Upon publication of Alan Isler's first novel, the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "Isler is not yet our generation's Bellow or Singer, but he may become precisely that". With The Bacon Fancier, that prediction has been realized. Sanford Pinsker said in The Washington Post Book World: "Isler now joins the ranks of our best comic writers".

The Bacon Fancier is a work in which four tales are linked by a common theme: the Jewish experience in the Gentile world. With wit, tenderness, and sheer high spirits, Isler pits untidily human protagonists against the clear evil of anti-Semitism; the results are tales that are buoyant, alluring, and unexpected. Spanning four centuries and weaving in literary references with sparkling finesse, Isler has produced that rare work of profound significance with the electrifying storytelling that makes reading a serious pleasure.