Not Our Kind

The pseudonymous Zeldis masterfully transports readers to 1947 New York to depict the relationships that develop between a young Jewish woman and a Protestant family. Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy run into each other—or rather, their cabs collide—on Park Avenue, and the elegant Patricia invites the job-seeking Eleanor to her high-end apartment to help the young woman recover from the jolt. Patricia’s 13-year-old daughter, Margaux, an angry polio survivor who walks with the aid of a stick, is immediately drawn to Eleanor’s intelligent, forthright demeanor, and Eleanor finds young Margaux equally appealing. Patricia is also intrigued by Eleanor, even though she has “never entertained a Jew in her apartment before.” Eleanor, a Vassar grad, is hired to tutor Margaux in the Bellamy home, but Patricia’s bigoted husband, Wynn, is resistant to the idea. Eleanor accompanies the family on a summer retreat in Connecticut to continue working with Margaux, and passions begin to rise between Eleanor and Tom, Patricia’s brother, who joins the family in their summer home after a stint in France. Lively descriptions of 1940s clothing and culture complement the realistic characters. This is a vivid, winning novel. (Sept.)