History of the Jews in America
Peter Wiernik
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Peter Wiernik was an influential Yiddish journalist in Chicago after immigrating from Vilna when he was twenty. He also wrote in Hebrew and English. In this great work he traces the history of the Jewish people in the Americas from the earliest days of exploration to the beginning of the twentieth century. This book is divided into seven parts: I. The Spanish and Portuguese Period, II. The Dutch and English Colonial Period, III. The Revolution and the Period of Expansion, IV. The Second or German Period of Immigration, V. The Civil War and the Formative Period, VI. The Third or Russian Period of Immigration, VII. The Twentieth Century - Present Conditions. - Summary by Larry Wilson (14 hr 36 min)
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Reviews
Contextually fascinating
BookWyrm
Very decent reader. I prefer more emotive variability, but the flat-leaning vocal style is good for historical non-fiction, especially if you are listening for study as opposed to self-education (or perhaps purely for entertainment). As for the contents of the book, it contains seldom discussed opinions of the 15th century (and beyond) chronology of American/pre-American historical milestones and events. Now I hope none find the following comment to be offensive, but I simply must share this observation: This book is an incredibly revised historical narrative, written by and for, perhaps the most vocal anti-revisionist ethnic demographic known in modern times. I'd be filtering my true-natured personal commentary to omit it, but again, my goal isn't to offend, and I know nothing of the opinion by historians of this book's author. That being said, I also cannot (with much confidence) speak on the accuracy of the events/information within the book, though the entire reason I looked to read it, was due to my long-held doubt of the accuracy and level of bias in mainstream historical narratives fed to us (Americans) as children. I definitely got an alternative version than any I had learned or heard of. I found it fascinating nonetheless. And if you too question some of the histories you were taught in schools (in the USA), it might intrigue you just how much this book deviates from what most Americans understand to be the full story.