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Religion » Jewish

Browse book recommendations:

Religion

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  • Theology

Welcome to the Five Books recommendations on Judaism and Jewish culture.

Founded over 3500 years ago, and perhaps the oldest monotheistic religion, Judaism has a poignant and often distressing history. Antisemitism has been a plague of both the eastern and western worlds.

From a literary perspective, our book recommendations examine the rich cultural and literary world of Jewish writing. These include the best Jewish fiction, chosen by novelist Allegra Goodman, but also the best contemporary Israeli fiction. Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse discusses the distinctive nature of Jewish humour, picking her favourite works.

As regards politics, our book recommendations also cover the nature of Zionism and the establishment of Israel.

    The best books on Jewish History, recommended by Gershon Hundert

  • Read
    The best books on Jewish History - Border Lines by Daniel Boyarin

    1

    Border Lines
    by Daniel Boyarin

  • Read
    The best books on Jewish History - Between Muslim and Jew by Steven Wasserstrom

    2

    Between Muslim and Jew
    by Steven Wasserstrom

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    The best books on Jewish History - The Compunctious Poet by Ross Brann

    3

    The Compunctious Poet
    by Ross Brann

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    The best books on Jewish History - Two Nations in Your Womb by Israel Jacob Yuval

    4

    Two Nations in Your Womb
    by Israel Jacob Yuval

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    The best books on Jewish History - Founder of Hasidism by Murray Jay Rosman

    5

    Founder of Hasidism
    by Murray Jay Rosman

The best books on Jewish History, recommended by Gershon Hundert

Gershon Hundert, Leanor Segal Professor of Jewish Studies at McGill University, talks about recent revisions to the conventional understanding of Jewish history and selects the most influential current writing on the subject.

    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction

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    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction - Inside Kasrilevke by Sholem Aleichem

    1

    Inside Kasrilevke
    by Sholem Aleichem

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    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction - Rabbis and Wives by Chaim Grade

    2

    Rabbis and Wives
    by Chaim Grade

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    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction - The Chosen by Chaim Potok

    3

    The Chosen
    by Chaim Potok

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    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction - The Pagan Rabbi by Cynthia Ozick

    4

    The Pagan Rabbi
    by Cynthia Ozick

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    Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction - Daniel Deronda by George Eliot

    5

    Daniel Deronda
    by George Eliot

Allegra Goodman recommends the best Jewish Fiction

Jewish literature doesn’t have to be written by Jews, says the novelist, but it does have to speak to the Jewish experience. She tells us about the Jewish writing, from Chaim Potok to George Eliot, that means the most to her.

    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction

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    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction - The Hilltop by Assaf Gavron

    1

    The Hilltop
    by Assaf Gavron

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    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction - Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua

    2

    Second Person Singular
    by Sayed Kashua

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    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction - To the End of the Land by David Grossman

    3

    To the End of the Land
    by David Grossman

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    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction - Homesick by Eshkol Nevo

    4

    Homesick
    by Eshkol Nevo

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    Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction - Borderlife by Dorit Rabinyan

    5

    Borderlife
    by Dorit Rabinyan

Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recommends the best of Contemporary Israeli Fiction

The Middle East is so dominated by war and politics that all literature must be viewed through this prism, says Israeli novelist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. She recommends the best Israeli novels.

    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of, or on, Jewish Humour

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    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of - The Big Book of Jewish Humour by William Novak and Moshe Waldoks

    1

    The Big Book of Jewish Humour
    by William Novak and Moshe Waldoks

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    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of - Tevye the Dairyman and The Railroad Stories by Sholem Aleichem

    2

    Tevye the Dairyman and The Railroad Stories
    by Sholem Aleichem

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    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of - Herzog by Saul Bellow

    3

    Herzog
    by Saul Bellow

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    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of - The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson

    4

    The Finkler Question
    by Howard Jacobson

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    Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of - Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious by Sigmund Freud

    5

    Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious
    by Sigmund Freud

Ruth Wisse recommends the best works of, or on, Jewish Humour

The Harvard professor and author of No Joke: Making Jewish Humour identifies Tevye the Dairyman as the first standup comic and Sigmund Freud as Jewish humour’s greatest analyst.

