Buy used:
$17.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Thursday, January 9 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Used: Good | Details
Sold by Finn's Books & Media
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Former library book with usual stamps and stickers, Ships directly from Amazon, and is eligible for Prime free shipping!

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Harvey Pekar
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me Hardcover – July 3, 2012

by Harvey Pekar (Author), JT Waldman (Illustrator), Joyce Brabner (Epilogue)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 61 ratings
See all formats and editions

Harvey Pekar's mother was a Zionist by way of politics. His father was a Zionist by way of faith. Whether Harvey was going to daily Hebrew classes or attending Zionist picnics, he grew up a staunch supporter of the Jewish state. But soon he found himself questioning the very beliefs and ideals of his parents.

In Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me, the final graphic memoir from the man who defined the genre, Pekar explores what it means to be Jewish and what Israel means to the Jews. Over the course of a single day in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, Pekar and the illustrator JT Waldman wrestle with the mythologies and realities surrounding the Jewish homeland. Pekar interweaves his increasing disillusionment with the modern state of Israel with a comprehensive history of the Jewish people from biblical times to the present, and the result is a personal and historical odyssey of uncommon power. Plainspoken and empathetic, Pekar had no patience for injustice and prejudice in any form, and though he comes to understand the roots of his parents' unquestioning love for Israel, he arrives at the firm belief that all peoples should be held to the same universal standards of decency, fairness, and democracy.

With an epilogue written by Joyce Brabner, Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me is an essential book for fans of Harvey Pekar and anyone interested in the past and future of the Jewish state. It is bound to create important discussions and debates for years to come.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hill and Wang
  4. Publication date
    July 3, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    6.34 x 0.69 x 9.18 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0809094827
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0809094820
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous set of slides
  1. The New American Splendor Anthology
    Harvey Pekar
     
    Paperback
    -19%$16.14
    List: $19.99
    Get it as soon as Monday, Jan 6
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
  2. Palestine
    JOE SACCO
     
    Paperback
    -87%$26.73
    List: $200.00
    Get it as soon as Monday, Jan 6
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
    Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
  3. Footnotes in Gaza
    Joe Sacco
     
    Paperback
    -34%$26.34
    List: $40.00
    Get it as soon as Monday, Jan 6
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
  4. The Beats: A Graphic History
    Harvey Pekar
     
    Paperback
    -35%$13.03
    List: $20.00
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 7
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
  5. Palestine
    Joe Sacco
     
    Hardcover
    -13%$30.48
    List: $34.99
    Get it as soon as Monday, Jan 6
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
  6. The Quitter
    Harvey Pekar
     
    Hardcover
    -60%$7.98
    List: $19.99
    Get it Jan 8 - 13
    FREE Shipping
    Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
Next set of slides

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
61 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers enjoy the book's artwork and writing style. They find the story interesting and thought-provoking, with good historical context. The illustrations are clear, and the interplay between history and Pekar's perspective is thought-provoking. The book provides detailed descriptions and simple commentaries on life on the shores of Lake Michigan.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ArtworkThought provokingHistorical contextDetail
9 customers mention "Artwork"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork. They find the drawings good, with attention to detail and a deep background. The book is presented in the unique Pekar comic book style. The images are clear and evocative, bringing together history and Pekar's perspective.

"This short book, only 172 pages, is presented in the uniquely personal Pekar comic book style and has many of the trademarks of Harvey Pekar's..." Read more

"...It is informative and engaging. The images are clear and the interplay between the history and Pekar's perspective is thought provoking...." Read more

"Good drawings. Keeps attention, above all on small details...." Read more

"Love the deep background...." Read more

9 customers mention "Thought provoking"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and informative. They mention it's an interesting read that touches on a variety of topics, especially for such a brief book. The author provides insights into the internal debate within the Jewish community about Israel and Zionism.

"...But for people with a brain in their head, it's a very thought provoking book that is worth reading." Read more

"...They touch on a huge variety of topics ( especially for such a brief book), including Zionism, Pekar's attempt to emigrate to Israel, Palestinian..." Read more

"This is an outstanding graphic novel. It is informative and engaging...." Read more

"An interesting insight on the internal debate within the Jewish Comunity about Israel and Zionism...." Read more

6 customers mention "Historical context"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the historical context of the book. They appreciate the clear images and the interplay between history and Pekar's perspective. The story is told in an autobiographical manner and deals with the tensions around cancer. There is also a fascinating epilogue written by Pekar's wife, Joyce.

"...But fans will gain added insight into the author's childhood, time spent in Hebrew school, and his evolving views about Judaism and Jewish history...." Read more

"...It is up there with the best of the historical graphic novels and the memoir combined. Should be in everyone's collection." Read more

"...The story is told in an autobiographical manner and deals with the tensions this polarizing subject creates in families." Read more

"Some good ancient and medieval historical background that I am sure many in his audience are unfamilliar with, but as his recounting proceeds into..." Read more

3 customers mention "Detail"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detail and simple, good commentaries on life on the shores of Lake.

