Jeffrey goldberg the atlantic my promised land is a remarkable book, one of the best to come out of israel, up there with tom segevs one palestine, complete, susan nathans the other side of israel, and the trenchant works of jeff halper and ilan pappe. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He describes the twentieth century history of israel and analyzes the present situation. Fletcher, who was born in london in 1947 to austrian jews who had fled to britain to escape the nazis, wrote promised land. Manchild in the promised land book by claude brown, nathan. Bound for the promised land paperback just as the old testament book of genesis begins with creation, where humans live in the presence of their lord, so the new testament book of revelation ends with an even more glorious new creation where all of the redeemed dwell with the lord and his christ. Prereading activity to what does the promised land in the books title refer.
Manchild in the promised land evolved from an article he published in dissent magazine during his first year at college. The local league of women voters is reading the book, which leads to some lively discussion. Presents an examination of israel that traces the events that led the country to its current state of conflict through the stories of everyday citizens to illuminate the importance of lesserknown historical events. Many features of the life of the couple whose letters form the backbone of the book resonate with my own experience of life in. Reading as a social activity prompts a deeper relationship with the books we love. Brooklyn public library loves book clubs, and gathering people around the shared experience of a book is central to our mission. To help foster the social experience of reading, weve made having a book. About the book when manchild in the promised land was first published in 1965, it was praised for its realistic portrayal of harlemthe children, young people, and hardworking parents. For the winter meeting of the jsc book club, please join us for a lively discussion about journalist avi shavits awardwinning book, my promised land. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. My promised land is like a letter, sent through time and space, to jewish brethren round the world. With our book discussion sets, its easy to check out copies for your whole club. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
Ari shavits new bookis a gale of conversation, of feeling, of foreboding, of ratiocination. For all his gloom, shavit emerges from his own book as a decent, wellmeaning and sincere person. She gave me fresh perspective on the exodus of the israelites out of egypt and challenged me to move out of my personal egypts into my promised land. Great book club picks for fallwinter 2018 at bookexpo, we had a chance to meet some of our readers at the speed dating session that we ran on friday, june 1st. My promised land startles in many ways, not least in its relative lack of interest in providing its readers with a handy politics. The triumph and the tragedy of israel by the israeli commentator ari shavit is an important, serious and readable book. The result is a landmark portrait of a small, vibrant country living on the edge, whose identity and presence play a crucial role in todays global political landscape. Facing unprecedented internal and external pressures, israel today is at a moment of existential crisis. This is one of the most balance and real books that i have read on what it looks like to live in the. Shavit, an israeli journalist, columnist for haaretz. Ari shavit, author of my promised land journalist ari shavit says israel must find a way to reconcile its democratic values with the reality of everyday life there. J street columbus is hosting a book club style discussion of ari shavits new bestseller my promised land the book spans from 1897, when the authors grandfather herber bentwich visited the holy land, up until the present dayas israel and its leaders wrestle with the israelipalestinian peace process and the threat of iran to develop nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately i didnt enjoy this book and graciously gave it 3 stars. On tuesday, may 6th, at 6pm, bonai shalom will host a new book club. My promised land by ari shavit discussion guide penguin. Book discussion, my promised land by ari shavit boulder. Discussion copies will be available for checkout at the branch, ask at the front desk. The book continues to resonate generations later, not only because the struggles of. Do you think the natan fund was wise in supporting my promised land. The book reflects the authors sense of mission and purpose, and it ari shavit has written this landmark work with passion, courage, and vision.
Every day downtown soul city saw huggy bear jackson smooth by in that pristine moneygreen 1983 cadillac cutlass supreme custom convertible with gold rims, neongreen lights underneath, and a poststateoftheart harmon kardon system with sixteen speakers, wireless remote, thirtydisc changer, and the clearest sound imaginable. Praise for my promised land this book will sweep you up in its narrative force and not let go of you until it is done. It beseeches us all to open our eyes to the grim realities that beset our beloved state of israel. My promised land our next book club subject can be a perfect read for your holiday. This gripping narrative history which is based on hundreds of interviews with israelisboth jews and arabstackles some of the most challenging issues of. My promised land presents zionism as something dynamic, everchanging, but with something constant at its heart. We know that many of you were not able to join us in new york, and we want to give you the opportunity to see all of the wonderful titles that were presented at the event. Sometimes zionism is like a character with whims and will, sometimes faceless sometimes emotional. Go behind the stories and peer inside the archives at this new bimonthly book discussion, led by lauren gilbert, senior manager for public services at the. The jsc book club examines the promised land jewish. To tell the history of his country, shavit begins with the story of his british greatgrandfathers trip to palestine on a thomas cook caravan in 1897 and continues in his role as our guide throughout the book. Triumphs and tragedy the subtitle of the book is the triumph and tragedy of israel. You need to have worked through the guide, making decisions for yourself.
