The Last Jew

by Noah Gordon

In the year 1492, the Inquisition has all of Spain in its grip. After centuries of pogrom-like riots encouraged by the Church, the Jews - who have been an important part of Spanish life since the days of the Romans - are expelled from the country by royal edict. Many who wish to remain are intimidated by Church and Crown and become Catholics, but several hundred thousand choose to retain their religion and depart; given little time to flee, some perish even before they can escape from Spain.

Yonah Toledano, the 15-year-old son of a celebrated Spanish silversmith, has seen his father and brother die during these terrible days - victims whose murders go almost unnoticed in a time of mass upheaval. Trapped in Spain by circumstances, he is determined to honor the memory of his family by remaining a Jew.

On a donkey named Moise, Yonah begins a meandering journey, a young fugitive zigzagging across the vastness of Spain. Toiling at manual labor, he desperately tries to cling to his memories of a vanished culture. As a lonely shepherd on a mountaintop he hurls snatches of almost forgotten Hebrew at the stars, as an apprentice armorer he learns to fight like a Christian knight. Finally, as a man living in a time and land where danger from the Inquisition is everywhere, he deals with the questions that mark his past. How he discovers the answers, how he finds his way to a singular and strong Marrano woman, how he achieves a life with the outer persona of a respected Old Christian physician and the inner life of a secret Jew, is the fabric of this novel. The Last Jew is a glimpse of the past, an authentic tale of high adventure, and a tender and unforgettable love story. In it, Noah Gordon utilizes his greatest strengths, and the result is remarkable and moving.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Spain, Jewish, Novels, Religion

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Noah Gordon was an American novelist.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're like me and don't know a lot about late-15th-century Spain, this novel is a nice accessible little history lesson. I learned a lot about beliefs and customs at the time of the Spanish Inquisition.

Ferdinand and Isabella issued a royal edict expelling all Jews from Spain. Fifteen-year-old Yonah Toledano is a Jewish boy whose family members have all fled or been slain. He stays in Spain, keeping his Jewishness a secret and using a Christian name. He travels far and wide on his trusty burro, Moise, taking on whatever work he can find for days, months or years at a time. Whenever it appears he may be found out, he steals away at night.

As the years go by, Yonah works as a farm laborer, sailor, metalworker, shepherd, and eventually a physician's apprentice. Through his journeys and the people he meets, you get to learn all kinds of interesting things about life in that era. I had no idea they were performing successful cataract surgeries that long ago!!

The author's deep research is evident, but he doesn't go off on long historical tangents. He just incorporates the knowledge into the story, which is nice.

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5Solo habia leido “ El médico” de Noah Gordo, y tenia este pendiente desde hace tiempo… y madre mia, tenia que haberlo leido antes.
Novela ambientada en la España del siglo XV, justo en el momento de la expulsión de los judíos por la Inquisición. En este caso nos encontramos en Toledo como ciudad principal, cuando es asesinado un joven judío lo que llevara a una investigación. Uno de los hermanos del asesinado, Yorah, será nuestro protagonista, el cual tendrá que afrotnar la vida adulta demasiado pronto, y salvar su verdadera identidad, lo que le llevará a huir y a sobrevivir por cada ciudad que va pasando, en una época marcada por la religión y por ello tendrá que ocultar sus creencias.
Según iba avanzando la historia, iba sufriendo con nuestro personaje, he aprendido mas sobre la “Santa Inquisición”, la cual mataba a todo aquel Judío que encontraba y a todo aquel que se les ponía por delante poniendo como escusa que no habia abandonado la fe judía… Aun así, Yorah consigue sobrevivir, conoce a muchísima gente dispuesta a ayudarlo, y según vas leyendo te vas preguntando, llegara a estabailizarse en algún momento? Lograra sobrevivir de todo esto?
Una novela que trata la supervivencia, la injusticia, la amistad, el amor, la lucha por lo que único quiere, habla de la religión y de la política… con una pluma maravillosa, el autor hace que te adentres en la historia y en la época de una manera estupenda. Después de leer “El judío” tengo ganas de seguir leyendo mas e incluso de releer “ El médico”.
El final para mi, es perfecto, maravilloso, se me ponen los pelos de punta solo de pensarlo, creo que cierra bien una historia y hace que el libro sea maravilloso.

[Cynnamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spain, late 15th/early 16th century. Jona, the young son of a Jewish silversmith from Toledo, sees his older brother murdered while delivering reliquary jewelry. Shortly afterwards, the Jews were expelled from Spain, but before that, his father was killed in a pogrom and the rest of the family had to obey the deportation orders.

Jona is left behind alone and runs away from Toledo, always striving to hide his true identity and to ensure his survival. One day, after numerous other experiences, Jona comes across a doctor who accepts him as an apprentice and becomes a doctor himself.

Jona remained connected to Judaism all his life, as it was obviously part of his identity for him, although he had to pretend to be a faithful Christian on the outside.

Owing to the era, religion is the determining factor for people, even if much of it is due to the fear of the overwhelming power of the Church and the Inquisition.

The first third of the book dragged quite a bit for me, as it was almost exclusively about religion, but after that it became more interesting and more fluid to read.

What bothered me, however, was that the author didn’t allow a single loose thread in his story. What I mean to say is that almost everyone who appeared in a more important role in the book reappeared at some point towards the end. Jonah met them all again quite by chance in different places. That was a little too much for me.

Otherwise, the novel is an easy to read story from Spain under the Habsburg rule. After the expulsion of the Muslims, which is not discussed further in this book, we learn here that the Jews did not fare much better, only that the Jews did not wage war against their oppressors.

