The People and the Books: 18 Classics of Jewish Literature

Jews have long embraced their identity as "the people of the book." But outside of the Bible, much of the Jewish literary tradition remains little known to nonspecialist readers. The People and the Books shows how central questions and themes of our history and culture are reflected in the Jewish literary canon: the nature of God, the right way to understand the Bible, the relationship of the Jews to their Promised Land, and the challenges of living as a minority in Diaspora. Adam Kirsch explores eighteen classic texts, including the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Esther, the philosophy of Maimonides, the autobiography of the medieval businesswoman Glückel of Hameln, and the Zionist manifestoes of Theodor Herzl. From the Jews of Roman Egypt to the mystical devotees of Hasidism in Eastern Europe, The People and the Books brings the treasures of Jewish literature to life and offers new ways to think about their enduring power and influence.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 10/04/2016
ISBN: 9780393241761
Pages: 432
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 9.40h x 6.40w x 1.30d

Review Citations: Library Journal 08/01/2016 pg. 101
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/0001
Publishers Weekly 08/08/2016
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2016 pg. 74