August 01, 2012
My Country, My Country
Mary Antin’s ringing endorsement of Americanization—of being “made over”—which appeared in 1912 in her autobiography, The Promised Land, probably did
March 28, 2012
When General Grant Expelled the Jews, A Response, Part 2
Of all people, surely my esteemed colleague, Jonathan Sarna, should know that attentive, careful and thoughtful readers—and reviewers—take their cues and draw their conclusions from both the tone and the substance of what is put before them. Jenna Weissman Joselit *To read Jenna Weissman Joselit’s original review, click here. *To read Jonathan D. Sarna’s response, click here.
March 21, 2012
Sin and Repentance
Jonathan Sarna's new book When General Grant Expelled the Jews argues that instead of of demonizing the man, history—or more to the point, American Je
December 21, 2011
Blessings
The Rosenwald School takes center stage in Stephanie Deutsch’s book, which charts the steadily expanding alliance between Booker T. Washington and Jul
November 15, 2011
Praying with Ghosts
Jonathan Boyarin’s deeply felt account of the summer he spent a few years ago tending to the needs of an embattled little shul in the heart of the Low
September 13, 2011
Carats and Sticks
Alicia Oltuski’s book seeks to demystify a business known far and wide for its fidelity to discretion: the diamond trade. At once global and local, im
August 01, 2011
Jews Don't Eat Insects
In this decidedly post-modern iteration of Jewish travel literature, Levy finds himself in the rural heartland of China where incongruities abound: Pi
September 22, 2010
Post-Treyf America
In the manner of its production and distribution, and certainly its promotion, kosher food now owes as much to the conventions of modern America and t
June 21, 2010
The Point
Angus Trumble is also given to great bursts of enthusiasm and equally great swaths of arcana about the human digit. Trolling through art history and a
February 17, 2010
Here's to You, Mrs. Feitlebaum
Weird and funny in all the right places, even downright transgressive at times, Gross’s language imported the sounds and syntax of Yiddish into spoken
