Hymns & Qualms: An Interview with Peter Cole
Dan Friedman, contributing editor of Sources. Originally published in “Sources: A Journal of Jewish Idea” Fall 2021. Reposted by permission. Image: Kelly Writers House. Peter Cole is one of the…
Books
Under Gentile Eyes
Representations of the Jews and Judaism in Medieval and Modern Europe Edited by Fabrizio Franceschini and Enrico Giaccherini Image: Venice, Esther Scroll, late 18th century, Florence, Jewish Museum …
Il Rinnegato: The Scandalous Life of a 19th Century Kabbalist.
David is never fulfilled nor satisfied with himself. He is constantly searching for new emotions, unexpected events, and adventures, which are often dangerous and with little prospect. He clings to the talismans and amulets of the Kabbalah as the only lifeline in a storm of events that he cannot control, dodging obstacles that threaten him, often set in motion by himself.
Primo Levi: An Identikit
Over the last seventy years, Primo Levi (1919–87) has been recognized as the foremost literary witness of the extermination of the European Jews. In Primo Levi: An Identikit, a product of…
The indecipherable mess of human life
Due vite (Two Lives) by Emanuele Trevi is a luminous, beautifully written wisdom book. It was deservedly awarded the 2021 Premio Strega, Italy’s major literary prize, and awaits the foresight of…
A chemist’s book changed John Barnett’s life.
The graphic artist’s Carbon illustrates an element’s journey from a star to his brain We are delighted to repost a review of John Barnett’s beautifully conceived visual meditation on the…
Angelo Fortunato Formiggini: An Italian Publisher
Born in Modena to a family of court jewelers who had maintained their private synagogue for generations, Angelo Fortunato Formiggini (1878–1938) was a publisher first in Modena (1908–11), then in…
Paying attention to the tonality of life: Marina Jarre’s Distant Fathers
Rewarding memoirs, like portraits, introduce us to a central character interacting with his or her world at a specific time in history. We are drawn to a memoir when all…
The Persecution and Exile of Jewish Musicians in Fascist Italy
The disproportionate impact (despite all of today’s technology and social media) of the current pandemic on musicians and performers is a pale indication of what it means —creatively, financially, and…
For a Memory Culture Beyond Victims and Perpetrators
This essay appears an preface to the English edition of Valentina Pisanty’s book The Guardians of Memory (CPL Editions, 2021). Valentina Pisanty’s The Guardians of Memory opens with a paradox…