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Jewish Historical Fiction



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theotherone




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 12 2013, 11:45 pm
I'm in the middle of the Harp by Meir Uri Gottesman (Ithink thats his name) and LOVING it. I also LOVED Dual Discovery. Aside from Gottesman's other books, I would love some recommendations for other books that have a similar idea. I can't stand the silly Jewish novels about girls in seminary or the "mafia" like thrillers. Looking for some fresh ideas of books with real depth.
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boysrus




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 12 2013, 11:50 pm
The winds of change by lena spitzer - based in London in the 1930s ,fantastic
Shortchanged by etka gitel schwartz, based in NY during hte depression 1920-1930s, absolutely amazing bookm, I reread it again and again!
also, The promise of freedom,by ______ Schottenstein, set about a century ago , all about assimilation and the fight against it in teh USA

these are some of my favorites, and yes, Meir Uri gottesman is also great reading!
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theotherone




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 12 2013, 11:54 pm
Thanks boysrus. I did read shortchanged and enjoyed it but liked this is america (henye meyer) even better.
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fly on the wall




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 12:02 am
Legacy of Gold - it's an old one but taught be all about Australia's history when it was Englands giant rehab center.
Yesterday's Child- not quite historical, but not a cheap thriller either
The Four Seasons of Golda Mirel
Far from the place they called Home- about kids from the kindertransport in England
Forever My Jerusalem- a girl during one of Israel's wars -I forget which - not scary but very true

There are so many more...
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 1:36 am
South African Journeys by Gita Gordon is a great jewish historical fiction book about the history of the jews in south africa. Ive read it numerous times.
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m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 1:45 am
I also loved Forever My Jerusalem (by Puah Shteiner I think) -- it is the story of a girl living in the Old City during the War of Independence in 1948 -- but it is a true autobiographical account -- not fiction.

I also read Legacy of Gold YEARS ago, and really liked it -- but I doubt you can find it nowadays!

I really like the original 8 Avner Gold books (the "Ruach Ami" series)-- The Promised Child, The Dream, The Year of the Sword, Twilight, The Imposter, The Purple Ring, Envoy from Vienna, and The Marrano Prince They cover the Cossak uprisings, the Shabsei Tzvi period, and a bit of the Spanish Inquisition. He came out with some new ones recently, but I don't think they are at all in the same league.

edited to correct book names


Last edited by m in Israel on Wed, Nov 13 2013, 3:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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kalsee




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 2:45 am
'One day and forever" is an amazing book about the beginning of the chassidic movement and the fight against it.
Written from the perspective of the women.
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June




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 2:47 am
Faithful Soldiers by R. L. Leader is a great book about the cantonists.

Also, like other people mentioned, the older Avner Gold books.
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sara_s




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 3:31 am
Flashback is a historical novel by Gita Gordon that covers a lot of periods in Jewish history starting from the Churban

And my favorite book of hers is Scattered Blossoms which is about the Jews in South Africa and Canada
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 5:37 am
"Tevye in the Promised Land" by Tzvi Fishman.

Our hero from Fiddler on the Roof takes his daughters and makes Aliyah to Turkish ruled Palestine. You get to see the building of the State from his eyes, with all his joy, heartbreak, misadventures and constant arguing with G-d. It's a wild ride!

It falls apart in the last couple of chapters, IMHO. The author is a former Hollywood screen writer, so he can't resist an overly dramatic ending. Fishman is such a compelling writer, that I have to forgive him for this one weakness.

Still, the vast majority of the book is a real gem and a page turner. He gets the characters so perfectly, with rich and deep emotions. The "voice" of Tevye is absolutely consistent with "Fiddler", there's no dissonance at all.

I think you'd really enjoy it.
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zigi




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 8:30 am
far from the place we call home- schleimer about evacuees in england

every man a slave - sender zeyv

fire in the sky - selig schachnowitz about frankfurt in the 1700's

fall of the sun g-d - henye meyer
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 8:46 am
Fall of the Sun God, by Henye Meyer. A young adults book set in England, continental Europe, and Constantinople during the Crusades.
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dee's mommy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 6:17 pm
Anything by Marcus Lehman.

There is also a book I read called "This is America!" which is excellent. I can't remember the author's name.
I also second "The Promise of Freedom."

Also, there is one I read recently called 'Full Harvest." Again, I forgot the author's name.
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cs1




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 6:34 pm
You would love my bookshlef Smile
I buy every historical fiction I could get my hands on.

All of marcus lehman books:
Count of coucy, portrait of two families, the adopted princess, bustenai,

Meir barams books: the spanish treasure, the stone of the alter, and one more that my inlaws have so I never bought it.

Meyer bendets books: the orphan, the accused, our man in russia, the highest bidder and some others..

Serina by tanedold
The youngest bride by levin
Dual discovery by hoffman
Uncle mishas band of partisans
Far from the place we call home by schleimer
Musawi
The broken bracelet
Shortchanged by schwartz
The promise of freedom by schottenstein
Harp strings by rappaport
The pomegranate pendant by waysman
Firer: the twins and the long journey home
Full harvest by schwartz
The general by danzinger
Into the fire by walfish
Heir to the throne by rothstein
Young samson by taslitt
Terra incognito by astaire
This is america by meyer
Mystery in spain by rosen
The exile to crocadile island by meyer
A daughter of two mothers by cohen
The tip of then iceberg
Gone west by sender zeyc


Other favorites:
Sun inside rain 1980's
Where there's a will 2000 but great
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Cookies n Cream




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 6:41 pm
every man a slave
gone west
shortchanged
this is america
all of Gita Gordons books
and rachel was his wife
the Cohen s of tzefat
split loyalties
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granolamom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 13 2013, 6:48 pm
fly on the wall wrote:
Legacy of Gold - it's an old one but taught be all about Australia's history when it was Englands giant rehab center.
Yesterday's Child- not quite historical, but not a cheap thriller either
The Four Seasons of Golda Mirel
Far from the place they called Home- about kids from the kindertransport in England
Forever My Jerusalem- a girl during one of Israel's wars -I forget which - not scary but very true

There are so many more...



I believe that Forever My Jerusalem is not historical fiction. I think it was the authors account of what she lived through.
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