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Journeys & Arrivals: On Being Gay and Jewish
In Journeys & Arrivals prize-winning author Lev Raphael explores for the first time in non-fiction the gay and Jewish identities that have dominated his highly acclaimed fiction for many years.
Journeys & Arrivals reveals in a collection of autobiographical and critical essays the influence these often conflicting identities of being gay and Jewish have had in his life and his writing.
The child of Holocaust survivors, Raphael came to his positive Jewish identity late in life and his gay identity even later. He describes growing up in a secular family, discovering a Jewish community, early sexual exploration, the turning point that came with writing his first autobiographical story, and life with his partner and his partner's sons. Other pieces report on gay literature, gays and lesbians in Israel, and the legacy of the Holocaust for both Jews and gays. Throughout, Raphael confronts with unflinching honesty the difficulties and rewards of laying claim to both a gay and a Jewish identity.
Journeys & Arrivals reveals in a collection of autobiographical and critical essays the influence these often conflicting identities of being gay and Jewish have had in his life and his writing.
The child of Holocaust survivors, Raphael came to his positive Jewish identity late in life and his gay identity even later. He describes growing up in a secular family, discovering a Jewish community, early sexual exploration, the turning point that came with writing his first autobiographical story, and life with his partner and his partner's sons. Other pieces report on gay literature, gays and lesbians in Israel, and the legacy of the Holocaust for both Jews and gays. Throughout, Raphael confronts with unflinching honesty the difficulties and rewards of laying claim to both a gay and a Jewish identity.
166 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1996
41 people want to read
About the author
Lev Raphael
46 books54 followersI've wanted to be an author since I was in second grade and fell in love with "The Three Musketeers", which I read to pieces. It hasn't been a swashbuckling life exactly, but one full of surprises, including recently selling my literary papers to Michigan State University's Libraries.
Since second grade, I've loved all sorts of books and have ended up writing nineteen books in many genres: memoir, mystery, short story collections, a children's book, and more. I've been an academic, a radio DJ, had my own talk show, and currently have three terrific giugs.
I write a monthly column for Bibliobuffet.com called Book Brunch. I blog at Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lev-rap...). And I do a monthly "Under the Radar" book review for WKAR 90.5 FM in East Lansing, MI. I'm always on the lookout for beautifully written books in any genre, but I more and more favor books from smaller presses, because they need more exposure.
I love reading my work and have done hundreds of readings on three different continents. Readings are performances, and I practice, practice, practice.
Since second grade, I've loved all sorts of books and have ended up writing nineteen books in many genres: memoir, mystery, short story collections, a children's book, and more. I've been an academic, a radio DJ, had my own talk show, and currently have three terrific giugs.
I write a monthly column for Bibliobuffet.com called Book Brunch. I blog at Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lev-rap...). And I do a monthly "Under the Radar" book review for WKAR 90.5 FM in East Lansing, MI. I'm always on the lookout for beautifully written books in any genre, but I more and more favor books from smaller presses, because they need more exposure.
I love reading my work and have done hundreds of readings on three different continents. Readings are performances, and I practice, practice, practice.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 14, 2023
Well, well, well. A chance to learn about one of the most reasonable Jewish gay writers in existence. Essays, excellent ones. I had read his essay on the critics of Dancer From the Dance before, and really liked his reasoning, and here are eleven more very well reasoned essays, mostly biographical. Great stuff!
Displaying 1 of 1 review