In my opinion 3 stars.
------------------------------
Spanien, Ende des 15./Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts. Jona, der junge Sohn eines jüdischen Silberschmieds aus Toledo erlebt, wie sein älter Bruder bei der Auslieferung von Reliquienschmuck ermordet wird. Kurz darauf werden die Juden aus Spanien verwiesen, aber noch zuvor kommt sein Vater bei einen Pogrom uns Leben und der Rest der Familie muss den Ausweisungsbescheiden Folge leisten.

Jona bleibt allein zurück und begibt sich auf Wanderschaft, immer bestrebt seine wahre Identität zu verbergen und sein Überleben zu sichern. Wie der Titel des Buches verrät, gerät Jona eines Tages nach zahlreichen anderen Erlebnissen an einen Arzt, der ihn als Lehrling aufnimmt und wird selbst Arzt.

Jona bleibt sein Leben lang dem Judentum verbunden, da es für ihn offenbar Teil seiner Identität ist, obwohl er nach außen vorgeben muss ein gläubiger Christ zu sein.

Der Zeit geschuldet ist die Religion der bestimmende Faktor für die Menschen, auch wenn viel davon auf die Angst vor der Übermacht der Kirche und der Inquisition zurückzuführen ist.

Das erste Drittel des Buches habe ich mich mit der Geschichte ziemlich abgeplagt, da es fast ausschließlich um das Thema Religion ging, aber danach wurde es interessanter und flüssiger zu lesen.

Was mich dennoch gestört hat, war, dass der Autor so ziemlich alle Fäden wieder aufgenommen hat. Damit will ich sagen, dass nahezu alle Personen, die im Buch in einer wichtigeren Rolle vorkamen irgendwann gegen Ende wieder aufgetaucht sind. Jona hat sie alle ganz zufällig an unterschiedlichen Orten wieder getroffen. Das war mir dann doch ein wenig zu sehr gestellt.

Ansonsten ist der Roman eine gut lesbare Geschichte aus dem Spanien unter der Habsburger-Herrschaft. Nach der Vertreibung der Muslime, die in diesem Buch nicht weiter thematisiert wird, erfahren wir hier, dass es den Juden nicht viel besser erging, nur dass die Juden sich nicht kriegerisch gewehrt haben.

Aus meiner Sicht 3 Sterne.

[Beatriz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah Gordon... impecable! Como siempre nos deleita con una lectura entretenida, fresca y muy bien documentada. Sin embargo y aunque uno trate de evitarlo, es imposible no compararlo con otro de sus libros: El médico, por las similitudes en el argumento.

Así nuevamente nos encontramos con un personaje principal que desde muy joven se enfrenta a la dolorosa pérdida de su familia y debe sobrevivir como pueda, en una época marcada por el fervor religioso, en la que además debe ocultar sus creencias.

Sin embargo, en este libro sólo se trata la supervivencia de este personaje, a diferencia del El médico en que el protagonista actuaba obsesionado por alcanzar su destino. Creo que ese leitmotive es lo que le falta a El último judío para alcanzar la grandeza que uno espera en una obra de Gordon. De todas maneras, es un libro bellísimo, con un final “redondo”, una lectura que se disfruta mucho y absolutamente recomendable.

[Garden Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decepcionante novela histórica de Noah Gordon, autor de grandes clásicos del género como "El médico" y su secuela "Chamán".

Acá conocemos a Yonah Toledano, un joven judío, que se queda huérfano por culpa de Fra Bonastruca, un poderoso sacerdote, que lo largo de la novela se transformará en su contraparte y que llevara a nuestro protagonista a adoptar una nueva identidad con tal de ocultarse de los inquisidores. A lo largo de la novela Yonah viajará por España desempeñándose en distintas labores que lo llevaran a finalmente transformarse en médico, un claro guiño del autor a sus anteriores novelas.

Para iniciar aclaro que la novela está bastante bien escrita en cuanto a diálogos, descripciones y planteamiento de trama (prosa). El protagonista vive un montón de aventuras y el villano es, a lo sumo, creíble y también repugnante. No obstante, ¿Por que aún así lo he calificado con solo dos estrellas? Y la respuesta es sencilla, hay inconsistencias espantosas y conveniencias descaradas en pos de crear una trama héroe-villano que, tal vez, en una novela de género distinto hubiera funcionado, pero aquí, en una novela histórica, se siente forzado y hasta caricaturesco.

Tal vez sí esta hubiese sido la primera novela que hubiese leído de este autor mi percepción final hubiera sido distinta, pero cuando recuerdo lo espectacular que fue "El médico" y lo entretenida que fue "Chamán", mi percepción de "El último judío" es de una novela floja que toma elementos de las novelas anteriores para forzar una trama inconsistente y a ratos rebuscada. El solo hecho de pensar en las reliquias sagradas qué se muestran al inicio de la historia me recuerda a una mala novela de fantasía. O el mismo hecho de que el protagonista quisiera venganza y al final decidiera tomar un camino distinto me deja sensación de "coitos interruptus" nada agradable. O el mismo nombre de la novela, "El último judío", poco tiene que ver con un personaje que termina por reconocer que poco sabe de lo que es ser realmente ser judío, terminando en una especie de híbrido entre lo que es el cristianismo y lo que recuerda de su antigua y poca prácticada fe... sin contar que la España del siglo XV es del porte de un pañuelo, el protagonista se encuentra en cada esquina y en cada lugar que va con sus enemigos ¡Demasiadas conveniencias, escasa verosimilitud!

No lo sé, una novela que me ha dejado frío. Con buena prosa, pero de trama floja y forzada. Sentí que el autor se limitó a tomar ideas de sus novelas anteriores y las mezclo con unos cuantos hechos históricos de la Edad Media y listo ¡Nuevo libro!

