Jewish Historical Fiction discussion

Hi,

Is any out there and have any ideas? I added a few.

Krysta

My recent picks are:

The End of the Jews by Adam Mansbach
Charity Girl by Michael Lowenthal
The Chosen (or pretty much anything by Chaim Potok)

and a memoir (not fiction)-- Naked in the Promised Land by Lillian Faderman

do you guys want to pick a book to read

Hi, I just joined this group. Some suggestions for books are The Red Tent by Anita Daimant, and the following Holocaust books: The Book Thief, Sarah's Key, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, My Enemy's Cradle, Those Who Saved Us. Other Jewish fiction include the Evergreen trilogy by Belva Plain, Leah's Journey and Leah's Children by Gloria Goldreich (about the settlement of Jewish families in America, early 20th century). She also wrote That Year of Our War which is about a Jewish American family in NY during World War II, one of my favorite books. Naomi Ragen also wrote some very intriguing historical fiction.....Jephte's Daughter, Sotah, The Sacrifice of Tamar, The Ghost of Hannah Mendes, and the Covenant...all excellect depictions of Jewish life, both modern and historical.

I am reading 'The Physician' by Noah Gordon but of course:

'The Source' James Michener
'Exodus' Leon Uris
'After Long Silence' Helen Fremont
'Winds of War' and
'War and Remembrance' Herman Wouk

and many more. I am very interested in Jewish Historical fiction and would like to create a near-definitive list (a Herculean labor I know, but worth a shot) so keep those suggestions coming!

When it comes to Jewish historical fiction it doesn't get more Jewish or historical than my RASHI'S DAUGHTERS trilogy. The final volume just went on sale this week.Rashi's Daughters, Book III Rachel A Novel of Love and the Talmud in Medieval France, Rashi's Daughters Joheved, Rashi's Daughters, Book II Miriam.

Maggie Anton
www.rashisdaughters.com

Maggie wrote: "When it comes to Jewish historical fiction it doesn't get more Jewish or historical than my RASHI'S DAUGHTERS trilogy. ..."

I have the first 2 on my TBR pile.

I would highly recommend The River Midnight by Lilian Nattel

David wrote: "I am reading 'The Physician' by Noah Gordon but of course:

'The Source' James Michener
'Exodus' Leon Uris
'After Long Silence' Helen Fremont
'Winds of War' and
'War and Remembrance' Herman Wouk

..."

Perhaps you would consider adding my novel THE HERETIC to your list. Lorraine Gordon, the wife of Noah Gordon, read THE HERETIC and had this to say ... "When I finished reading your wonderful novel, I wished I had another one just like it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Heretic. As a matter of fact, it has the same appeal as Noah’s books have for me ... well-drawn characters, interesting history, and an absorbing story.”

I liked David Liss's, 'The Coffee Trader'

Maggie wrote: "When it comes to Jewish historical fiction it doesn't get more Jewish or historical than my RASHI'S DAUGHTERS trilogy. The final volume just went on sale this week.[book:Rashi's Daughters, Book III..."

I want to thank you for this series. I am only in the middle of the first book and loving each time I pick it up.

Michelle wrote: "I liked David Liss's, 'The Coffee Trader'"

I enjoyed this book very much and was disappointed by his other one Conspiracy of Paper (or something like that). It's easy to get into the characters and it becomes surprisingly suspenseful.

Thanks so much for your kind words; it's always good to received praise from my readers.

Maggie Anton
www.rashisdaughters.com

I am just starting the first of the Rashi's Daughter's series and I can't put it down! :)
I contemplated calling in sick so I could just sit and read it all day!

Here are some suggestions:
Those Who Save Us Jenna Blum (shoah novel)
All Other Nights Dara Horn Jews During the Civil War
People of the Book Geraldine Brooks
My Father's Paradise (Jews in the Kurdish part of Iraq biography,by Ariel Sabar
Triangle Katherine Weber the fire in the Triangle Shirt Factory
A Thread of Grace (Italians Jews in the Shoah ) Maria Doria Russell

Thread of Grace is a terrific story. There's a non-fiction book on the same topic ... Benevolence and Betrayal: Five Italian Jewish Families Under Fascism ... that you might find of interest.