"...of the region and the continuous conflicts, leading to a pretty thorough explanation of Harvey's thoughts and feelings about the subject...." Read more

"...who as an expatriate of Cleveland always found home in his simple and good commentaries on life on the shores of Lake Erie...." Read more

"Good drawings. Keeps attention, above all on small details...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • paschimo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Underappreciated!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Harvey' work has always been under-appreciated by the mainstream. To me, he's an existentialist, with a very deep compassion for humanity and the predicament. Much more emotional, not so much in the words, but in the milieu, when compared to others. Steinbeck comes to mind in some way. But Harvey never had the same level of sheer literary prowess -- he had the images, the scenes, and others helped bring them to life.

    The history of the middle east is very complicated, and this, like all other works I've seen, don't account for all the subtleties in the relationships. But he represents a voice that disaffected American Jews have struggled to articulate: how one can believe in Judaism, but not in Israel. The Jewish religion has always been based on hard questions, but questioning the motives of modern Israel has been a third rail. This is a disservice to the entire religion worldwide. This book exposes some of this hypocrisy, and it's "middle road" view will do nothing but anger all sides. But for people with a brain in their head, it's a very thought provoking book that is worth reading.
    10 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kcorn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Published 2 years after Pekar's death. Info about a book that can't help but raise questions
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This short book, only 172 pages, is presented in the uniquely personal Pekar comic book style and has many of the trademarks of Harvey Pekar's graphic format: controversial with a direct, often aggressive and angry stance about life and...in this case... Judaism and Jewish identity. And, of course, there is Pekar's take on Israel.

    Pekar's views about Jewish nationalism and even the existence of God differed greatly from his parents. Some readers are sure to be outraged about his conclusions - as can be the case with books focused on religion.

    Illustrator JT Waldman and Pekar are shown discussing Jewish history as they roam through Cleveland, Ohio. They touch on a huge variety of topics ( especially for such a brief book), including Zionism, Pekar's attempt to emigrate to Israel, Palestinian history and more. In addition to the main material, there is also a fascinating epilogue written by Pekar's wife, Joyce Brabner.

    I think it is important to note that Illustrator JT Waldman is not just a minor part of this memoir. He is also listed as a co-author of Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me as well as a significant figure in the narrative. That raises some questions about the complexities of co-authorship when one author dies before a book's publication.

    Based on the information I found, this book was a work in progress, not fully completed before Pekar's death in 2010. So it was impossible for me to read it without wondering if he would have been satisfied with Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me in final form. It definitely seems abbreviated, a bit rushed, to me. But perhaps he would have left it that way.

    The book is bound to offend some readers - not unique for works by Pekar. But fans will gain added insight into the author's childhood, time spent in Hebrew school, and his evolving views about Judaism and Jewish history. His parents' beliefs, backgrounds, and personalities are also revealed.

    Pekar's mother was not nearly as committed to Jewish traditions as his father although she supported Israel and was proud of her Jewish relatives. As depicted in the book, Pekar's father was a more traditonally observant Jew while his mother didn't attend temple regularly, not even during Jewish holidays.

    Although Pekar attended Hebrew School he questioned his religion from an early age. He was confused about learning to read Hebrew when he didn't understand how to translate the words. Ultimately, he came to see himself as Jewish but not a nationalist, a point noted by Pekar's wife, Joyce Brabner, in the book's Epilogue (also illustrated as a graphic narrative). This Epilogue, while extremely brief, adds extra perspective about Pekar's complicated relationship with his parents and Judaism.

    Because it is an illustrated book, with relatively little text per page, Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me is a quick - and intriguing- read.
    54 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • TBo
    5.0 out of 5 stars surprisingly detailed
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    As a fan of the Pekar/Crumb collaborations, I picked this up to check out Harvey's usual unfiltered perspective with regard to the middle east. I was surprised to find that he and the artist put an enormous amount of effort into recreating their take on the long history of the region and the continuous conflicts, leading to a pretty thorough explanation of Harvey's thoughts and feelings about the subject. The Old Testament is referenced as a backdrop early in in the book.
    This is a thick story to find your way through. I started reading it thinking that it would be a fast read, but not so. I'll take my time with reading it. So far I've learned about the conflicts between Harvey's parents and the Jewish community, and how it affected him as a kid growing up in that setting. If you're looking for the short vignettes that were typical of the Crumb collaborations, this is not for you. If, however, you want to get a deep look into the way the middle east conflict has affected Harvey, this is good.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Mr. S. Joseph
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 1, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Insightful
    Report