Solo podría recomendarla por la buena prosa y su ambientación historica. En lo demás me ha decepcionado.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon's scathing denunciation of prejudice and its effects, couched in a moving narrative. Yonah, a young Jew in 15th century Spain, is forced to flee his home of Toledo after a younger brother and father, a talented silversmith, are killed in what we'd call a pogrom which followed Ferdinand and Isabella's infamous Order of Expulsion of Jews from Spain. Yes, THOSE monarchs! Yonah, throughout his life, holds on to his religion and stays one step ahead of the horrible Inquisition. He represents himself as a Christian under an assumed name, Ramón. The novel recounts his flight, his years of manual [and menial] labor as farm hand, seaman, and shepherd. He finally apprentices himself to an armorer. Each time, some incident forces him to keep on the move. He finally ends up in Saragossa, and becomes a physician. Can he maintain his integrity and his false identity?

The novel gave me a lot to think about, which might be simplistic--why are men prejudiced in matters of religion? It to me is one's personal belief--a matter of faith--and should be respected. I got a feeling for the times at which the story took place, through the author's vivid descriptions. The action seemed too fortuitous and on occasion contrived; Yonah would meet just the right person at just the right time.

The author's research into the period was thorough--conducted mainly through interviews with and help of people mentioned in the extensive Acknowledgements. The maps of Yonah's journey from Toledo and to Saragossa on the endpapers were invaluable.

[Anna Engel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is that, upon the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, young Yonah Toledano is left alone as the last Jew in Spain (highly doubtful!). He wanders around, bereft of family and community, taking on a variety of jobs as needed to survive. He apprentices to an armorer, which ultimately doesn't work out when his master is killed. Honor-bound to deliver a box of money to the armorer's brother, who happens to be a physician, Yonah finds himself apprenticed to the physician. He eventually becomes a well-respected physician himself, in addition to being a secret Jew.

Gordon certainly did his research, but does a pretty poor job of incorporating historical information into the story. Minor characters become mouthpieces for historical tidbits, usually delivered as part of a "conversation." This is a classic example of where "show don't tell" would be recommended. Nobody says, for example, "On October 15, 1483, Queen Isabella [fill in historical fact]," especially when conversing with fellow countrymen, who are presumably also familiar with their country's history.

The details of 15th century life that Gordon has failed to recognize are three-fold:
1. Yonah moves around Spain rather freely in an era when most people barely left their own villages in their lifetimes. Life was very local back then.
2. He apprentices himself to a variety of trades, which wouldn't have happened. Apprenticeship involved an agreement between master and student; Yonah's wanderings would have made him a poor candidate for such a long-term arrangement.
3. Yonah's two longest apprenticeships were with brothers, one an armorer and the other a physician, each practicing his trade in different towns. There are two major problems with this scenario:
- See Problem #1. The brothers were separated by a rather large distance. Life was local.
- They were also separated by two completely different professions at a time when such a situation would have been highly unusual.

I was also disappointed with the place that Yonah's Judaism took in his life. For a book named "The Last Jew," you expect him to be a bit more Jewish or at least introspectively so. He goes through some of the motions, saying a prayer here and there, but I expected some kind of internal and/or external struggle on remaining a Jew in the face of the Inquisition and the lack of a faithful community. Instead, Yonah has good fortune wherever he goes and he generally fails to thank God for keeping an eye on him.

The story is utterly predictable in its plod forward. All in all, the book is pretty boring and completely implausible. I'm rather afraid to re-read Gordon's other novels for fear that they're similar.

[Bettie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Description: Set at the time of the Spanish Inquisition, all Jews are to be exiled from Spain. Orphaned Yonah manages to stay and learn physician's skills from a mentor.

With love
For Caleb and Emma
and Grandma

Opening: The Silversmith's Son: The bad time began for Bernado Espina on a day when air hung heavy as iron and the arrogant sunshine was a curse. That morning his crowded dispensary had been almost emptied when a pregnant woman's water burst, and he banished from the room the two patients who remained.

This book starts out with an anal rape and subsequent throat cut of a small boy, and I know a lot of you out there will find this subject matter distasteful.

There is a reason some books languor long in the recesses of the the darkest nooks of the TBR shelves. I have no enthusiasm for this relic ridden storyline - just not in the right mood for it.

NEXT!

[Toralf Saffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der Medicus von Saragossa oder die Geschichte des letzten Juden Spaniens

Im Jahr 1492 hat die Inquisition Spanien fest im Griff. Ihr Hauptaugenmerk gilt den Juden bzw. den neuen Christen, wie konvertierte Juden genannt werden. In dieser Zeit spielt die Geschichte von Jona, Sohn eines jüdischen Silberschmieds in Toledo. Früh lernt er die Schrecken der Judenvertreibung kennen, verliert Bruder und Vater durch Gewalttaten und steht als 13-Jähriger plötzlich allein im Chaos. Es beginnt eine Odyssee durch Spanien voller Hoffnung auf Gleichgesinnte oder versprengte Verwandte zu treffen und Verzweiflung weil die Inquisition überall aktiv ist. Um zu überleben nimmt der Junge jede Arbeit an, die sich ihm bietet, immer auf der Hut nicht als Jude erkannt zu werden. Erst allmählich wird er heimisch, zunächst als Lehrling eines Waffenschmiedes in Gibraltar und später als Medicus in Saragossa.
Noah Gordon hat eine Art historisches Roadmovie geschaffen das ein bewegendes Einzelschicksal vor dem historischen Hintergrund der Judenverfolgung im Spanien im Übergang vom 15. zum 16. Jahrhundert spannend beschreibt. Nebenher erfährt man vieles über das Leben, das Handwerk und die Krankheiten dieser Zeit. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und klar, so das sich Geschichte flott weg liest.
Der Titel verwirrt etwas, weder ist es eine Fortsetzung des „Medicus“ noch liegt der Schwerpunkt der Erzählung auf Jonas Leben als Arzt, da hätte der Originaltitel „The last Jew“ besser gepasst.
Ich fühlte mich bestens unterhalten und kann das Buch mit besten Gewissen weiterempfehlen.

