Genius of Judaism - Hardcover

Bernard-Henri Levy

3.38

364 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0812992725 ISBN 13: 9780812992724

Publisher: Random House Inc, 2017

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Global intellectual celebrity Bernard-Henri L�vy explains how his philosophy is shaped by the wisdom and beauty of Judaism and why the global resurgence of anti-Semitism poses an existential threat to us all. A world without Jews would not be a world. A world in which the Jews once again would become the scape goats for all people s fears and frustrations would be a world in which free people could not breathe easy. Today, anti-Semitism is on the rise in countries all around the world. This bigotry imperils millions of men, women and children. It is also a rejection of the glories of Judaism: the ideas of man and God, of history and time, of power, voice, light, liberty, revolt, memory and nature that have informed and enriched both Western and Eastern cultures for millennia. In his most personal book yet, Bernard-Henri L�vy reveals how his life has been shaped by his faith. It compelled him to become The Godfather of the Arab Spring, just as the realization that so many of our notions about history, the individual, and freedom of thought are fundamentally Jewish transformed his philosophy. This is a riveting, impassioned narrative from one of our foremost thinkers

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

"In The Genius of Judaism, L�vy elaborates on his credo by rebutting the pernicious and false logic behind current anti-Semitism and defends Israel as the world's most successful multi-ethnic democracy created from scratch. L�vy also makes the case for France's Jews being integral to the establishment of the French nation, the French language, and French literature. And last, but certainly not least, he presents a striking interpretation of the Book of Jonah. . . . A tour de force."--Forbes

"Ardent . . . L�vy's message is essentially uplifting: that the brilliant scholars of Judaism, the authors of the Talmud, provide elucidation into 'the great questions that have stirred humanity since the dawn of time.' . . . A philosophical celebration of Judaism."--Kirkus Reviews

"L�vy (Left in Dark Times), a prominent French journalist and politically engaged philosopher, turns his observations inward here, pondering the teachings of Judaism and the role they have played in contemporary European history as well as in his own life and intellectual inquiry. . . . [L�vy's] musings on the meaning of the story of Jonah and the relevance of symbolic Ninevahs in our time are both original and poetic. . . . A welcome addition to his oeuvre."--Publishers Weekly

Praise for Bernard-Henri L�vy's Left In Dark Times

"Moving and inspiring . . . Bernard-Henri L�vy, perhaps the most prominent intellectual in France today, [speaks] truth to power."--The Boston Globe

"Continually asking himself as well as others to confront the hard questions, [L�vy] produces a text that [is] highly absorbing."--The New York Times Book Review

"[L�vy's] discussion of contemporary anti-Semitism is sophisticated, detailed and convincing."--Los Angeles Times

American Vertigo

"An entertaining trip, as much in the tradition of Jack Kerouac as Tocqueville."--The New York Times

"Perceptive, pugnacious, passionate [and] exquisitely written."--The New York Observer

"It's difficult to remember when a writer of any nationality so clearly and thoughtfully delineated both the good and bad in America. [Grade: A]."--Entertainment Weekly

About the Author:

BERNARD-HENRI LEVY is a philosopher, journalist, activist, and filmmaker. Among his dozens of books are American Vertigo, Barbarism with a Human Face, and Who Killed Daniel Pearl? His writing has appeared in a wide range of publications throughout Europe and the United States. His films include the documentaries Bosna! and A Day in the Death of Sarajevo. L�vy is co-founder of the antiracist group SOS Racism and has served on diplomatic missions for the French government.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.