The Elephant and My Jewish Problem: Short Stories and Journals, 1957-1987
In this combination of previously unpublished diaries and fiction from his earlier collections A Pile of Stones and In the Reign of Peace , Nissenson explores the challenges of being a Jew under pressure, threat and siege. The stories, with settings as varied as Israel, turn-of-the-century Eastern Europe and contemporary Queens, have the often fruitless quest for knowledge and conciliation as their common theme. In "The Well," Arabs and Jews strive against hope to agree on sharing a water supply. "The Law" examines a chronic stutterer preparing for his Bar Mitzvah under his father's watchful eye. "In the Reign of Peace" finds two Jews of different beliefs searching for an understanding of each other and of the concept of redemption, in a kibbutz garden. Interspersed are the author's probing reflections on the Six-Day War and the trials of Adolf Eichmann and Klaus Barbie, in which global and personal concerns merge into a single quest for truth. This collection is a surprisingly seamless exploration of contemporary Jewish issues; Nissenson's journal entries have the drama and structure of good fiction, and his stories have the stark, documentary power of good journalism.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.