What becomes of the national leader deemed guilty, but whose popularity is such that punishing him would risk political upheaval or a “lost cause” movement ? Two books, focused on a historic trial, seek to answer the question.
Through all the multiple David Mamets, one personality remains constant: a bold, aggressive, exceedingly confident, superbly well-read, arguably narcissistic provocateur.
Jewish Baby Boomers like me grew up hearing about Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr. because they were two intellectually precocious, rich Chicago teenagers who were also Jewish.
In 1974, Martin Peretz and his wife Anne bought The New Republic with her money.
Eva Fogelman
A tradition at my friend’s Passover seder is for guests to go around the table and say what they would carry with them when leaving Egypt.
Marc Fisher
For more than four decades after he was suddenly and unceremoniously removed from participation in the 100-meter relay race at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Marty Glickman—then a young athlete, later a beloved voice of New York sports radio—vaguely and quietly chalked up the greatest disappointment of his life to “politics.”
When anxieties are rippling through the culture, novelists can’t help picking up the signal.
After Italian philosopher Umberto Eco published his first novel, The Name of the Rose (1980), to worldwide critical acclaim and instant bestsellerdom, scores of major humanities scholars started thinking about fiction as a possible genre for them too.
Forsaking one’s native country for another place can create an odd mix of new and old identities.
Moment
“And the Bride Closed the Door” is a broad comedy about a bride who refuses to go forward with her wedding ceremony, sowing havoc. The book captures a segment of Mizrahi society not often featured in Israeli fiction.
The story of the interactions between Jews in Israel and the Jewish and gentile supporters of Israel in the United States is complex and colored by the unique conditions that led to Israel’s birth.
It is very difficult to come up with a catalog of books for a literary tour of Israel. No matter how long the list, there will always be disagreements and arguments about the canon, what is included and what is left out.
