The Finkler Question

Julian Treslove, a former BBC radio producer with an undistinguished career, and Sam Finkler, a popular Jewish philosopher and television personality, are old school friends. Both remain close to their former teacher, Libor Sevcik, a Czech Jew nearing ninety. Libor and Finkler are recently widowed.

After the three dine together one evening, Treslove is attacked on his way home by a woman who hisses something he comes to believe was ’You, Jew’. The incident sets off a long obsession with all things Jewish, which he calls ’Finkler’.