Manchild in the promised land book by claude brown. My grandparents in love and war by ian buruma a family history of surpassing beauty and power. At the end of the book, these and other entanglements are resolved, though in surprising ways. The story begins when fourteenyearold peter is sent west to america to. Shavits book explains the history of zionism in palestine. My promised land, by ari shavit the new york times. The triumph and tragedy of israel is a 20 work of historical nonfiction by israeli author and journalist ari shavit. My promised land goodreads meet your next favorite book. Not since amos elons the israelis, amos ozs in the land of israel, and thomas friedmans from beirut to jerusalem has there been such a powerful and comprehensive book written about the. I finally finished reading their promised land by ian buruma. Shavit was a senior correspondent at the leftofcenter israeli newspaper haaretz before he resigned when a pattern of sexual misconduct came to public attention a selfdescribed leftwing journalist and antioccupation peacenik, shavit is the author of the 20 new york times best seller my.
You need for everyone attending the discussion to have read the book or up to the chapter you are discussing, in the 9part series no short cuts. As an outreach tool, the film raises fundamental questions about determining a fair price for justice for a historical wrong and deciding who must pay it. My promised land the triumph and tragedy of israel book. Not since amos elons the israelis, amos ozs in the land of israel, and thomas friedmans from beirut to jerusalem has there been such a powerful and comprehensive book written about the jewish state and the israelipalestinian conflict. Shavit, a columnist who serves on the editorial board of. From paradise to the promised land from keith mathison oct 08, 2010 category. Fletchers writing is superb and rises to the level of importance that. Jay parinis book is a thoughtprovoking read that can lead the reader to other books for an even better understanding of the time period each book chapter is set in.
Promised land is a great sweeping epic, reminiscent of leon uris exodus. To help foster the social experience of reading, weve made having a book club easier by establishing. My promised land by ari shavit penguin random house audio. As one who always likes family oriented books and this written by this couples grandson, i surely thought i would love this book. Dominique laxalt, a basqueamerican sheepherder, is persuaded by his family to return home for a longplanned visit after living nearly half a century on the ranges of the american west. An israeli womans quest for peace noa baum, 2016 familius 340 pp. Promised land looks at the complex issues of south african land reform and racial reconciliation by following two black communities trying to get back land from which they say their ancestors were removed during apartheid. We at makom would say that the heart of zionism is. My promised land book charlotte mecklenburg library. Friedmans groundbreaking from beirut to jerusalem has a book captured the essence and the beating heart of the middle east as keenly and dynamically as my promised land.
My promised land is the ultimate personal odyssey of a humanist exploring the startling biography of his tormented homeland, which is at the very centre of global interest. An israeli journalist explores the history of israel and its conflict with the palestinians, supplementing the political arguments with his and other. The jsc book club examines the promised land jewish study. And remember to check out our other book resources. Join the flatbush book club thursday, december 20 for a discussion of manchild in the promised land by claude brown. Introduction martin fletcher, who headed up nbc tvs tel aviv news bureau, knows his territory and it shows on every page. A novel of israel as the first in a proposed trilogy about israel, a subject he knows well. Ari shavits new book is a gale of conversation, of feeling, of foreboding, of ratiocination.
As entertaining as the book is, though, it fails to delve deeply enough into the characters to make their stories matter as much as what is. Shavit charts israels history partly through the lives of his pioneering forebears. Zionism appears throughout the book in many guises. Culminating with an analysis of the issues and threats that israel is currently facing, my promised land uses the defining events of the past to shed new light on the present. Please feel welcome to join the discussion even if you havent read the book. The book has already catalyzed conversations about jewish life. My grandparents in love and war by ian buruma november 01, 2016, 7. The author of my promised land is a dreamer with an addiction to reality. There will be a discussion of my promised land by ari shavit, a moving and provocative book on the the history of modern israel. Shavit employs two methods that present important issues. On sunday, october 26 at 10am, our book club meets again to discuss my promised land, by ari shavit. It is an attempt to understand israel by telling its story from the arrival of bentwich in jaffa in 1897 to the writing of the book in 20. As the book opens, peter and arie are young boys living with their family in germany as war looms. In sweet promised land, laxalt paints an affectionate portrait of his father and, simultaneously, tells the story that connects immigrant families everywhere in the united states.
Manchild in the promised land join the flatbush book club thursday, december 20 for a discussion of manchild in the promised land by claude brown discussion copies will be available for checkout at the branch, ask at the front desk. Are you left feeling that the book dealt well with both triumph and tragedy. In my promised land, his first book in english, mr. Fletchers writing is superb and rises to the level of importance that this story demands and deserves. The portable promised land by toure book club discussion. The triumph and tragedy of israel by shavit, ari isbn. Ian burumas account of his grandparents enduring love through the. Martin fletchers promised land is a literary triumph of nearcontemporary historical fiction that is magnetic, surprising, and should be read and enjoyed for decades to come.
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