Book Synopsis

In the second volume of this magnificently illustrated cultural history, the tie-in to the PBS and BBC series The Story of the Jews, Simon Schama details the story of the Jewish people from 1492 through the end of nineteenth century.

Volume two of this epic incorporates the stories of many who seldom figure in Jewish histories: not just the rabbis and the philosophers but a poetess in the ghetto of Venice; a boxer in Georgian England; a Bible showman in Amsterdam; a teacher of the deaf in eighteenth-century Germany.

The story unfolds in Kerala and Mantua, the starlit hills of Galilee, the rivers of Colombia, the kitchens of Istanbul, the taverns of Ukraine and the mining camps of California. It sails in caravels, rides the stagecoaches and the railways; trudges the dawn streets of London, hobbles along with the remnant of Napoleon's ruined army.

Through Schama's passionate and intelligent telling, a story emerges of the Jewish people that feels as if it is the story of everyone, of humanity packed with detail.

Review Quotes

"Immensely erudite and compulsively readable." - New Statesman
"A magnificent achievement." - The Guardian
"Magisterial...Wonderfully rich...Superb...In the company of Schama -- one of the finest writers and thinkers of his generation -- we are guaranteed a guide both insightful and eloquent." - Daily Telegraph (London)
"Magisterial... With astonishing range and extraordinary synthesising powers, Schama captures the drama of Jewish History.... Between the poles of their regular, unannounced acculturation and anti-Semitism lay Jewish life in all its vibrant, messy and colourful forms." - Financial Times
"An engaging and electrifying read by a skilled literary craftsman, cultural historian and tour guide . . . Schama enchants his readers by introducing colorful characters worthy of a Charles Dickens novel... The Story of the Jews dazzles with the art and alchemy of an adventure novel." - Washington Post
"Schama is a remarkable storyteller. His approach is cinematic. . . A riveting picture, generously rendered . . . Schama has made an eloquent and a far-reaching case for why Jews needed a small piece of earth they could call home." - New York Times Book Review
"In his engaging, stylistic prose, the author proceeds chronologically and delves into fascinating personal stories that reveal the Jewish experience...A fluid history lesson from an always engaging guide." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A technicolor blockbuster." - The Spectator (U.K)
"Remarkable... [a] glittering gemstone of a book." - The Times (UK)
"Profoundly illuminating." - The Observer (London)