Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Two New Books of Interest


Two rather different but equally interesting books that have come my way recently are The Jewish Graphic Novel, edited by Samantha Baskind and Ranen Omer-Sherman, and Marie Syrkin: Values Beyond the Self, by Carole Kessner. I'll be reviewing the latter for The American Jewish Archive Journal, and the former, well, at a publication to be announced. The Jewish Graphic Novel makes a strong case for the tremendous importance of the genre to the exploration of modern Jewish history and the modern Jewish psyche. The Syrkin biography is a welcome addition to the small but growing body of work on this brilliant, mercurial woman, whose career as journalist, poet, educator and Zionist activist is paradigmatic of her time, place and cultural milieu. So, as they say, just in time for Hannukah...

3 comments:

Steve Subrizi said...

I feel pretty great about Jews being responsible for things like comic books and punk rock. Are we responsible for chocolate somehow too?

Norman Finkelstein said...

Only chocolate Hannukah gelt.

Unknown said...

Where would the Jewish graphic novel be without the mothers who bought them and the Jewish librarians who introduced them to their young adult clientele????