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book changed its nature three times during the course of the narrative. It started off as a whodunit, became a picaresque novel(about a wanderer who has adventures) and finally a book that reminded me of Greek tragedy because destiny or the Fates seemed to play a rather relentless role. The picaresque aspect took up most of the book as the main character, Yonah Toledano, wandered through different parts of medieval Spain. The best known picaresque novel is Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes. There were moments in The Last Jew that did remind me of Don Quixote, but ultimately they come out of very different perspectives. Don Quixote is actually meant to be a cynical satire of the ideas of knighthood and chivalry. Yonah Toledano is put through a series of terrible events, but the author wants the reader to root for him. His name Yonah is usually transliterated in English as Jonah. This means that he was named after the prophet who was swallowed by a whale. This is very appropriate if the expulsion of the Jews from Spain is to be regarded as metaphorically similar to being swallowed by a whale. It was a very dark time in Jewish history and in Yonah Toledano's life. Yonah's intelligence and resourcefulness are very admirable. I was also pleased by the Christians he encountered who were opposed to the Inquisition and its intolerance because they remembered a Spain that was very different. Islamic Spain was not a utopia. All societies have their problems, but it was a much more tolerant environment. Americans need to know that there was a time when Islamic societies practiced tolerance and valued it. This is a very valuable historical lesson. Islamic Spain is an integral part of the cultural background in this novel. Spain changed as radically as the entire world did after 9-11.

[Antonio Rosato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro davvero spettacolare e, lo dico senza esagerare, uno dei più belli ad aver mai letto! Ambientato in un paesaggio splendidamente descritto ed in un periodo storico molto buio per la comunità ebraica in Spagna narra, detto in parole povere, le peripezie dell'ultimo ebreo in territorio iberico al tempo della cacciata degli ebrei per mano dei regnanti cattolici (fatto realmente avvenuto il 31 marzo 1492) che, giurando vendetta prima su chi ha ucciso suo fratello e suo padre e successivamente su chi ha disperso il resto della sua famiglia ebrea, viene portato, a distanza di vent'anni, a… far del bene!
Nel corso del libro, quindi, assistiamo alla trasformazione del giovanissimo Jonah Toledano (il protagonista della storia), da vendicativo e strumento di morte a… strumento di vita. Infatti, Jonah, messosi in salvo dalla persecuzione dell'Inquisizione, nel suo peregrinare in giro per la Spagna, per vivere è costretto ad apprendere i più svariati mestieri e, alla fine, divenuto medico si trova a curare, per ironia della sorte, tutti coloro che hanno distrutto la sua famiglia.
Come ho detto all'inizio, libro molto interessante che, non avendo punti morti o tediosi, ti cattura già dalla prima pagina e ti sprona ad andare avanti nella lettura.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]

[Jan Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the one that was recommended by a friend in about 2015, and I've finally read it, impelled by its being fortuitously chosen by one of my book clubs.

This is the story of the coming of age of a Jewish teen who's left behind in late fifteenth century Spain, after the expulsion. He's the only remaining unbaptized Jew in a landscape otherwise judenrein. He's a resourceful person who has to negotiate the world of the Inquisition and of old and new Christians, without family and on his own. He has adventures and luck and is able to take advantage of what opportunity comes his way.

The author has done much research, and the resulting plausibility is sufficient to sustain the novel. But now that it's been a few days I wonder if there could have been a protagonist capable of sustaining such pressure. I mean he'd have to be more than a hero: a real paragon. And not sure he was.

That's why it's a great story but not literature.
This is the kind of book that helped me fall in love with reading as a child, a page-turner, as they say. But not now a source of aha moments and insights for me, nor did it make me sit up straight with recognition or feed my soul.

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Sin grises y predecible en su derivas generales.-

Género. Novela histórica.

Lo que nos cuenta. El libro El último judío (publicación original: The Last Jew, 1999) nos lleva hasta Toledo a finales del siglo XV, cuando el asesinato de un joven judío pone en marcha una investigación extraoficial que alguien detendrá en seco. Uno de los hermanos del muchacho, Yonah, sufrirá unos años después las consecuencias del edicto real para la expulsión de los judíos del territorio del Reino de España: demasiado pronto, y de manera demasiado brusca, tendrá que afrontar la vida adulta y guardar su verdadera identidad.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a while. The setting is fascinating and terrifying - the Spanish inquisition. While the inquisition is a continual backdrop - especially the first half of the book - the book is not really about the horrors of the inquisition in the blood and gore sense. Yes, there are some passages about the brutality, but this book is at its core a deep character study.

The Last Jew is about Yonah Toledano, a man who by circumstances ends up orphaned at the time of the expulsion. It is too late for him to leave Spain and he does not want to convert to Catholicism (he is offered the opportunity to stay in Toledo and become the adoptive son of his father's friend, an "Old Christian"). Instead, he leaves Toledo alone with a burro and meanders across Spain, terrified of being discovered but steadfastly opposed to converting to Catholicism. He finds himself in various cities, tries out several professions and meets some interesting people along the way. He uses adopted names, eventually settling on Ramon Callico. There is the constant fear of being turned in and he gradually learns to act outwardly as a Catholic. He tries to keep up with Jewish tradition, but as time comes, he remembers less and less. He struggles to remember, but there is no one to remember with him. Eventually, Yonah finds his way to Saragossa and becomes a physician. At the end of the novel, Yonah has changed - he realizes that for better or for worse he must be an outward Catholic and he assumes the identity of an "Old Christian." He goes to church to keep appearances and over time he forgets the prayers and the traditions. He learns to hob-nob with preists and no one suspects that not only is he not an "Old Catholic" - he never even converted to Catholicism! Yonah is a Jew until the end, but ultimately, he adapts.

