People of the Book is an important contribution to ethnic studies and identity politics. It is a dense and reflective collection of essays which defines Judaism in personal and scholarly contexts. As one of the contributors, Nancy Miller, says:  It\u27s not easy to write about being Jewish  (168). The editors divide the essays into four parts. After the introductory essay, Part 2,  Transformations,  examines how the authors\u27 activism grows out of their Jewish heritage.  Negotiations,  looks at Jewish definition in the context of other Jewish and non-Jewish communities, and  Explorations,  shows the relationship between being Jewish and pursuing a discipline.  Meditations,  is an application of previous themes to specific literary works. Certain concerns cross over all four sections to make the search for identity continuous and shared

Holstein, Sandra J.

English

VCU Scholars Compass

Book Reviews Wel ls noted that local wh ite newspapers justified their murders because of supposed assau lts on wh ite women . Instead , she found that their  deaths resu lted from a confrontation with a white storekeeper who was competing with them. I n  her gruesome accounting of lynchings in  A Red Record, Wells documented that whites murdered many African Americans for the fol­lowing offenses: arson ,  suspected robbery, wife beating, race preju­dice, al leged barn burn ing ,  al leged murder, al leged compl icity in mur­der, self defense, insult ing wh ites, conjuring,  writ ing a letter to a wh ite woman, al leged stock poisoning,  for no offense at al l ,  and other "crimes." She included the names, places , and dates of the murders. At the same time, Wells documented the sexual assau lts and murders of African American g i rls and women by white men who received l ittle or no pun­ishment. Besides demonstrating that lynchings were a tool to keep Afri­can Americans d isfranchised , the book also shows the depth of commit­ment by Wells to end such monstrous practices. She described how lynchings (which incorporated beatings, burnings, tortures, and mutila­tions) were acts of terrorism. Even when sex was involved, she showed that in many cases it was consensual. Though not an easy book to read , it is an important one because it provides some insight into the post-Reconstruction period and its attendant racial violence. George H. Junne, J r. University of Northem Colorado Jeffrey Rubin-Dorsky and Shel ley Fisher Fishkin. People of the Book: Thirty Scholars Reflect on their Jewish Identity. (Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1 996). 507 pp., $22.95 paper. People of the Book is an important contribution to ethnic studies and identity pol itiCS . It is a dense and reflective col lection of essays which defines Judaism in  personal and scholarly contexts. As one of the con­tributors ,  Nancy Mi l ler, says: " It's not easy to write about being Jewish" ( 1 68). The editors d ivide the essays into fou r  parts. After the introduc­tory essay, Part 2 ,  ''Transformations," examines how the authors' activism grows out  of  their Jewish heritage. "Negotiations," looks at Jewish defi­n it ion in the context of other Jewish and non-Jewish communities, and "Explorations," shows the relationship between being Jewish and pur­su ing a discipl ine. "Med itations," is an appl ication of previous themes to specific l iterary works . Certain concerns cross over al l  four  sections to make the search for identity continuous and shared. For instance, many authors come to terms with Judaism's patriarchal heritage and their  feminism, which produces what Susan Gubar cal ls "a 1 1 9 Ethnic Strultes Review Volume 20 vexed relationship" (1 5) .  On the other hand is the modern Jewish ten­dency to seek acceptance from those who hold the sociological hegemony and can confer legitimacy, which is discussed by Sean Wol intz (336) . Elaine Marks recognizes that "coming to terms with the existence of anti-semitism . . .  is an important component of 'being' Jewish in the late twentieth century" (348) . Thus, the Holocaust surfaces throughout these essays to define what it means to be Jewish, for as Michael Roth says , Jews must carry this loss with them always (406) . An argument weaves throughout People of the Book. The authors,  in  their introduction,  say that this book is part of  the new identity pol itics, which is based on what ones does, as opposed to what one is (6) . They see the idea of Jewish peoplehood, "as a spi rituaVrel ig ious community of choice rather than an ethnic community defined by birth" (96-7) . Thus, Susanne Kl ingenstein believes that Jews in  the U.S. are freed from his­tory, and thinking Jewish comes from l iving Jewish (1 94) . Others would understand being Jewish as racially constructed or his­torical, such as those who define themselves by the Holocaust or, l ike Laurence Thomas, see Jews as distinguished by their h istorical narrative, which unities them with Jews all over the world (1 76).  The persistence of Jews as outsiders provides a metaphor of otherness in the l iterary cri­tiques about both Jewish and non-Jewish authors in this volume. However, no one would expect thirty Jewish scholars to agree. It is the d iversity of experience with intersecting threads which makes this anthology an interesting journey. There are two omissions in this col lection. First, there is very l ittle about teaching or pol itics within  the academy. This book is about how being Jewish affects one's scholarship, not what it means to be a Jew­ish professor. Also problematic is the omission of scientists. Except for two anthropologists, al l  of the contributors are humanists, predominantly l iterary critics. People of the Book remains a noteworthy discussion of what it means to be a Jewish scholar in the contemporary world. It is good to see something which comes to terms with Muriel Rukeyser's poem, quoted in the text: To be a Jew in the twentieth century Is to be offered a gift. If you refuse, Wishing to be invisible, you choose Death of the spi rit, the stone insanity. Accepting, take ful l  l ife. Fu l l  agonies: Your  evening deep in  labyrinthine blood Of those who resist, fai l ,  and resist: and God Reduced to a hostage among hostages. (31 ) 1 20 Sandra J .  Holstein Southern Oregon University 

