Book Review: My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner

This is how it was: Savta (Grandma) Tonia, a Russian-Jewish woman, joined her husband Aharon to become a farmer in British Mandatory Palestine in the 1920s, during the Third Aliyah. From his viewpoint as Tonia's grandson, Meir weaves a charming tale of his family's life in the village of Nahalal, from sunrise to sunset. 

 

But at the center of it all is a mystical vacuum cleaner. How did this device, an electric appliance from America, powerful as a fire engine and twice as glossy, come to live in Tonia's Middle Eastern home? And what does it mean for the dust and dirt that forever threatens to encroach upon the doorstep?

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Let me clear: nothing grand happens in this book. Nothing huge or dramatic. It's all about the characters and the setting, not the plot. But it's written in such a charming way, "in a manner more precise than reality", that I greatly enjoyed it. The style is a lot like A Gentleman In Moscow, with a simple ending that wraps up quickly.

 

One thing I found odd was that after all that charming characterful narrative, the end of the book involves (spoiler) the author cheating on his girlfriend. It's just an odd thing to include in contrast with the rest of the story...

 

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it!