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The Apostle
Book by Asch, Sholem
804 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
43 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Sholem Asch
259 books36 followersPolish-American writer Sholem Asch (also written Shalom Ash, Yiddish: שלום אַש, Polish: Szalom Asz) sought to reconcile Judaism and Christianity in his controversial novels, such as
The Nazarene
(1939).
Sholem Asch composed dramas and essays in the language.
Frajda Malka bore Asch and nine other children to Moszek Asz, a cattle-dealer and innkeeper. Asch received tradition and as a young man followed, obtained a more liberal education at Włocławek, and supported with letters for the illiterate townspeople. He moved to Warsaw and met and married Mathilde Shapiro, the daughter of Menahem Mendel Shapiro. The Haskalah or Hebrew enlightenment initially influenced Asch, but Isaac Leib Peretz convinced him to switch.
Plot of God of Vengeance , his drama of 1907 features a lesbian relationship in a brothel.
He traveled to Palestine in 1908 and to the United States in 1910.
His Kiddush ha-Shem in 1919 in the earliest historical modern literature concerns the anti-Semitic uprising of Khmelnytsky in mid-17th century Ukraine.
He sat out World War I in the United States and a naturalized as a citizen in 1920. He returned.
People celebrated a 12-volume set of his collected works, published in his own lifetime in the early 1920s.
When people performed God of Vengeance , the highly esteemed play, on Broadway in 1923, authorities arrested and successfully prosecuted the entire cast on obscenity charges despite the fact that people in Europe already translated it into German, Russian, Hebrew, Italian, Czech, and Norwegian.
Farn Mabul ( Before the Flood , translated as Three Cities ), his trilogy of 1929 to 1931, describes early 20th century life in Saint Petersburg, Warsaw, and Moscow.
In 1932, the republic awarded the decoration of Polonia Restituta, and the club of poets, essayists, and novelists (PEN) elected him honorary president.
He later moved to France and visited Palestine again in 1936. Dos Gezang fun Tol ( The Song of the Valley ) about the halutzim or Zionist pioneers in Palestine reflects his visit of 1936 to that region.
He set his Bayrn Opgrunt (1937), translated as The Precipice , in Germany during the hyperinflation of the 1920s.
He settled in the United States in 1938.
He, however, later offended sensibilities with The Apostle , and Mary , parts of his trilogy, which in 1939 to 1949 dealt with subjects of New Testament. The Forward , leading language newspaper of New York, dropped him and openly attacked him for promotion.
Asch spent most his last two years in Bat Yam near Tel Aviv, Israel but died in London. His house in Bat Yam now houses his namesake museum. Yale University holds the bulk of his library, which contains rare books and manuscripts, including some of his own works.
Sholem Asch composed dramas and essays in the language.
Frajda Malka bore Asch and nine other children to Moszek Asz, a cattle-dealer and innkeeper. Asch received tradition and as a young man followed, obtained a more liberal education at Włocławek, and supported with letters for the illiterate townspeople. He moved to Warsaw and met and married Mathilde Shapiro, the daughter of Menahem Mendel Shapiro. The Haskalah or Hebrew enlightenment initially influenced Asch, but Isaac Leib Peretz convinced him to switch.
Plot of God of Vengeance , his drama of 1907 features a lesbian relationship in a brothel.
He traveled to Palestine in 1908 and to the United States in 1910.
His Kiddush ha-Shem in 1919 in the earliest historical modern literature concerns the anti-Semitic uprising of Khmelnytsky in mid-17th century Ukraine.
He sat out World War I in the United States and a naturalized as a citizen in 1920. He returned.
People celebrated a 12-volume set of his collected works, published in his own lifetime in the early 1920s.
When people performed God of Vengeance , the highly esteemed play, on Broadway in 1923, authorities arrested and successfully prosecuted the entire cast on obscenity charges despite the fact that people in Europe already translated it into German, Russian, Hebrew, Italian, Czech, and Norwegian.
Farn Mabul ( Before the Flood , translated as Three Cities ), his trilogy of 1929 to 1931, describes early 20th century life in Saint Petersburg, Warsaw, and Moscow.
In 1932, the republic awarded the decoration of Polonia Restituta, and the club of poets, essayists, and novelists (PEN) elected him honorary president.
He later moved to France and visited Palestine again in 1936. Dos Gezang fun Tol ( The Song of the Valley ) about the halutzim or Zionist pioneers in Palestine reflects his visit of 1936 to that region.
He set his Bayrn Opgrunt (1937), translated as The Precipice , in Germany during the hyperinflation of the 1920s.
He settled in the United States in 1938.