This books is definitely not "light reading." I felt sad through most of it - only at the end is there a glimmer of happiness. Nonetheless, I recommend it!

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ti vien voglia di girare tutta la Spagna a fianco di Jonah Toledano, che tenta di sfuggire all'Inquisizione, che in quel periodo voleva scacciare e mandare via tutti gli ebrei dai propri territori. E così comincia un nuovo esodo. Alcuni si convertono, altri fuggono fuori i confini, ma Jonah no. Lui vuole mantenere la parola data a suo padre e anche a se stesso. Lui rimarrà l'unico Ebreo di Spagna. Qui si sposterà di città in città, rimanendo incantato e adattandosi a ogni tipo di lavoro. Qui cercherà l'assassino di suo padre e suo fratello, e si difenderà dagli attacchi dell'Inquisitore, invisibile, ma vicino. E qui soffrirà l'impulso di legarsi a una donna...

[Vilija|Knygų Puslapiuose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noah Gordon "Gydytojas iš Saragosos"


Šis autorius Lietuvos skaitytojams puikiai žinomas dėl savo knygų "Gydytojas. Avicenos mokinys", "Šamanas", "Savi keliai", kuriose pasakojama visą Koulų šeimos saga. Pati perskaičiau visą trilogiją ir ji mane sužavėjo. Tapau dar viena Noah Gordon gerbėja. Vos tik pamačiau šios knygos anonsą su nekantrumu laukiau, kol galėsiu perskaityti :)

Aš negaliu atsakyti istoriniams romanams! Ir tikrai nepykstu ant autoriaus, kai jo kurta fikcija ne visad atitinka istorinį kontekstą. Jei mane sudomino tema, aš tikrai "pagooglysiu" ir susirasiu dominančią informaciją.

XV amžiaus pabaigos Ispanija. Pats inkvizicijos įkarštis. Jona Toledano šeimos istorija pačiu juodžiausiu jo šeimai ir tautai laikotarpiu. Jis žydas. Ir nors žydai dosniai skolina pinigus bei užima svarbias pareigas katalikiškoje Ispanijos karalystėje jų tauta niekinama ir negerbiama.

Nuolatinė baimė dėl savo gyvybės, tikėjimo bei pasaulėžiūros iśsaugojimo, ir priesaika skatina jaunąjį Toledaną ieškoti būdų išlikti ir atrasti savo kelią bei asmeninę laimę.

Viduramžių Ispanijos kasdieninis gyvenimas, inkvizicijos siaubas ir beprasmybė, karalius dvaro peripetijos, žydų tautos tikėjimo papročių atskleidimas - vos keletas temų, kurias paliečia autorius šioje knygoje.

Lėtokas, bet nenuobodus N. Gordon pasakojimo stilius ir tas sunkiai įvardinamas jausmas, apimantis skaitant šią knygą... Buvo kaip tik tai, ko ir tikejausi iš šios knygos! Megavausi kiekvienu puslapiu. Autoriaus sugebėjimas nukelti į tą begalo įdomų ir mums mažai suvokimą laikotarpį.


Labai rekomenduoju perskaityti visiems, kam patinka istoriniai romanai apskritai, domisi inkvizicijos laikotarpiu, žydų tautos istorija bei tikėjimo subtilybėmis. Kai norisi lengvai skaitomos, bet tikrai geros knygos atostogoms, siūlau įtraukti šią knygą į vasaros skaitinių sąrašą :)

[Tote Cabana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanta la pluma de Gordon, tiene la habilidad de trasladarme en el tiempo y arrogarme en el escenario que él dibuja con tanta precisión y me envuelve en cuanta historia de amor, dolor, pasión y odio se va antojando de narrar mientras yo voy sufriendo y viviendo junto a sus protagonistas. Definitivamente me deleito con sus historias y las disfruto inmensamente. Debo confesar que esta historia me recordó un poco a la del Médico (del mismo autor, siendo esta última mucho mejor para mi gusto) pero no me desagradó en lo absoluto, ya que la leí hace mucho tiempo y me gustó recordar esa gran obra. A lo mejor si las lees muy seguidas si pudiera cansar un poco, aunque las historias son muy diferentes. En fin, un novela histórica basada en la España del siglo XV y la expulsión de los judíos, donde los estragos de la Inquisición dejan devastado a un pueblo entero y las adversidades que sufrieron los condenados y los pocos que quedaron.

[Saturn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Jew è un bel romanzo storico che trasporta il lettore ai tempi dell'Inquisizione spagnola, istituita dalla regina Isabella. Ebrei e musulmani vengono duramente perseguitati fino alla loro espulsione dal paese. Noah Gordon segue in particolare le vicende di una famiglia di argentieri di Toledo che cerca di sopravvivere a questa ennesima ingiustizia. La loro storia si dipana tra intrighi, assassinii e misteri e mette in luce gli interessi economici e le ipocrisie che si aggiungono alla già di per sé terribile persecuzione religiosa.
Il contesto narrativo è davvero molto interessante, soprattutto per me che di storia spagnola so poco e nulla. La scrittura è piacevole e scorrevole, anche se ho trovato alcuni dialoghi un po' forzati perché infarciti di "spiegoni" storici che sono sì interessanti ma poco credibili da un punto di vista narrativo.
L'evoluzione del protagonista è bella e nobile, peccato che soprattutto verso l'ultima parte risulta un personaggio un po' troppo perfetto per essere pienamente credibile.
Complessivamente è un buon libro, il cui difetto principale è che perde mordente nell'ultima parte non riuscendo a mantenere vivo il pathos che si crea all'inizio e rimane per gran parte della storia.

