Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) [Paperback]

Norman Solomon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Very Short Introductions | Publication Date: June 15, 2000

Norman Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. In addition to surveying the nature and development of Judaism, this Very Short Introduction outlines the basics of practical Judaism -- its festivals, prayers, customs, and various sects. Modern concerns and debates of the Jewish people are also addressed, such as the impact of the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, the status of women, and medical and commercial ethics.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Solomon] manages to cover a remarkable range of material regarding the nature of the Jews as a historical group, the history of Judaism's religious tradition, the origins of Christianity, and aspects of historical and contemporary piety and practice."--Religious Studies Review

"An excellent brief introduction; contains all your students need to know at the basic level."--I.A. Van Liere, College of Charleston

"Compact and detailed, this is a well-balanced presentation of the biblical foundations, historical development, and contemporary shape of the Jewish tradition. Ideal for those coming to Judaism for the first time."--Ralph Keen, University of Iowa

About the Author

Dr Norman Solomon is a freelance writer and journalist, and a regular contributor to the Jewish Chronicle. He is a Fellow in Modern Jewish Thought at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. His previous publications include Judaism and World Religion and he contributed to The Oxford Companion to the Jewish Religion.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192853902
• ISBN-13: 978-0192853905
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN OUTSTANDING SHORT-COURSE, May 11, 2003

By 

reviewer (Zurich, Switzerland.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (Paperback)

Complete with fine remarks and introductory tutorials, Norman Solomon exerted accurate perceptions in this pamphlet.
"Judaism: A Very Short Introduction" gave a run-through of every aspect of (ancient and modern) judaism. Its time-saving structure is neat: without omitting any of the vital issues which concerned the religion and its followers. This book is well-blended. It maintained proportionate dispositions towards religious practices, cultural heritage, and evolutionary anthropology. There is hardly any weakness in its presentations.
Anybody who needs an insight into the 'dos' and 'don'ts' of judaism would find it useful. Its summarized contents included all the transformations, which the ancient religion has undergone.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to Rabbinic Judaism for Christians, February 2, 2002

By 

Andrew Tevington "tevrev" (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (Paperback)

Christians tend to believe they know all they need to know about Judaism because their Old Testament consists of the Hebrew Scriptures. This book does an excellent job of showing Christians (and others) that Judaism today is more than Abraham, Moses and David. With the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, Judaism was forced to adapt and in many ways redefine itself. This easily read book explains the development of Rabbinic Judaism as opposed to Biblical Judaism. Anyone who claims to be a student of world religions should read it. Any Christian who wants to develop a better understanding of what was happening to Judaism in the early days of Christianity should also read it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solomon's good judgment, February 3, 2008

By 

Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (Paperback)

The PBS series The Jewish Americans happened to be showing, while I was reading this book, and the two complemented each other very well. I wholeheartedly recommend both. World Jewry numbers around 13 million, maybe as many as 18 million, depending on whom and how you count. More than 6 million live in the US, more even than in Israel itself.

Being British, Solomon presents a somewhat Eurocentric view, but not to the extent that it is a problem, and I don't think American readers are for the most part troubled by the occasional British spelling or usage.

It must be a daunting prospect for a scholar, having to condense a vast store of knowledge into one of these little books, deciding what to include and what must go, but Solomon judges this well. He emphasizes the diversity and continuing evolution of Judaism, correcting common misconceptions about how ancient or orthodox certain aspects of Judaism are. He also lays special stress on the importance of the Holocaust and of modern Israel in shaping contemporary Jewish thought.

There are plenty of basic facts - descriptions of festivals, etc - included here, as you would expect. It also raises a great many issues and cites a number of authors, making this an excellent place to begin a more detailed study, if you wished.

Solomon writes well, with a light, sometimes even humorous touch, where appropriate. He was a lecturer at Oxford when this book was first published in 1996, but is now retired, I believe. A revised edition wouldn't go amiss. Perhaps he is too busy working on his Penguin Classics Talmud, which is due out soon and should be worth reading. He is not to be confused with the American activist of the same name, although Amazon does exactly that, so that if you click on either author, you get a list of books by both of them. Take it from me, they are very different!