Here are a few more:
The Genizah in the House of Shepher by Tamar Yellin, about the search for a valuable manuscript.
The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi by Jacqueline Park . It takes place in Renaissance Italy
The Septembers of Shiraz an Iranian Jewish family after the Iranian revolution by Dalia Sofer

One of my all time favorites: As A Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg, takes place in the Talmudic period

I have looked for The Heretic on Amazon and did not find it. Any more details that would help me locate it?

Hey, Francine - I just checked Amazon and it is available:
http://www.amazon.com/Heretic-Lewis-M...

Thanks, Sharie. I found it. It sounds like an excellent read.The Spanish Inquisition is a period of Jewish History that I like to read about, as well as stories about conversos who came to the New World.
I am going to see if I can locate a less costly copy, but I will buy it either way. I would put it on my Kindle, except it is the kind of book I will want to share.

Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Goldstein's Mazel.

Also, would you consider adding my novel Kabbalah of Stone to your list? It's a Jewish feminist novel set in Girona, Spain during the expulsion/Inquisition. Deals with gender and sexuality and some of the pagan roots of Judaism. One of the central characters is the spirit of Huldah, the Biblical prophet. Here's the link to my website with ordering and more information:
http://www.juniperlakepress.com/

I have a friend asking for some recommendations for Jewish historical fiction set in Israel... especially in the 2nd Temple era or in the Ottoman period.
Any suggestions welcome.

Having just returned from a week in Isreal and 3 days in Jerulsalem I learned quite a bit about the era of the Second Temple. The only real source out there is Flavius Josephus so I picked up The Jewish Wars on my Kindle (for 99cents). Very interesting to read considering it was written by a real person (whose motives may or may not be questionable) who was there at the time.

Sharie wrote: "Hey, Francine - I just checked Amazon and it is available:
http://www.amazon.com/Heretic-Lewis-M..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."

Irene wrote: "Hi,

Anything by Dara Horn. Also love Kathleen Alcala's trilogy about conversos in Mexico. And Francis Sherwood's The Book of Splendor, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum's A Day of Small Beginnings, Rebecca Gol..."
Found, bought and read The Heritic. Could not put it down. This is a period that I am interested in reading about and The Heretic is both filled with information and a well written novel. Looking for more like it.

I checked for Kathleen Alcala and found several books that she wrote but none of them is about conversos in Mexico. Any titles to help me in my search?
Thanks in advance.

Just joined this group - I am surprised nobody has mentioned Isaac Bashevis Singer - The Manor and The Estate are a must (and great books) for anyone interested in life in the Shtetl in Poland in the 19th century. Also People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks - the story of a medieval Haggadah over the centuries - and a great read too.

The newest David Grossman novel, To the End of the Land, about war, family and sadness, has had excellent reviews in the national press.
The late Milton Steinberg, author of As a Driven Leaf, has a long lost novel that has been printed posthumously, The Prophet's Wife, a novel with the biblical prophet Hosea and his wife,Gomer as the main characters.
The Memoirs of Gluckel of Hameln is a diary kept by this amazing woman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.It gives us a glimpse of life for Jews in northern Germany during that period.

Just joined this group today. I agree with Patrick - anything by I.B. Singer. Also: The Rise of David Levinsky by Abraham Cahan; Exodus; Winds of War; and (if you will pardon the shill) my own Sophie Paraskova about a beautiful Jewish anarchist on NYC's Lower East Side in the late 19th century.

The book I am about to recommend is probably the shortest book on the Shoah that you will ever read, but, in its way is the best. I saw it in play form a few nights ago and found out that it originated as a book in 1938.
The book is called Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressman Taylor and consists of a set of letters from two former partners in an art gallery, one Jewish, who remains in San Francisco, and the other, non Jewish who returns to Munich.
The author does an enormous job of helping us to see how nice people can become caught up in the cruelty of bigotry, nationalism and how it affects their moral judgment.
In just a few pages of the fictional letters we are mesmerized by this story and the ending is all that you would have wanted after you followed the complete fall of the German character.
If you ever get a chance to see the play, take it. It was here in Boston, the two main characters spoke Hebrew and they projected the translation overhead. Both the play and the book will leave you stunned, angry and yet glad that you read/saw it.
The book is available from Amazon, and I imagine, other sellers as well.

Thank you for the recommendation, Francine. I was avaialable on paperback swap, so I got it.

How about "The Fifth Servant" by Kenneth Wishnia?