Nota di demerito all'editore italiano che cambia il titolo del libro senza un criterio logico, utilizzandone uno che è anche fuorviante. Vorrei capire cosa c'è che non va in L'ultimo ebreo.

[Sallie Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Another excellent historical fiction from Noah Gordon (who sadly passed away in 2021.) Yonah Toledano is a young Jewish boy living in Spain with his father when this novel opens. It is late 15th century. Isabella and Ferdinand are the reigning monarchs and the Inquisition is official. All Jews and Moors are banished from the country.

Jonah’s father was a silversmith, a gifted artisan, and he has incurred the wrath of the powers that be. He sends Jonah to a cave in the hills and subsequently dies at the hands of the Inquisition enforcers. Jonah becomes a “wandering Jew,” hiding his religious beliefs and growing into manhood whie traveling all over Spain, trying to stay one step ahead of harms way.

This was both a coming of age novel and a picaresque adventure. It was an era of which I had little knowledge. I especially enjoyed the maps provided in my hardback library book and feel like I have a much more informed idea of Spain’s geography. (How long I retain it is another story!)

ATY Goodreads Challenge - 2023
Prompt #15- Three books, each of which is set in a different century (Book 1 - 15th/16th century)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The back cover of this book promised me "a glimpse of history, an authentic tale of high adventure, and a tender and unforgettable love story," about a fugitive learning to fight like a knight, and "hurling snatches of almost forgotten Hebrew at the stars." I expected an exploration of what being Jewish meant to the main character, and why he would accept a life as a fugitive to hold on to it.

I got a so-so historical adventure story. I felt as if the author wanted to remind his readers every so often that Yonah was attempting to remain Jewish, and did so by mentioning every so often that he said a prayer, or thought about his father. There was none of the poignancy or the psychological and emotional exploration that I had hoped for, nothing of how being Jewish shaped his responses to situations, his ethics, etc. There wasn't a great deal of excitement, either. Things just happen, almost perfunctorily, to Yonah, and he seems almost to fall into lucky situations.

One small element that was a big distraction for me was the author's treatment of women. Perhaps he was trying to reflect the mindset of a young man who grew up without a mother or sisters, but the female characters almost exclusively serve as objects of sexual desire. If Yonah isn't interested in them, they're lucky to get more than a sentence. For example, the only actions the mother of Ines, a young women in whom (of course!) Yonah is interested, is allowed to take is to act suspicious when Yonah spends too much time with Ines. About Ines herself, all we are allowed to learn is that she's pretty, she works with her father, and that she's rather shy but probably interested in Yonah. Even more galling, both the narrator and the characters repeatedly refer to women as "females." ("Nine men and six females attended." "A more -- eligible -- suitor might think the female is weak and unable to perform the strenuous duties of a wife.") What gives?

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1492 and the royal decree has gone out that all Jews in Spain must be out in three months.
What follows is understandably chaotic and cruel. But what befalls the Toledano family is especially horrible. The Inquisition looms large throughout the entire story and 15 year old Jonah faces almost insurmountable challenges. Somehow, trapped in Spain after the expulsion, this lonely Jew makes a life for himself and his story is riveting.

[Sori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was worried that this would turn into "My name is Yonah Toledano. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Then nothing much happened, and I wish it had.

[Marcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es uno de los mejores libros que he leído en mucho tiempo. Noah Gordon consigue enganchar al lector prácticamente desde el primer momento, enamorando con sus impecables personajes y transmitiendo su amor por la historia; por la historia que narra y por la propia historia de la España que se encuentra a caballo entre la Edad Media y la Moderna. Aunque algunas personas rechacen la novela histórica porque es "aburrida" o "tediosa" en algunas ocasiones, este libro logra conducir al lector por una trama perfecta que hilvana con la historia de los tiempos de la Santa Inquisición sin permitirle tiempo para descansar o agotarse de sus páginas.

A través de sus capítulos te encaminas en un viaje sublime, impredecible y sobrecogedor. A través de sus capítulos te conviertes en el único acompañante de un perseguido; le ves crecer y madurar, te encariñas de él y de las relaciones que va forjando durante su viaje. Relaciones que forja con personas, pero también con animales y objetos; con sonidos y olores.

Una lectura muy recomendable.

[Jairo Fruchtengarten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Em 31 de março de 1492, os reis católicos Fernando e Isabel promulgaram o Decreto de Alhambra, que expulsava todos os judeus dos reinos de Castela e Aragão (hoje Espanha). Assim, às pressas, os judeus se viram obrigados a se desfazer de todos os seus bens, sendo ainda proibidos de deixar o reino transportando ouro ou prata. De forma geral, os que não se converteram ao catolicismo tentaram exílio em Portugal ou embarcaram em navios rumo a Turquia, Itália, Grécia ou costa da África. É nesse cenário de perseguição implacável da Inquisição que Noah Gordon constrói a narrativa de "O Último Judeu".

Yonah Toledano é um jovem judeu de 13 anos, filho de um ourives que é assassinado às vésperas de partir rumo ao exílio com a família. Sozinho e disposto a não renunciar à sua fé, o garoto foge de Toledo e aventura-se pelo país num difícil processo de crescimento, amadurecimento e descobertas. Adotando o nome de Ramon Callico, ao longo do tempo ele trabalha como peão, servente num calabouço, pastor de ovelhas, marujo, aprendiz de armeiro e, no fim, como médico e cirurgião de Saragoça, profissão que abraça até o final da estória.

Apesar do livro mostrar o lado triste do preconceito e da violência da Inquisição, a narrativa tem muitos exemplos de solidariedade e fé, que acompanham o jovem Yonah na sua luta por sobrevivência num ambiente hostil para quem não renuncia à sua fé. Para quem curte livros com fundo histórico, recomendo demais a leitura!

