Guide for the Bedevilled [Hardcover]

Ben Hecht (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 096468862X | ISBN-13: 978-0964688629 | Publication Date: October 1996

Writing in 1943, Hecht cries out for the three million Jews already killed by "ordinary Germans." Called "the most influential writer in the history of American movies," Hecht was shunned both by Hollywood and by most of American Jewry for his stand on saving Europe's Jews.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Milah Press, Incorporated (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096468862X
• ISBN-13: 978-0964688629
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,493,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is incredible. It is a MUST read., December 19, 1999

By 

martin 24000 (Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guide for the Bedevilled (Hardcover)

The most outstanding screenwriter of the 1930's shares his feelings about Jews and antisemites at the height of WW2 and the Holocaust - 1943.

His insights are astounding and his passion is legendary. He was one of the few people in America who worked against all odds to save European Jewry during the Holocaust. His contribution has yet to be given its due. This book is not about his contributions. This book was one of them.

I hope and pray that world Jewry learns the lessons of this book and unifies for all time.

This book is a must read.

P.S. On and around the same topic as this book I also recommend:

"Menachem Begin His Life and Legacy" by Hillel Seidman

"Shake Heaven and Earth" by Louis Rappaport

"Treblinka" by Jean-Francois Steiner

Please let me know what you thought of these books. Thanks!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tedious but rewarding, February 22, 2004

By 

amiracle (Jerusalem, ISRAEL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guide for the Bedevilled (Hardcover)

It is hard to believe Hecht was never formally educated beyond high school, but this may very well be the secret to his genius. He wasn't instructed - he learned. Not from establishment but from his own rich life.
For two reasons I haven't ranked "A Guide" 5 stars. Firstly, Hecht's lofty vocabulary, though never pretentious, renders this book and its brilliant ideas almost inaccessible. Borrowing often from French and making frequent use of arcane figures of speech and historical references, I found myself having to consult multiple dictionaries and the Internet in order to keep up with him. Secondly, I tend to disagree with a few of his conclusions. I think Hecht exaggerates in his praise for America and its benevolence. And (though my gut is convinced he is right) I felt his sweeping delegitimization of Germany as a people deserved greater and more substantial evidence.
All things considered, though, this was an immensely enjoyable and insightful read. Hecht's style is intimate, entertaining and engaging. From a historical, literary, and philosophical perspective this book ought to be read by everyone.