He, however, later offended sensibilities with The Apostle , and Mary , parts of his trilogy, which in 1939 to 1949 dealt with subjects of New Testament. The Forward , leading language newspaper of New York, dropped him and openly attacked him for promotion.
Asch spent most his last two years in Bat Yam near Tel Aviv, Israel but died in London. His house in Bat Yam now houses his namesake museum. Yale University holds the bulk of his library, which contains rare books and manuscripts, including some of his own works.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 9, 2009
A new favorite! One of the most interesting books I have ever read. This is my fourth Asch book and ranks right up with The Nazarene. The beginning was a little slow and it was a tad melodramatic at parts, but overall a fascinating book. Asch is a Jewish scholar/historian so Jewish customs, holidays, traditions, etc. bring the Paul's journeys and the New Testament to life. I have never understood the scriptures and teachings of the apostles so clearly. Did a lot of research while reading this book and I think it can only be truly appreciated with a corresponding reading of the New Testament. (A little history of the Roman Empire doesn't hurt as well!)
January 25, 2016
I couldn't put this book down! I'm currently teaching through the book of Acts at our church and love the vividness and historical background that Rabbi Asch brings to Paul's narrative. A gripping historical look at the life of Paul. While the history is mingled in between the scriptural narrative, Rabbi Asch brings a context to the happenings and events of Paul's life that is rather enjoyable. There were many "ah-ha" moments I had while reading this book. While his commentary takes on a story form, it is a great resource for any of those looking to understand a bit more context to Paul, his calling, the mission in that day, and the perseverance he displayed beyond the Biblical narrative.
July 3, 2023
This book was published in the U.S. in 1943 (my edition has a notice that is it "produced in full compliance with the Government's regulations for conserving paper and other essential materials.")
So why did this 800 page Biblical Epic merit publication in 1943? The Yiddish press was livid about it, but Asch claimed his goals was not to convert Jews to Christianity, but to bring the plight of Jews to American Christians. Having read the book, I am inclined to believe Asch. He obviously saw himself, like Saul/Paul as an "Apostle to the Gentiles," he attempts to Judaize the early saints and through his narrative makes the arguement that the early Christians, like the contemporary Jews of Fascist Europe, were victims of cruel and murderous antisemitism.
The book focuses on the life of Paul of Tarsus, but places his contemporaries and the communities he visits into a distinctly Jewish cultural milleu. The names, prayers, and holidays are Jewish. Asch places the early Jewish messianists under the same category of "poverty and piety" that Roman Vishniac was tasked with documenting photographically in the 30s. As such, the book is a call to American Christians more than to American Jews.
There are some strange and awkward parts. Asch clearly catergorizes the Jews into "Asiatics," "Greeks," and "Wealthy Romans" with broad generalizations and values ascribed to each. Likewise, Greco-roman Idolatry is aesthetically and philosophically pleasing in the narration, while "Asiatic" idolatry tends to be associated with superstition, "licentiousness" etc. Despite the supposed morality of this Biblical fiction, many aspects are meant to titilate- the torture scenes, the description of a Castration, and typical Greco-Roman homoeroticism.
I would recommend this book, not as a great work of historical fiction but as an important work to understand the history of Judaism, ecumenicalism, and American religion in general. Asch is rightly known as a great Yiddish writer and playwright. The book was supposedly incredibly popular when it was first published and it heralded a American culture of "Minister, Priest, and a Rabbi" that held for the mid-late 20th century.
So why did this 800 page Biblical Epic merit publication in 1943? The Yiddish press was livid about it, but Asch claimed his goals was not to convert Jews to Christianity, but to bring the plight of Jews to American Christians. Having read the book, I am inclined to believe Asch. He obviously saw himself, like Saul/Paul as an "Apostle to the Gentiles," he attempts to Judaize the early saints and through his narrative makes the arguement that the early Christians, like the contemporary Jews of Fascist Europe, were victims of cruel and murderous antisemitism.
The book focuses on the life of Paul of Tarsus, but places his contemporaries and the communities he visits into a distinctly Jewish cultural milleu. The names, prayers, and holidays are Jewish. Asch places the early Jewish messianists under the same category of "poverty and piety" that Roman Vishniac was tasked with documenting photographically in the 30s. As such, the book is a call to American Christians more than to American Jews.
There are some strange and awkward parts. Asch clearly catergorizes the Jews into "Asiatics," "Greeks," and "Wealthy Romans" with broad generalizations and values ascribed to each. Likewise, Greco-roman Idolatry is aesthetically and philosophically pleasing in the narration, while "Asiatic" idolatry tends to be associated with superstition, "licentiousness" etc. Despite the supposed morality of this Biblical fiction, many aspects are meant to titilate- the torture scenes, the description of a Castration, and typical Greco-Roman homoeroticism.