Avaliação Final: 9,5/10
Leitura Concluída: 33º livro de 2023
Próxima Leitura: “O Espião e o Traidor” (Bem Macintyre)

[Carlos Magdaleno Herrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

El joven Yonah Toledano es separado de su familia cuando se promulga la expulsión de los judíos por parte de los reyes Catódicos. Iniciando así el largo viaje de su vida en un continua huida para salvar su vida y a la vez tratar de mantener su esencia. Recorrerá la península en busca de un refugio y tolerancia, aprendiendo un poco de todo, desde pobre hasta una cierta riqueza al final cuando ya es un reputado médico.

OPINIÓN

Estoy ante un señor libro. Narrado con una sencillez y una maestría que te mantiene muy enganchado. Es didáctico, es tierno y con un gran fondo de bondad, a pesar de todas las barbaridades que narra, te deja un mensaje final de perseverancia, integridad, en el que lo importante son los individuos y su fondo.

Por buscarle algún defecto, en la historia el destino y la casualidad van muy de la mano, pero nada que realmente le reste.

[Anto_s1977 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helkias Toledano è un famoso argentiere spagnolo di religione ebraica. I suoi lavori sono molto richiesti e il monastero dell'Annunziata gli commissione un reliquiario che possa conservare le ossa di sant'Anna e ridare prestigio al luogo di culto. Dato il valore dell'oggetto in questione, la consegna deve avvenire di notte, ma il primogenito dell'argentiere, a cui era stato affidato il compito, viene intercettato e ucciso dai contrabbandieri di reliquie che abbondano nella Spagna del '500.
L'assassino rimane senza nome, nonostante l'interessamento del medico di Toledo e delle indagini svolte dall'affranto padre della vittima. A complicare la situazione della famiglia Toledano, arriva il bando dei cattolicissimi sovrani spagnoli, i quali ordinano immediatamente agli ebrei di abbandonare il paese e i loro averi.
Ma l'Inquisizione è durissima; nonostante molti riescano ad abbandonare il paese, altrettanti numerosi ebrei vengono arrestati e torturati ed altri si convertono al cattolicesimo, pur di sfuggire ad una orribile sorte.
Helkias viene preso di mira da un prete che fa parte dell'Inquisizione e ucciso barbaramente. Il figlio minore Jonah, riesce a nascondersi e a sfuggire alla violenza. Da quel momento erra per la Spagna seguendo un destino incerto, ma rifiuta la conversione forzata.
Spostandosi continuamente e sfuggendo ai pericoli, approda in varie città spagnole svolgendo qualsiasi tipo di lavoro, finchè giunge dal maestro Fierro, abile armaiolo.
Fierro apprezza il giovane e cerca di proteggerlo, ma anche lui è denunciato all'Inquisizione e i due decidono di fuggire insieme, ma purtroppo il maestro Fierro viene assassinato.
Jonah intraprende il viaggio da solo e approda nella casa del fratello del suo maestro, il medico di Saragozza, un uomo buono ed onesto che lo aiuterà a diventare medico.
Inizia una nuova vita per Jonah, che da "fuggitivo", pian piano si trasforma nel rispettabile e colto medico di Saragozza...
Un libro interessantissimo dal punto di vista storico e molto coinvolgente dal punto di vista narrativo. Come si fa a non affezionarsi all'unico ebreo spagnolo errante?!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Jew (2000) is the second book by Gordon that I've read in recent months. The first was The Physician (2001). His stories offer excellent reading value both as a result of the amount of historical research he puts into them which give them a feel of authenticity as well as the way each story is crafted.

The Last Jew takes place during the Inquisition in Spain in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The first part of the book conveys the devastating impact the Inquisition had on Jews. As a result, however, the story of "the last Jew" -- Yonah Teledano -- emparts less tension than the first part of the book, especially as it becomes clear that Yonah will escape personal persecution.

Gordon skillfully brings the book to a close wrapping up the pieces launched in the opening chapters.

Despite the topic, this book is not as difficult to read as many books on the Holocaust -- both because of the time difference and the way Gordon handles the more terrifying aspects of the story.

People who like stories about pre-modern medical practices will enjoy this book as well as The Physician, although read his note at the end about the medical aspects of the book before trying any at home.

[kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a way to familiarize myself with the history of Spain. I traveled to Spain and Portugal this past summer and had a fun time reading the history of this painful period.

[Dhe · Rating 4 out of 5]

ho recentemente scritto un'opinione su un altro libro di questo autore, anticipando che essendo entusista del libro ne avevo già preso un altro in biblioteca ed eccomi qui infatti, sempre convinta di aver scoperto uno scrittore interessante e decisamente capace.

gordon è uno scrittore particolare, per quanto mi riguarda ho scoperto un ottimo scrittore di libri storici, la sua caratteristica principale pare essere scrivere libri in cui in un qualche modo c'entra la medicina e devo dire che riesce benissimo a rendere l'idea di come la medicina una volta fosse diversissima dalla nostra. gordon è diventato famoso con la triologia di libri sui medici cole, in questo caso ci troviamo di fronte ad un altro scritto, sempre e comunque legato al mondo della medicina sebbene lo sia da metà volume in avanti. con mio stupore infatti prima della metà del libro non si accennava a nessuna figura medica e mi chiedevo che senso avesse il titolo...

il libro narra la vita di jonah toledano, un ragazzo a cui viene strappata l'infanzia dalla persecuzione dell'inquisizione. siamo infatti nella spagna del quindicesimo secolo, periodo in cui l'inquisizione compie il suo lavoro in modo spietato e preciso. gli ebrei non hanno scampo: o si convertono o scappano. jonah con il fratellino e il padre progetta la fuga, dopo che il fratello maggiore è stato ucciso in un agguato per rubargli un lavoro del padre, abile lavoratore di argento e ferro. quando tutto è pronto però la loro casa viene assaltata e l'unico superstite è lui: il padre si è sacrificato per proteggerlo mentre lui si nascondeva in una caverna e rimaneva nascosto lì per giorni. è solo al mondo, il fratellino era a casa di amici e vista la situazione viene portato in salvo dagli zii, non si saprà nulla del loro destino. la storia prosegue seguendo la vita di questo giovane, solo e determinato a conservate la sua identità e la sua religione, piano piano la sua vita prende forma, impara diversi mestieri fino a che approda a sagazza e lì viene istruito alla professione di medico.