I really enjoyed it: http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=990

People of the Book by Geradine Brooks
Excellent read through Jewish history.

and if you want to read an excellent book that will tear your heart out, read "Sarah's Key"", Tatiana de Rosnay

Cheryl wrote: "and if you want to read an excellent book that will tear your heart out, read "Sarah's Key"", Tatiana de Rosnay"

Great book!

I think anything by Chaim Potok is worth reading.
I've also enjoyed The Red Tent and I thought Sarah's Key was one of the most moving books I've ever read.
It looks like I shall get alot more ideas of good books to read from you all in this group.

I LOVED "Sarah's Key", and another book which was sooo good, although it has some sad parts, is "Those Who Save Us" by Jenna Blum.

I also enjoyed "The Ladies Auxillary" by Tova Mirvis, and I just purchased another book by her, which I haven't started reading yet, called "The Outside World."

Oh and ANYTHING by Naomi Ragen!

I also want to read "In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and An American Family in Hitler's Berlin" by Erik Larsen.

I have a non-fiction book that you might like about Shoah. (Holocaust) It's Night by Elie Wiesel. But it is very graphic, and not really suitable for children.. If any of you are interested.

I'm just reading a book of Yiddish Folktales by Beatrice Weinreich. It's a great 'dipping in' book.

Rivkah wrote: "I have a non-fiction book that you might like about Shoah. (Holocaust) It's Night by Elie Wiesel. But it is very graphic, and not really suitable for children.. If any of you are interested."

I've just ordered a book of his called Dawn which I believe follows on from 'Night'. I thought 'Night' was one of the most disturbing and sad books I've ever read but one that should be read none the less.

Three historical Jewish fictions by Othniel Seiden, Look by author, all on Kindle and 2 in print also. "Seed of Avraham - a 4,000 year history of the Jewish family," a novel ... The Remnant - the Jewish resistance in WWll," and "The Cartographer - 1492," about the Spanish Inquisition and the Columbus voyage and the parts played by the Jews.

How about a novel that speaks to the dilemma of contemporary American Jews?

Sound interesting Claire, any spesofic book? Also, I would like to mention my book "Daughters of Iraq" a Historical Fiction, please check it out.

www.revital-sh.com

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11...

I don't think anyone recreates the atmosphere of the shtetl as well as Isaac Bashevis Singer.

If anyone would like to write a review of my new historical fiction kindle book, about the Roman occupation of Judea, Jerusalem Imperilled, please let me know and I'll send you a copy.

Claire wrote: "How about a novel that speaks to the dilemma of contemporary American Jews?"

Claire wrote: "How about a novel that speaks to the dilemma of contemporary American Jews?" May I suggest my novel,
The Ninth Inheritor: The Extraordinary Odyssey of a Family and Their Ancient Torah Scroll. This sweeping novel carries the reader from a humble shtetl into contemporary American Jewish life, and then provides a glimpse into the future.

Noah Gordon's The Last Jew (re:Spanish inquisition)(3 & 1/2 stars) & Julie Orringer, The Invisible Bridge (5 stars).

Claire wrote: "Claire wrote: "How about a novel that speaks to the dilemma of contemporary American Jews?"

Claire wrote: "How about a novel that speaks to the dilemma of contemporary American Jews?" May I sugges..."
Hi Claire, I run a Hadassah book group. Your book looks wonderful, but we only read books that are accessible in the library (we are in Denver). Your book is not in our library system. Can you send some to our library?

I just joined this group and am writing to thank everyone who made reading suggestions. I've now got a whole bunch of new books to read.

Iran is in the news these days and I find the issues compelling, so I enjoyed reading Libby Fischer Hellmann’s new novel, A Bitter Veil, set in the midst of the Iranian revolution that brought Khomeini to power. A good read and a great way to absorb the background info of the current problems. Two essential themes predominate in this viscerally effective novel: the fate of women when their choices have been taken from them and the banality of evil, to borrow a phrase applied to the Nazis—who also appear in this book if somewhat indirectly. Here’s my review.

Judith wrote: "Iran is in the news these days and I find the issues compelling, so I enjoyed reading Libby Fischer Hellmann’s new novel, A Bitter Veil, set in the midst of the Irani..."

Thanks for the suggestion and the review, Judith. Sounds like a really interesting book - especially how it raises the issue of women's choices, which is a universal issue, not just an Iranian or even a Middle Eastern one.