. It was always assumed that I was going to college, but financial concerns kept me in the state instead of going to Boston, which was where I had my sights set. These sorts of conversations tell us a lot about the trajectories of our lives and bring about self-reflection.
1. What does elk taste like? 2. I inherited David's Halloween costume, the astronaut suit, but where the heck was the helmet? 3. Terrific exchange.
Thanks for an interesting conversation. I always wished I had gone to college, but I was a mediocre student, at best. I finally reached a point where I was okay with the fact that I didn’t, but sometimes I wonder…
Wow, guys, what an excellent dialogue. At a time when so many Americans are finding reasons to be divided, deaf...and judgemental...you have demonstrated the value of just talking to one another. One note...when I was growing up, I lived at 222 E. 8th St. in Brooklyn. Apartment 4A. At one point, the tenants in 3A moved out and we heard that a rabbi had moved in. One night, my mother, father and I were walking home from a late dinner and the light was on in 3A. My mother laughed and said, "Maybe he's writing a book." He was. On the downstairs buzzer after 3A was "Potok," and he was writing The Chosen.
We never really got to know him, but when Nancy and I ran parent/child book groups, we used The Chosen for, I think, 7th grade. It's a great lesson in how you cannot really understand a point of view in conflict with your own unless you probe a little. That's pretty topical too.
Enjoyed reading the early parts and on education. I made comparisons and thought of those who could not afford college or education. How simple it is to differentiate and segregate people from early on. I don’t know much about Montana so could you explain why people from there are believed to be militia?
I really enjoyed this conversation - learning a little more about both of you. I felt as though I was lurking on a Zoom call! Thank you both.
My Mom grew up in the Bronx till she nine, then her family moved to Louisville (in 1945), where I grew up. Most of her aunts and uncles never left the NYC area. When I was a kid, Mom always told me that New Yorkers were the most provincial people in the country.
Such a fascinating conversation. I found myself identifying with different aspects of both of your backgrounds. I’m from the south but had an academic father and always looked to the great cities of the north with a kind of romanticism. It was always assumed that I was going to college, but financial concerns kept me in the state instead of going to Boston, which was where I had my sights set. These sorts of conversations tell us a lot about the trajectories of our lives and bring about self-reflection.
Thanks John. Greatly appreciate the comment.
Great conversation to eavesdrop on. I’ve written Chaim Potok on my list of authors to check out. Thanks David and Josh.