volutamente non dico nulla di più sulla trama, che è decisamente ben fatta, non ci sono momenti morti. la storia è fluida, interessante, coinvolgente, inevitabile fare il tifo per questo ragazzo che deve combattere con il suo credo, con la necessità di non fidarsi di nessuno, con la voglia però di non essere sempre solo. inevitabile gioire con lui delle sue vittorie e temere per la sua vita nei momenti più difficili. moltissimi argomenti si intrecciano in questa storia:
- gli ebrei. la loro persecuzione, la loro difficoltà di conservare la propria identità e il proprio credo. la necessità di fingersi cristiani e la realtà di un credo che piano piano sparisce per lasciare spazio alla cristianità che a lungo è stata recitata e che poi diventa invece un credo vero e proprio. la difficoltà di chi era ebreo e poi si è convertito di farsi credere: numerosi furono uccisi nonostante fossero convinti cristiani. curioso che jonah che non si convertì mai fosse creduto da tutti un ebreo convertito senza alcun dubbio.
- la medicina. la parte che più mi piace dei libri di gordon, perchè è accurata, veritiera, interessante. a quei tempi qualunque cosa veniva curata con vino caldo mischiato a qualcosa, mischiato ad erbe particolari per determinate malattie, a frutta per curarne altre e così via. interessanti gli aspetti pratici della medicina a quel tempo: molte cose dovevano essere ancora scoperte e quindi molte malattie rimanevano un mistero e la cura se funzionava era più un caso che una reale capacità medica. incontriamo casi di sifilide, labbro leporino, malformazioni, cataratte e anche un caso di ictus. in tutti questi casi la cura era sempre la stessa: infusi di vino e qualcosa, da bere più volte al giorno, riposo, nulla di più. come è diverso ora il mondo della medicina! molte delle credenze di allora sono state superate, ma ciò non toglie che a quei tempi i medici erano consci delle loro limitazioni. per tenersi aggiornati si incontravano una volta al mese per parlare di casi risolti o di studi fatti. lo stesso jonah traduce un paio di libri dall'ebraico allo spagnolo per ampliare le proprie conoscenze. l'unico modo per scoprire come era fatto un corpo era disserzionare un cadavere, cosa che era ovviamente vietata dalla chiesa e che andava fatta di nascosto.
- l'amore. capitolo importante, sebbene in questo libro il protagonista sembri più impegnato a trovare una via da seguire che una donna da sposare. ma nonostante questo presto scopre che l'amore non è evitabile, che è necessario alla felicità di un uomo, per quanto sia impegnato anima e corpo in un lavoro che lo appassiona. jonah troverà l'amore della sua vita, non senza problemi e qualche rifiuto e al termine del libro diventerà papà.
- la giustizia e la vendetta. argomenti non facili. jonah vuole vendicare la morte del fratello e del padre, cerca i colpevoli, uccide degli uomini ma solo quando la sua vita è minacciata. alla fine si rende conto che non è la vendetta a cercare ma solo la verità, il ricostruire il perchè degli avvenimenti. una volta scoperta questa non riporta indietro il tempo e non gli ridà i famigliari perduti, ma raggiunge una serenità tale da proseguire la sua vita senza dover cercare e cercare chi gli ha causato tanto dolore.

il romanzo è decisamente accurato nelle sue ricostruzioni, al termine del libro l'autore ci rende partecipi di come il libro è nato, perchè, le informazioni che sono reali e quelle che invece erano necessarie per la sua storia. decisamente un lavoro ben fatto e sicuramente una lettura piacevole, ricca di tensione e di interessanti racconti di vita quotidiana, che spesso mancano nei romanzi storici e che invece ritengo siano fondamentali per dare corpo alla storia. non mi rimane che consigliarvi questa lettura, per me è stata fonte di momenti piacevolissimi.

[Reinhold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das vorliegende Werk ist überhaupt nicht mit Noah Gordons Werk 'Der Medicus' zu vergleichen. Das ist nicht gut, das ist nicht schlecht - das ist einfach ein Fakt. Hier wäre es sicherlich klüger gewesen, den von Gordon selbst gewählten Titel des Originals 'The Last Jew' (Der letzte Jude) zu nehmen.

Der Medicus von Saragossa beschäftigt sich mit dem Leben eines Mannes, der als Knabe im Spanien des ausklingenden Mittelalters und der beginnenden Renaissance zu überleben versucht. Seine Familie wurde getötet bzw. musste so wie alle anderen Juden das Land auf der Flucht vor der Inquisition verlassen. Aber er schlägt sich durch, lernt dies und lernt jenes, erlebt viele interessante Abenteuer und fällt schließlich dem Medicus von Saragossa in die Hände, der ihn zu seinem Nachfolger ausbildet. Nach außen hin ein Konvertit, nach innen aber ein Jude der seinem Glauben treu bleibt.

Es ist eine sehr interessante Geschichte die hervorragend erzählt wird. Die Personen des Stücks sind der Zeit angepasst, glaubhaft gezeichnet und machen auch eine entsprechende Entwicklung durch. Die Story selbst ist sehr gut aufgebaut und überhaupt nicht reißerisch, sondern dem Thema angepasst aufgezogen. Ein wirklich sehr gutes Buch, das die große Kunst von Noah Gordon herausstreicht.