Beyond the Rivers of Babylon: My journey of optimism and resilience in a turbulent century
Brand: Joseph Samuels
Categories: Books, History, Ancient Civilizations



Dimensions: 6 x 0.85 x 9 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0578671925
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0578671921
Print length: 377 pages
Publication date: April 6, 2020
subtitle: Paperback – April 6, 2020
author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Samuels Page search results Joseph Samuels Julie Gruenbaum Fax Luca Chitayat Daria Lesnik Hoffman
review: Editorial Reviews Review "Joe Samuels' life reads like a grand adventure story. From a colorful 1930's childhood on the streets of Old Baghdad to the sunny shores of the Pacific Ocean many years later, we get carried along on a fascinating journey of a man who must survive with his wits, but who never forgets his heart. From his harrowing escape at 19, on a rowboat from Iraq to Iran during the height of the anti-Jewish persecutions in the 1940's, to his homeless and penniless existence in Israel, to losing his dreams of higher education, to the reinvention of himself as a successful real estate businessman in Canada and America, Joe's telling of his own life story is refreshingly honest and deeply heartwarming. If any book is evidence of a life blessed with miracles, this is it." - Monona Wali, author of My Blue Skin Lover "Joe Samuels' memoir is a joyous recollection from a man who turned misfortune into tremendous success. From his childhood in Old Baghdad, the author was forced to flee for his life after the notorious Farhud, a vicious pogrom that cost many Jews their lives, and later, persecution due to anti-Semitism. Joe ended up in the Israeli navy and from there went to Canada and then the U.S., creating great business success for himself and his family. While he was living there, one quarter of Baghdad consisted of Jewish citizenry: doctors, lawyers, bankers and artisans. What became of them is captured in this one story of a man who refused to be beaten. The book is rich in detail and evokes the harrowing emotional journey of a life well-lived." - Glenn M. Benest, screenwriter and author of INK About the Author Joseph Samuels, a retired real estate developer who has traveled to more than 100 countries, writes frequently about Jews from Arab lands. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Ruby. They have three children, five grandchildren, and a garden with more than thirty fruit trees, twenty potted succulents, dozens of miniature rose bushes, and plenty of herbs. Julie Gruenbaum Fax is a journalist, ghostwriter, and author of personal histories. As a senior writer and editor for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles for 15 years, she covered religion, education and community, and received awards from the Los Angeles Press Club, New American Media, and the American Jewish Press Association. She has ghostwritten and self-published five personal histories. Julie is an alumna of the Wexner Heritage Foundation leadership program. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three young adult children.