Roger Peyrefitte novel: The Jews

[SpentaMaynu]

I'm reading this novel by Roger Peyrefitte called The Jews published in 1965. It is very pro-Jewish and absolutely against anti-Semitism. The book is about discrediting anti-Semitism and basically showing how stupid it to be anti-Semitic. The author, I read on Wikipedia, was a French diplomat who lived through both World Wars, was homosexual, not in good standing with the Catholic Church, and died in 2000.

I think I know a bit about Judaism but not nearly as much as I would like to and will definitely read non-fiction as well to expand my knowledge, but in the mean time this fiction book brought the following question:

Did anyone here read the book before? There are a lot of information in the book about Judaism, especially Orthodox, but seeing that the author were not Jewish himself (despite clearly, as far as I can see anyway, stood up for Jews) and thus biased or might have facts wrong. So what I want to know is how much of the book, when it talks about the Talmud and the Mosaic Laws etc, can I believe and how much should I take with a pinch of salt?

 

[dybmh]

When in doubt, always with a grain of salt.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I'm reading this novel by Roger Peyrefitte called The Jews published in 1965. It is very pro-Jewish and absolutely against anti-Semitism. The book is about discrediting anti-Semitism and basically showing how stupid it to be anti-Semitic. The author, I read on Wikipedia, was a French diplomat who lived through both World Wars, was homosexual, not in good standing with the Catholic Church, and died in 2000.

I think I know a bit about Judaism but not nearly as much as I would like to and will definitely read non-fiction as well to expand my knowledge, but in the mean time this fiction book brought the following question:

Did anyone here read the book before? There are a lot of information in the book about Judaism, especially Orthodox, but seeing that the author were not Jewish himself (despite clearly, as far as I can see anyway, stood up for Jews) and thus biased or might have facts wrong. So what I want to know is how much of the book, when it talks about the Talmud and the Mosaic Laws etc, can I believe and how much should I take with a pinch of salt?

I have not read your particular book.

There are some very good novels out there that can give a reader a taste of what it is like to be a Jew. THE CHOSEN by Chaim Potok, a book aobut two Jewish young men who grow up together in NYC, is one of them. Also EXODUS by Leon Uris, the book about the formation of the nation of Israel, is excellent.

If you just want to know about the Jewish religion, the best book I've ever read on the subject is HOW TO BE A JEW, by Hayim Donin.

 

[SalixIncendium]

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