The Provincials [Paperback]

Eli Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 1997 | ISBN-10: 068483412X | ISBN-13: 978-0684834122 | Edition: Revised

In this classic portrait of Jews in the South, Eli N. Evans takes readers inside the nexus of southern and Jewish histories, from the earliest immigrants to the present day. Evoking the rhythms and heartbeat of Jewish life in the Bible belt, Evans weaves together chapters of recollections from his youth and early years in North Carolina with chapters that explore the experiences of Jews in cities and small towns across the South. He presents the stories of communities, individuals, and events in this quintessential American landscape that reveal the deeply intertwined strands of what he calls a unique "Southern Jewish consciousness."

First published in 1973 and updated in 1997, The Provincials was the first book to take readers on a journey into the soul of the Jewish South, using autobiography, storytelling, and interpretive history to create a complete portrait of Jewish contributions to the history of the region. No other book on this subject combines elements of both memoir and history in such a compelling way. This new edition includes a gallery of more than two dozen family and historical photographs as well as a new introduction by the author.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Such a fine and valuable book--thoughtful, informative, revealing--a reminiscence and a history that works on both counts. (Jonathan Yardley, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist)

The Provincials remains the seminal indispensable book about the Jewish experience in the South. . . . One of a kind, a masterpiece. (Pat Conroy) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

In this classic portrait of Jews in the South, Evans takes readers inside the nexus between southern and Jewish histories from the earliest immigrants to the present day, weaving together chapters on recollections from his youth with chapters exploring the experiences of Jews in a number of southern cities. This new edition includes a gallery of family and historical photos as well as a new introduction by the author. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; Revised edition (September 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068483412X
• ISBN-13: 978-0684834122
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #795,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Southern, Jewish and Proud of It, January 3, 2000

By 

Bonita L. Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Provincials (Paperback)

To say that you are a southern Jew may sound like a contradiction in terms. After all, Jewish culture and life is demoniated by the historic enclaves of the urban north. Eli Evans' book, The Provencials breaks that stereotype by telling the story of the south's Jewish population whose very presence made an impact on a region that is so misunderstood by its northern cousins. Evans describes for us the challenges and triumphs of growing up Jewish in a southern culture. Like their southern gentile counterparts Jews in the south share a deep rooted southern soul and culture which embeds itself into one's psyche. Although the south harbors within it painful memories for Jews ( Leo Frank lynching of 1915), overall the community managed to survive and thrive. Jewish communities in many instances took on the same cultural charistics of the southern gentile but there was always that sense of being the outsider that made the community a distinct entity. Evans skillfully weaves his own autobiography of growing up Jewish in the Bible Belt with the stories of the regions' people and various events that impacted upon the Jewish community. I throughly enjoyed reading about the peddlers who went throughout the rural south bringing with them not only merchandise but news from the larger communities. The book shows the struggles Jews had in building communities, establishing synagogues, and balancing the racial tensions of the majority culture. This book is a must read for those unfamiliar with the Jewish presence in the south.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about the Jewish South!, June 7, 2003

By 

Gary H. Mayer (Nacogdoches, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Provincials (Paperback)

"The Provincials" proved to be especially meaningful to me. First, my wife gave it to me for our anniversary; I am researching the Jewish Confederacy, and I had included it on my reading list. Second, we went to Vicksburg, Miss., for our anniversary, and I began reading the book there. I have family roots in Vicksburg, where we met a number of wonderful people at the synagogue who knew my cousin, a World War II veteran who grew up in Vicksburg but now lives in Texas.

My wife and I also toured the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in Utica, which is very close to Vicksburg.

Putting everything together, including our visit to the Jewish cemetery in Vicksburg, I feel I now understand "the Southern Jewish experience." Eli Evans tied a lot of loose ends for me and helped put a lot of things in perspective. (I plan to view "Driving Miss Daisy" again,this time with new appreciation and understanding.)

And I might add, I found this book very easy to read. Since I'm generally reading two or three books at the same time (well, you know what I mean), I had planned to spend three weeks reading "The Provincials." I finished it in a week and was sorry when it was over.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting look at Southern Jewish culture., May 31, 2001

By 

Rheumor (New Orelans) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Provincials (Paperback)

I share many of Bonita Davis's good feelings about this book. It is a great collection of stories about Jews throughout the South and throughout much of American history. I particularly enjoyed the insights into the schism between the early-arrived German Jews and the later-arrived Eastern European Jews. In any case, the book is well written, but not as easy to read as his Judah P. Benjamin biography.