Odd Man Out: An autobiographical series, currently in three volumes

Volume 1: Through the Eyes of a Child

I have written a book about my early life and my family. It can be found by looking up "Odd Man Out Brian Sacks" on Amazon. All formats (colour paperback, black-and-white paperback, Kindle e-book) are priced at virtually the minimum allowable by Amazon, and all royalties will be donated to hatzola.org.

Here is the description provided to Amazon:

This memoir recounts the young life of Brian Sacks, a Jewish boy growing up in 1950s and 1960s Finchley, north-west London. It chronicles his school days at a Church of England primary school and a local grammar school, alongside his Hebrew education at Finchley Synagogue and experiences praying at local synagogues, including one founded by his father. It paints word portraits of his family life and of the grown-ups who shaped it: parents Louis and Libby, grandparents and home help Ada. It continues with accounts of his undergraduate life in Cambridge in the early 1970s, and an account of the joys of running in his later life.

Brian reflects on the shared upbringing of his siblings: four brothers, each following an identical academic path through Cambridge’s Gonville and Caius College. He credits a part of their academic success to their memorable annual holidays in Cliftonville, Kent.

The narrative also explores his deep bond with his older brother Jonathan, who inspired him academically, prepared him for his barmitzvah, shared a bedroom and school life, and nurtured a mutual love for pop music. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, Brian reveals his youthful passions for music, mathematics, athletics and cross-country running - all of which continued to play a significant role in his later life.

Richly illustrated throughout with family photos, the book is augmented with illustrated reports of:

• Libby's work as a Fire Warden during World War II
• The history of Frumkin's Wines
• Rabbi Sacks' sporting interests.


This very personal account offers a snapshot of a bygone time, painting a vivid portrait of a family, a culture, a community and one particular Odd Man Out.

Volume 2: Moving On: Replanting a Life in Israel

This volume is also available on Amazon, as a colour paperback or a Kindle e-book, by searching for "Moving On Brian Sacks". Also priced at virtually the minimum allowable by Amazon, all royalties will be donated to hatzola.org.
Here is the description provided to Amazon: 

After living in South East England for almost 67 years, I moved to live in Israel in August 2018. Having studied and worked all my life within secular English society, and being proficient in English but totally unskilled in Hebrew, I experienced an immediate culture shock. To cope with this, I started a diary for my own therapeutic benefit. Of course, as well as recounting my sometimes annoying experiences, I also documented those happenings that were inspiring or funny or dramatic; in short, the joys as well as the frustrations.
This book is derived from that diary. Lavishly illustrated with colour photographs throughout, I hope it may be of interest to readers as a window onto life in Israel. Admittedly, it presents a highly selective window onto a very small part of Israeli life, coloured by the biases of a man who was new to the culture and the system and was facing a steep learning curve.
Of course, what is "challenging" for an individual can sometimes mean intriguing, instructive or amusing for an observer. In the light of that possibility, I hope this account is worthy of your attention.

The book can also be downloaded in PDF format by clicking on the “Moving On” photo above.

Volume 3: The Big Question

This volume is also available on Amazon, as a black & white paperback or a Kindle e-book, by searching for "The Big Question Brian Sacks". Also priced at virtually the minimum allowable by Amazon, all royalties will be donated to hatzola.org.
Here is the description provided to Amazon: 

The Big Question (the third volume of the series Odd Man Out) is a deeply personal exploration of faith, doubt, and identity. Raised in a Jewish family in mid 20th century England, Brian Sacks recounts his lifelong journey of questioning - from childhood lessons in Hebrew scripture, through the rituals of Orthodox practice, to the challenges posed by science and by his lived experience both within and outside a nuclear family.
With candour, clarity and humour, Sacks examines Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, deism and atheism, reflecting on how each tradition has shaped his worldview. He also explores Islam’s doctrine regarding the authenticity of the Bible and its accounts of its prophets. He offers both critique and appreciation of Jewish life, wrestles with theological dilemmas such as divine justice and the problem of suffering, and considers the intersection of religion and science - from the Big Bang to the multiverse.
This volume also includes essays originally published in The Jewish Chronicle and a series of thought provoking exchanges with ChatGPT on topics ranging from Judeo Christian values to dreams, prophecy, and the role of rabbinical authority.
Themes explored include:

•The tension between inherited faith and personal belief
•Judaism’s ethical teachings and enduring cultural contributions
•The validity, or otherwise, of Rabbinical authority and the “Oral Law”
•Christianity’s appeal and its points of divergence from Jewish belief
•The challenges of prayer
•Science, cosmology, and the limits of human understanding

At once memoir, theological reflection, and cultural critique, The Big Question is the testimony of a man who never quite fitted in to his faith community, yet never stopped searching. Whether you are a believer, skeptic, or seeker, this book invites you to engage with some of the profound questions that shape our lives: Was the universe created by chance or design? Do organized religions provide an answer as to how we should live? Do we cherry pick from what they offer, or do we simply work it out for ourselves?