Odessa Memories (Samuel and Althea Stroum Book) [Hardcover]

Nicolas Iljine (Editor), Bel Kaufman (Contributor), Oleg Gubar (Contributor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0295983450 | ISBN-13: 978-0295983455 | Publication Date: January 2004

Odessa, the city founded by Catherine the Great in 1794 on the Black Sea, became a thriving international crossroads less than a century after its creation. This virtual 'melting pot of Russia' - the gateway to Russia from Constantinople, Athens, Venice, Marseilles, and Genoa, and the third largest metropolis in the country - quickly rose to prominence as a European cultural capital and a vibrant centre of Jewish culture. Odessa in its prime shared with St. Petersburg the distinction of being one of the few places in Russia where international ideas and commerce could flourish. In this album of pre-1917 Odessa, Nicolas Iljine has assembled a wealth of old postcards, rare photographs and illustrations from private archives, colourful posters and advertisements, and materials from the Russian National Library that have never before been published, to recapture a lost time in the life of one of the world's great romantic cities. Historian Patricia Herlihy's essay paints textured historical tableaux of Odessa's nightlife and resorts, its theatres and criminal underworld, its schools and industries, and, not least of all, the synagogues, philanthropic societies, and organizations for defence against pogroms that were such a large part of Jewish life in old Odessa. Her portrait brings to life the city as experienced by such luminaries as Isaac Babel, Sholem Aleichem, and Vladimir Jabotinski. Both a visual treat and a serious exploration of Odessa's rich history, culture, and social fabric, this book stands alone as a sumptuous homage to a storied city that has inspired affinity and curiosity all over the world. Nicolas Iljine, European representative for the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation, has over 30 years experience in cultural exchange with Russia. Patricia Herlihy is research professor at the Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University, and professor emeritus of history, Brown University. She is the author of "Odessa: A History, 1774-1914" in English and Ukrainian.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Odessa was founded by Catherine the Great in 1794 and soon became an important center of Jewish culture. This book started out as a collection of postcards of this Russian city on the Black Sea and later came to include illustrations, Jewish periodicals, advertisements, photographs, and circus posters from museums and libraries. There's an essay by Patricia Herlihy and contributions by Bel Kaufman (the granddaughter of Sholem Aleichem, who came from Odessa), Oleg Gubar, and Alexander Rozenboim. Iljine writes that he intended the book's title to remind readers of the vibrant life of the city between the mid-1800s and the Russian Revolution of 1917, since these times were also documented in photographs. Herlihy gives a history of Odessa's nightlife, resorts, theaters, schools, criminal underworld, synagogues, philanthropic societies, phenomenal growth, the colorful mix of ethnic groups, and organizations that provided a defense against pogroms. This opulent book, with 215 illustrations--166 in color--and an informative text, goes a long way in preserving the history of this renowned city. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Nicolas Iljine, European representative for the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation, has over 30 years experience in cultural exchange with Russia. Patricia Herlihy is research professor at the Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University, and professor emeritus of history, Brown University. She is the author of Odessa: A History, 1774-1914 in English and Ukrainian. Other contributors include Bel Kaufman, Sholem Aleichem’s granddaughter; Odessa historians Alexander Rozenboim and Oleg Gubar; and translator Antonina Bouis.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 143 pages
• Publisher: University of Washington Press (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295983450
• ISBN-13: 978-0295983455
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,306,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, April 3, 2006

By 

Odessa Ukraine "Odessa" (Odessa Ukraine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Odessa Memories (Samuel and Althea Stroum Book) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book on Odessa, filled with hundreds of vintage photos of Odessa, all from before the 1917 revolution.

I would also recommend:

*Odessa: A history, 1794-1914 and

*Tales Of Old Odessa: Crime And Civility In A City Of Thieves

Also check out the most comprehensive guide on odessa

2odessa . com

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ukrainian artwork, December 29, 2009

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Buffalo lady "travel lady" (South Dakota) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Odessa Memories (Samuel and Althea Stroum Book) (Hardcover)

A beautiful book mostly of pictures great for art enthusiasts. I bought it to study for a trip to the Ukraine and found it unsuitable for that purpose since I didn't understand what I was looking at in the book.