by Enzo Traverso ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 1995
A derivative and unfocused account of ``the problems posed by Judeo-German culture as a whole'' from the Enlightenment to German reunification. Traverso, an Italian-born archivist at the Bibliothäque de documentation internationale contemporaine in Nanterre, originally published this book in France in 1992. It is a work best described as intellectual journalism, a genre that hovers between journalism and scholarship and that is almost nonexistent in the US. Alas, in this promising case the union fails: The book is too awkwardly written to pass as good journalism and insufficiently original to pass as a serious contribution to scholarship. The author's primary intent is to refute the notion of ``Judeo-German symbiosis,'' the theory that an authentic mutual interchange took place between Germans and German Jews such as Mendelssohn, Heine, Schnitzler, and Kafka. Traverso contends that the famous symbiosis never took place, that the supposed dialogue was a Jewish monologue within German culture. Few would argue the contrary. His assertion, then, serves as a framing device for his presentation of the important literature on the topic of German Jews and German anti-Semitism. He offers short profiles of major figures (Theodor Herzl, Bernard Lazare, Rosa Luxemburg, Hannah Arendt, Joseph Roth) and discussions of important moments in the history of German anti-Semitism, including the recent Historikerstreit (quarrel of the historians), in which some conservative intellectuals argued that Nazi genocide was a response to communist barbarism and hence neither so unique nor so morally repugnant as to require continuing German shame. He also considers what German reunification has meant for the Jewish question. This volume would be a good introduction to its subject were it not for tangled prose that obscures the author's points. Traverso's book, rich in information and potentially good journalism, snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. Its thesis is a paper tiger, and it relies exclusively on well-known published sources.
Pub Date: July 12, 1995
ISBN: 0-8032-4426-6
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Univ. of Nebraska
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1995
Share your opinion of this book
by Elijah Wald ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 25, 2015
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
Share your opinion of this book
More by Elijah Wald
BOOK REVIEW
by Elijah Wald
BOOK REVIEW
by Elijah Wald
BOOK REVIEW
by Elijah Wald
More About This Book
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
Share your opinion of this book
More by E.T.A. Hoffmann
BOOK REVIEW
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson
BOOK REVIEW
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.