The Yiddish Policeman's Union

I know I promised an enumeration of the events of my trip, but I happened to finish the book I've been reading and I figure it best to write about it before my memory fades. So here goes...

I've never read a book by Michael Chabon until now. I found The Yiddish Policeman's Union, once again, at Barnes and Noble (I really do love it there) while strolling down the fiction isles. What engaged me to pick it up I do not know, but I'm glad I did.
I'll go as far as to say that it may be one of the best books I've read. It's unlike anything I've ever read before, a mystery of rare depth and composure.

Chabon whisks us away to an alternate history, where in 1948 the Holy Land of Israel is evacuated and abandoned by the Jews in wake of political turmoil. The American government, in its abounding kindness, relocates the Jews to Sitka, an island off the coast of Alaska. They are there for nearly 60 years, until the United States decides to initiate "The Reversion," which reinstates Sitka as Alaskan territory, ending its long run as an independent district.

The story, set in present day, follows Detective Meyer Landsman and his partner Berko as they attempt to solve a murder before this Reversion wipes clean their cases. The details I will not discuss. It would spoil the originality of Chabon's intricately detailed universe. I have great respect for a man who can create a wholly alien, backward world and turn it into a compelling backdrop for a detective mystery.

What makes The Yiddish Policeman's Union so special is the way Chabon constructs the world of Sitka, the mind of Detective Landsman, and the conglomeration of the two through long, drawn out descriptions. His extensive use of metaphor and symbolism turn the generally bland into flashy, exuberant prose. The overall premise, I believe, benefits greatly from this unique writing style. Here is a story that hits all the right notes. It never loses itself within the labyrinth of its own gloriously convoluted plot. It's story of love, uncertainty, violence and forgiveness, and I enjoyed every second of it.

To anyone who is interested in checking this book out, I give you a very enthusiastic recommendation. You wont be disappointed.