By Diana Brement, JewishSound Columnist
Holocaust
Sometimes the idea behind a book is as successful as the book itself, but sometimes the idea is more interesting than the end result.
The story behind Dan J. Puckett’s “In the Shadow of Hitler: Alabama’s Jews, the Second World War, and the Holocaust” (Alabama, cloth, $44.95), falls into the first category. A black Southern Baptist, Professor Puckett intended to write about “how Nazism, war, and the Holocaust affected African Americans’ demands for civil rights.” He decided on two chapters on the Jewish community, and wanted to tackle those first. But his research so intrigued him that it changed his book to an entire volume on the subject. His very detailed account is packed with fascinating anecdotes, revealing Alabama’s small Jewish community as a microcosm of the nation, reflecting both unity and factionalism side by side. Puckett explores conflicts between established families of German Jewish descent and more newly arrived, and often more observant, Eastern European Jews. He describes the pro- and anti-Zionist movements and their leaders, and efforts to help refugees, both abroad and those few able to come to the States.
Alabama was different than other states in one way: In 1943, the state legislature passed a resolution favoring the establishment of a Jewish nation in Palestine. On a sadder side, Alabama’s Jewish communities’ considerable efforts on behalf of European Jews did not seem to spill over into the fight against racism in America — at least not at that time.
Conversely, Steven L. Richards’ “Sitting on Top of the World,” (independent, paper, $17.50) has a fascinating back story in a weakly executed book. Richards was rightly intrigued by the story of Kurt Walker, born in Germany to a Jewish mother and Protestant father. The doomed relationship ended when Kurt’s father aligned with the Nazi Brownshirts. The poverty-stricken family divided, with infant Kurt and his mother living with her parents and Kurt’s brother living with his paternal grandparents. Interned at Gurs with his mother and grandparents during the first part of the war, Kurt is rescued by the Quakers, eventually finding foster homes in the U.S. It is many years before he learns that he has a brother. Richards tries to create both a history and a historical novel, one that is sometimes confusing in its narrative, and far too long. Shifts in perspective and time are frustrating, but curiosity may drive the reader to stick with the story to the end.
Israel
Any recent book on Israel was written long before the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, but you can’t help read them in the context of current events.
“The Lion’s Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War,” by Steven Pressfield (Sentinel, cloth, $29.95). The author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books about war, Pressfield felt it was time to turn his attention to his own religious tribe. He calls this “hybrid history,” not a comprehensive historical account, but a collection of personal narratives from those who were there. While most will be unfamiliar to American readers, many of them are Israeli military heroes and some have written their own books. The words of Moshe Dayan and his daughter Yael are here and we also hear from some Americans who volunteered.
“I am a Jew,” writes Pressfield. “I wanted to tell the story of this Jewish war, fought by Jews for the preservation of the Jewish nation…. I don’t pretend to be impartial. At the same time, I have tried, despite license taken, to tell the story straight.”
“Making David into Goliath,” by Joshua Muravchik (Encounter, cloth, $25.99) and “The Israel Test: Why the World’s Most Besieged State is a Beacon of Freedom and Hope for the World Economy,” by George Gilder (Encounter, paper, $16.99). From the same publisher, two books with similar goals, one more successful than the other. Gilder uses economics and anecdotes to tell the reader why Israel is such a great country, but he does it with such scolding and name-calling that it becomes mere preaching to the choir. More a long opinion piece than a history, Gilder even prints the annoying and long-standing Internet rumor that President Obama removed the bust of Winston Churchill from the White House. (p.s.: It’s not true.)
Much more reasoned and rational, Muravchik brings a professorial eye to describing Israel’s metamorphosis from a championed underdog to one of the world’s most despised nations. A fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Muravchik shows how pressures of terrorism, oil and demographics led Israel to its current status. The Non-Aligned Movement in the UN, the predominance of Edward Said’s work on college campuses, the after-effects of the Lebanese War, and even Israel’s own “adversary culture,” all enter into the author’s analysis.
Torah
“Unscrolled: 54 Writers and Artists Wrestle with the Torah,” edited by Roger Bennett (Workman, paper, $18). Divided into 54 portions for its annual (or triennial) reading in the synagogue, the Torah has been subject to interpretation and exposition for over 2,000 years. This entertaining and creative approach to Torah could be viewed as midrashic in nature. Each of 54 creative and contemporary writers have been assigned parashah and offer a short piece of creative writing expressing a theme of that portion. Some of them are serious, some are ironic, some are funny and some are quite touching. Editor Bennett has skillfully summarized each portion.
Fiction
“After Auschwitz: A Love Story,” by Brenda Webster (WingsPress, paper, $16.95). Webster skillfully blends two subjects, Auschwitz and Alzheimer’s, in this short novel about survival and dependence. Through the eyes of aging Italian filmmaker Renzo, we learn how his wife Hannah survived the concentration camps and how he helped her recover from her trauma. With his memory failing, now he is dependent on her, and fighting for every inch of his own survival. This is like a long and sometimes painful visit with the couple. We see their faults and imperfect love, and leave wondering if knowing what happens in old age helps us cope any better?
Food
“Dairy Made Easy,” by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek (Artscroll, paper, $15.99). A fun approach to all things dairy, this little cookbook features color photos of each dish and recipes easy enough for a beginner and fun enough for a more experienced cook. Appetizers, main dishes and desserts are all included.