Yale Tishman

Yale Tishman is one of the two central protagonists of The Great Believers. Yale, whose name is an adaptation from an older Hebrew name, is in his early thirties. At the beginning of the novel, he is in a relationship with Charlie Keene and they live together. Yale works for Northwestern University and is helping them put together a permanent collection with works donated to the university by Nora Lerner.

Yale is gay. Though Yale himself feels little shame about his sexuality, he acutely feels the shame he receives from others. Unlike Charlie, whose mother is supportive of her son, Yale has no family members who support him. His father calls once a month, but never discusses or openly acknowledges his son’s sexuality. However, Yale is a fierce and dedicated friend.

Yale’s relationship with Charlie Keene is a source of drama and suspense in the...