I would recommend this book, not as a great work of historical fiction but as an important work to understand the history of Judaism, ecumenicalism, and American religion in general. Asch is rightly known as a great Yiddish writer and playwright. The book was supposedly incredibly popular when it was first published and it heralded a American culture of "Minister, Priest, and a Rabbi" that held for the mid-late 20th century.
February 25, 2015
Unlike the first book of the series, this book did not suffer from being overly descriptive. Unfortunately, I could not rate it as highly because it took too many unnecessary excursions into subplots that added little to the main theme. The book could have been cut by at least a couple hundred pages with no ill effect. Also, for some reason, I found the thees, thous, and nays more annoying than in the first book. However, it was great fun to lay the first two sections of the book parallel to the Book of Acts in the N.T., which it closely followed.
January 9, 2016
I think this book is out of print, but I got an old copy given to me and thoroughly devoured it. Asch takes biblical history of Paul and creates a realistic, descriptive story. If you can find this book, I highly recommend it.
March 11, 2014
One of the volumes of the trilogy including The Nazarene and Mary, Asch's The Apostle is equally well-researched and gives a generally accurate take on the essential Jewishness of Jesus, his mother and Saul of Tarsus.
November 6, 2013
Found this is the stacks of the library where I worked - always useful to have access - and it was a treat. Hadn't read Asch for years and had forgotten how well he wrote, and how good his research was
June 6, 2011
This was a good story about the apostle Paul. It also gave good insight into what was going on in Palestine, Rome and surrounding areas at that time.
November 21, 2023
Interesting book but I don't think I'll be reading more 'biblical fiction'. It's too difficult to know what was created for the book and what is based on true history.
April 18, 2019
Asch is an educator - a Jewish scholar who wrote in Yiddish in the 1930's a trilogy of Christ centered books: Mary, The Nazarene (Christ), and The Apostle (Paul). I have now read them all and learned much about historical settings and people in which the stories took place. Particularly revealing in this book were the conflicting belief systems Paul (and Peter) had to deal with: Messianic Jews, Non-Messianic Jews, Gentiles, Atheists as well as the depravity prevalent in Rome and the Roman empire. It is no wonder that Asch was much criticized by leading Jews as he deals openly in this book with Paul's teachings on grace versus the law which echoes the parables/teaching of Christ.
December 11, 2018
It was really quite fascinating. Apparently I somehow purchased an unedited edition of it so it was interesting to read it with many grammatical or typographical or punctuation errors...
It was a bit laborious reading at some points but I found it fascinating the imagination the author put into developing the entire world around the apostle Paul. Highly recommend but, I repeat, at times it was very laborious.
It was a bit laborious reading at some points but I found it fascinating the imagination the author put into developing the entire world around the apostle Paul. Highly recommend but, I repeat, at times it was very laborious.
June 1, 2021
Yiddish speaking Jewish men 100 years ago were not usually given to think about, much more, write about the other team, but Shalom Asch certainly went out of his way to help us know this character, and the story of God through Saul, the rabbi from Tarsus. Well worth a read!
March 7, 2018
Engrossing, inspirational, informative. The Acts Of the Apostles, come to life. The outstanding impression I got of St. Paul from this book will never leave me.
May 6, 2023
too heavy.
April 16, 2024
Asch’s thorough research and exceptionally descriptive language brings his own deep felt spirituality to life in this retelling of Paul the Apostle’s biblical journey. The deep compassion for humankind is palpable throughout both novels; “The Nazarene” and “The Apostle.” Although it is quite long, anything this good for the soul ought to be.
It it may be worth noting I’m neither Jewish nor a Christian.
It it may be worth noting I’m neither Jewish nor a Christian.
March 10, 2011
This book about the life of St. Paul or Saul of Tarshish was very detailed. 754 pages worth. There were times that were fascinating and times I wish I was closer to finishing. In the end the author made Paul sound more like a fanatic rather than a Saint. But the author definitely gave his reader a good idea of the times and how Jews and Romans interacted and why.
May 13, 2024
At times a bit slow reading, but a good perspective of the historical times and what Paul might have been like. I found it interesting that the author was Jewish, not a Christian. He thought that because we are so closely related in belief, the two groups should get along much better than they do.
Want to read
September 18, 2009If only the library actually carried any of these books I want to read!!
November 4, 2015
Second of the three. Not as enjoyable as the first but again I enjoyed the period story.
October 9, 2016
Fabulous book, read it a long time ago but will read it again soon. Just recommended it to friends.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews