Former Israel ‘Hawk’ Tells of His Transformation to a ‘Dove’
It’s a well-worn political observation that “it took a Nixon to go to China,” meaning because President Richard M. Nixon was identified as a staunch conservative, he was trusted to go to mainland China...
Book Review: ‘The Age of Exodus’
Although not a fan of swashbuckling, derring-do literature, I was tempted to buy this book because its subject-matter combined ancient archaeology and the struggle to establish the modern State of Israel. An irresistible combination...
Short Story Focuses on IBM’s Business With the Nazis
The role played by IBM and its subsidiaries in facilitating the Holocaust with its punch card system has been well documented, most particularly by Edwin Black, an occasional writer for this publication and author...
One-of-a-Kind Biography about Author of ‘All-of-a-Kind Family’ Books
When the Association of Jewish Libraries evaluates a book with Jewish content that it finds particularly good, it awards the author its Sydney Taylor Book Award after the author of the All-of-a-Kind series of books that...
Novel portrays 3 English-speaking students at Hebrew University
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson’s eighth novel concerns three foreign students studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Each of them is from an English-speaking country; specifically the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Two are married,...
Political Biography Includes Anecdotes About Biden and Jews
While this book was published prior to the election by which Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, there is much in it that remains of interest — particularly for people...
Superman: The Mighty Analog
The answer to the question, “Is Superman circumcised?” in literature probably would depend on what the custom might have been on Krypton concerning the ceremony we Jews know as brit milah. Such an operation would have...
Novel Set in Warsaw Ghetto Has Verisimilitude
Normally, I am a bit wary of Holocaust fiction because I fear it will prompt Holocaust deniers to say, “See, it’s all made up.” But whether someone writes a novel or a rigorously footnoted...
Jewish Stories Are Everywhere — Especially in Books
It’s my joy to review for this publication many current books — especially memoirs, biographies, and novels — but occasionally when there are none left on the pile to review, I have the opportunity...
Novel Imagines German-Jewish Relationships at Close of 19th Century
The book cover gives a false impression of the contents of All Things That Deserve to Perish. While there are sexual situations that contribute to the outcome of the story, the major theme of this book...