[Review of] Jeffrey Rubin-Dorsky and Shelley Fisher Fishkin. People of the Book: Holstein Thirty Scholars Reflect on their Jewish Identity

Book Reviews 
Wel ls noted that local wh ite newspapers justified their murders because 
of supposed assau lts on wh ite women . Instead , she found that their  
deaths resu lted from a confrontation with a white storekeeper who was 
competing with them. 
I n  her gruesome accounting of lynchings in  A Red Record, Wells 
documented that whites murdered many African Americans for the fol­
lowing offenses: arson ,  suspected robbery, wife beating, race preju­
dice, al leged barn burn ing ,  al leged murder, al leged compl icity in mur­
der, self defense, insult ing wh ites, conjuring,  writ ing a letter to a wh ite 
woman, al leged stock poisoning,  for no offense at al l ,  and other "crimes." 
She included the names, places , and dates of the murders. At the same 
time, Wells documented the sexual assau lts and murders of African 
American g i rls and women by white men who received l ittle or no pun­
ishment. 
Besides demonstrating that lynchings were a tool to keep Afri­
can Americans d isfranchised , the book also shows the depth of commit­
ment by Wells to end such monstrous practices. She described how 
lynchings (which incorporated beatings, burnings, tortures, and mutila­
tions) were acts of terrorism. Even when sex was involved, she showed 
that in many cases it was consensual. Though not an easy book to 
read , it is an important one because it provides some insight into the 
post-Reconstruction period and its attendant racial violence. 
George H. Junne, J r. 
University of Northem Colorado 
Jeffrey Rubin-Dorsky and Shel ley Fisher Fishkin. People of the 
Book: Thirty Scholars Reflect on their Jewish Identity. (Madison: 
The University of Wisconsin Press, 1 996). 507 pp., $22.95 paper. 
People of the Book is an important contribution to ethnic studies and 
identity pol itiCS . It is a dense and reflective col lection of essays which 
defines Judaism in  personal and scholarly contexts. As one of the con­
tributors ,  Nancy Mi l ler, says: " It's not easy to write about being Jewish" 
( 1 68). The editors d ivide the essays into fou r  parts. After the introduc­
tory essay, Part 2 ,  ''Transformations," examines how the authors' activism 
grows out  of  their Jewish heritage. "Negotiations," looks at Jewish defi­
n it ion in the context of other Jewish and non-Jewish communities, and 
"Explorations," shows the relationship between being Jewish and pur­
su ing a discipl ine. "Med itations," is an appl ication of previous themes to 
specific l iterary works . Certain concerns cross over al l  four  sections to 
make the search for identity continuous and shared. 
For instance, many authors come to terms with Judaism's patriarchal 
heritage and their  feminism, which produces what Susan Gubar cal ls "a 
1 1 9 
Ethnic Strultes Review Volume 20 
vexed relationship" (1 5) .  On the other hand is the modern Jewish ten­
dency to seek acceptance from those who hold the sociological hegemony 
and can confer legitimacy, which is discussed by Sean Wol intz (336) . 
Elaine Marks recognizes that "coming to terms with the existence of 
anti-semitism . . .  is an important component of 'being' Jewish in the late 
twentieth century" (348) . Thus, the Holocaust surfaces throughout these 
essays to define what it means to be Jewish, for as Michael Roth says , 
Jews must carry this loss with them always (406) . 
An argument weaves throughout People of the Book. The authors,  in  
their introduction,  say that this book is part of  the new identity pol itics, 
which is based on what ones does, as opposed to what one is (6) . They 
see the idea of Jewish peoplehood, "as a spi rituaVrel ig ious community 
of choice rather than an ethnic community defined by birth" (96-7) . Thus, 
Susanne Kl ingenstein believes that Jews in  the U.S. are freed from his­
tory, and thinking Jewish comes from l iving Jewish (1 94) . 
Others would understand being Jewish as racially constructed or his­
torical, such as those who define themselves by the Holocaust or, l ike 
Laurence Thomas, see Jews as distinguished by their h istorical narrative, 
which unities them with Jews all over the world (1 76).  The persistence of 
Jews as outsiders provides a metaphor of otherness in the l iterary cri­
tiques about both Jewish and non-Jewish authors in this volume. 
However, no one would expect thirty Jewish scholars to agree. It is 
the d iversity of experience with intersecting threads which makes this 
anthology an interesting journey. 
There are two omissions in this col lection. First, there is very l ittle 
about teaching or pol itics within  the academy. This book is about how 
being Jewish affects one's scholarship, not what it means to be a Jew­
ish professor. Also problematic is the omission of scientists. Except for 
two anthropologists, al l  of the contributors are humanists, predominantly 
l iterary critics. 
People of the Book remains a noteworthy discussion of what it means 
to be a Jewish scholar in the contemporary world. It is good to see 
something which comes to terms with Muriel Rukeyser's poem, quoted 
in the text: 
To be a Jew in the twentieth century 
Is to be offered a gift. If you refuse, 
Wishing to be invisible, you choose 
Death of the spi rit, the stone insanity. 
Accepting, take ful l  l ife. Fu l l  agonies: 
Your  evening deep in  labyrinthine blood 
Of those who resist, fai l ,  and resist: and God 
Reduced to a hostage among hostages. (31 ) 
1 20 
Sandra J .  Holstein 
Southern Oregon University 


https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&amp;context=esr

[Review of] Jeffrey Rubin-Dorsky and Shelley Fisher Fishkin. People of the Book: Holstein Thirty Scholars Reflect on their Jewish Identity

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