King David's Harp [Paperback]

Stephen A. Sadow (Editor), Ilan Stavans (Series Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0826320872 | ISBN-13: 978-0826320872

In this collection of fifteen essays, Jewish Latin American writers speak for themselves about their lives, their literary work, their formative experiences, and the Jewish communities in Latin America and the United States. Included are writers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Venezuela, about half of whom live outside their country of origin. With the exception of Alberto Gerchunoff, arguably the father of Jewish Latin American writing, all the writers are living and writing actively.

King David's Harp is unified by a constant sense of motion. Jos� Kozer and Ilan Stavans, for example, give the impression of being in perpetual motion. Many, including Ariel Dorfman and Alcina Lubitch Domecq, have changed countries, languages, political systems; others, like Ricardo Feierstein and Margo Glantz remain in their country of birth. Most are multilingual. Some, Marjorie Agos�n and Alberto Gerchunoff, for example spoke Yiddish as their first language, only to become deeply attached to Spanish later on, or Portuguese, in the case of Moacyr Scliar. All these complex individuals move back and forth among different worlds, in circumstances that could be seen as restrictive, frustrating, and unforgiving. Yet they write with prodigious energy of lives that contain many surprises.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a wonderful introduction to Latin American writers and their craft." (Outlook, Canada )

About the Author

Stephen A. Sadow teaches in the Department of Modern Languages at Northeastern University.

Ilan Stavans is the Lewis-Sebring Professor of Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College. Series editor of Jewish Latin America, he is also the author of many other books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826320872
• ISBN-13: 978-0826320872
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,588,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book with great historical and political impact, October 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: King David's Harp (Paperback)

This book is a very important piece of literature. It is entertaining as well as historically relevant and informative.

This book takes a look at the lives of the diaspora in Latin America. It's an amazing collection of short stories by some of the most talented writers in Latin America.

They come from different countries and different cultures, but share the thread of being Jewish in a different world. Some are transplanted, some have always lived in Latin America.

This book opened my eyes to the life, the struggles and happinesses of the Jews who live and work in South America. I think everyone should read this book.

The history contained in this book is amazing. Most of the gentiles that I know have no idea about this part of history. We were not taught it in school. Can you imagine fleeing persecution in your homeland, finding yourself in a strange country with strange food, language, and customs, and down the street from you live the war criminals who forced you to flee?

Not all the short stories in this book are a great read, but they are all very important. It's a voice that should be heard!