    The best books on Anti-Semitism, recommended by Abraham Foxman

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    The best books on Anti-Semitism - Constantine by James Carroll

    1

    Constantine
    by James Carroll

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    The best books on Anti-Semitism - The War Against the Jews by Lucy S Dawidowicz

    2

    The War Against the Jews
    by Lucy S Dawidowicz

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    The best books on Anti-Semitism - The Siege by Conor Cruise O’Brien

    3

    The Siege
    by Conor Cruise O’Brien

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    The best books on Anti-Semitism - Trials of the Diaspora by Anthony Julius

    4

    Trials of the Diaspora
    by Anthony Julius

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    The best books on Anti-Semitism - A Lethal Obsession by Robert S Wistrich

    5

    A Lethal Obsession
    by Robert S Wistrich

The best books on Anti-Semitism, recommended by Abraham Foxman

Why has anti-Semitism been such a problem down the ages, and why does it persist today? The emeritus director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, recommends the best books to better understand anti-Semitism.

    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books

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    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos

    1

    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
    by Anita Loos

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    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books - A Book of English Belief by Joanna M Hughes

    2

    A Book of English Belief
    by Joanna M Hughes

  • Read
    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books - A Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

    3

    A Pilgrim’s Progress
    by John Bunyan

  • Read
    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books - Dear Lady Disdain by Paula Marshall

    4

    Dear Lady Disdain
    by Paula Marshall

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    Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books - A Year of Grace by Victor Gollancz

    5

    A Year of Grace
    by Victor Gollancz

Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses his Favourite Books

Rabbi Lionel Blue chooses some of his favourite books. Fans may be surprised by his choices, but one thing is key: a happy ending.

    The best books on Israel, recommended by Amnon Rubinstein

  • Read
    The best books on Israel - Start-Up Nation by Dan Senor and Saul Singer

    1

    Start-Up Nation
    by Dan Senor and Saul Singer

  • Read
    The best books on Israel - Palestine Betrayed by Efraim Karsh

    2

    Palestine Betrayed
    by Efraim Karsh

  • Read
    The best books on Israel - Old New Land by Theodor Herzl

    3

    Old New Land
    by Theodor Herzl

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    The best books on Israel - The Invention of the Jewish People by Shlomo Sand

    4

    The Invention of the Jewish People
    by Shlomo Sand

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    The best books on Israel - Israel and the Family of Nations by Alexander Yakobson and Amnon Rubinstein

    5

    Israel and the Family of Nations
    by Alexander Yakobson and Amnon Rubinstein

The best books on Israel, recommended by Amnon Rubinstein

Israeli lawyer and politician says the Zionist revolution sought to turn Jewish civilisation into a nation-state like all nation-states under the rule of international law

    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism, recommended by Gabriel Piterberg

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    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism - Theodor Herzl by Jacques Kornberg

    1

    Theodor Herzl
    by Jacques Kornberg

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    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism - Land, Labor and the Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 1882-1914 by Gershon Shafir

    2

    Land, Labor and the Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 1882-1914
    by Gershon Shafir

  • Read
    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism - The Question of Palestine by Edward W Said

    3

    The Question of Palestine
    by Edward W Said

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    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism - Facts on the Ground by Nadia Abu El-Haj

    4

    Facts on the Ground
    by Nadia Abu El-Haj

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    The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism - Exil et Souveraineté by Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin

    5

    Exil et Souveraineté
    by Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin

The best books on Zionism and Anti-Zionism, recommended by Gabriel Piterberg

Israeli historian Gabriel Piterberg tells us about works of scholarship that have challenged the Zionist Israeli narrative of modern history.

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