What do you think?
Rate this book
协褉邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟. 袝胁褉械懈 胁 褋芯胁褉械屑械薪薪芯屑 屑懈褉械
袟薪邪屑械薪懈褌邪褟 泻薪懈谐邪 懈褋褌芯褉懈泻邪 挟褉懈褟 小谢械蟹泻懈薪邪, 邪胁褌芯褉邪 屑芯薪褍屑械薪褌邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 "袛芯屑邪 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪", 锌芯褋胁褟褖械薪 褋褍写褜斜邪屑 械胁褉芯锌械泄褋泻芯谐芯 械胁褉械泄褋褌胁邪, 邪 芯褋芯斜械薪薪芯 鈥� 褉芯谢懈 械胁褉械械胁 胁 锌褉械写褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈芯薪薪芯泄 袪芯褋褋懈懈 懈 胁 锌械褉胁褘械 写械褋褟褌懈谢械褌懈褟 小小小袪. 袩芯褔械屑褍 械胁褉械懈 褌邪泻懈械 芯褋芯斜械薪薪褘械? 袙 褔械屑 褍薪懈泻邪谢褜薪芯褋褌褜 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻芯谐芯 芯锌褘褌邪 械胁褉械泄褋泻芯谐芯 薪邪褉芯写邪 懈 械谐芯 褋褌褉邪褌械谐懈泄 胁褘卸懈胁邪薪懈褟? 袩褉邪胁写邪 谢懈, 褔褌芯 褉褍褋褋泻邪褟 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈褟 鈥� 锌芯 锌褉械懈屑褍褖械褋褌胁褍 械胁褉械泄褋泻芯械 懈蟹芯斜褉械褌械薪懈械? 袠 锌芯褔械屑褍 邪胁褌芯褉 薪邪蟹褘胁邪械褌 XX 褋褌芯谢械褌懈械 "械胁褉械泄褋泻懈屑 胁械泻芯屑"?
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
95 people are currently reading
1,604 people want to read
About the author
Yuri Slezkine
11听books97听followersYuri Lvovich Slezkine (Russian: 挟虂褉懈泄 袥褜胁芯虂胁懈褔 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 Y煤riy L'v贸vich Sly贸zkin; born February 7, 1956) is a Russian-born American historian, writer, and translator.
He is a professor of Russian history, sovietologist and Director of the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
He is best known as the author of the book The Jewish Century (2004) and The House of Government: A Saga of The Russian Revolution (2017).
He is a professor of Russian history, sovietologist and Director of the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
He is best known as the author of the book The Jewish Century (2004) and The House of Government: A Saga of The Russian Revolution (2017).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 16, 2019
效懈褌邪谢 胁 写胁邪 蟹邪褏芯写邪, 锌芯褝褌芯屑褍 胁芯褌.
袩芯-薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械屑褍 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪邪褟 懈 芯褔械薪褜 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉芯褑械薪褌褉懈褔薪邪褟 褝褌薪芯谐褉邪褎懈褟, 泻邪泻芯泄, 褟 锌芯写芯蟹褉械胁邪褞, 屑邪谢芯 薪邪 谢褞斜芯屑 褟蟹褘泻械. 袨薪懈 褝褌芯 薪邪蟹褘胁邪褞褌 芦褌芯谢泻芯胁邪褌械谢褜薪芯泄 懈褋褌芯褉懈械泄禄 懈谢懈 泻邪泻-褌芯, 薪芯 褋褍褌褜 薪械 胁 薪邪蟹胁邪薪懈懈. 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪, 泻芯薪械褔薪芯, 褋 褋邪屑芯谐芯 薪邪褔邪谢邪 锌褉邪胁: 啸啸 胁械泻 鈥� 胁械泻 械胁褉械泄褋泻懈泄, 薪械写邪褉芯屑 芯薪 薪邪褔懈薪邪谢褋褟 褋 褋邪屑芯谐芯 蟹薪邪泻芯胁芯谐芯 械胁褉械褟 胁 屑懈褉芯胁芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械 鈥� 袥械芯锌芯谢褜写邪 袘谢褍屑邪, 懈 薪械写邪褉芯屑 胁 袛褍斜谢懈薪械. 校 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 芯褔械薪褜 褏芯褉芯褕懈械 褋褌褉邪薪懈褑褘 褌邪屑 锌褉芯 袛卸芯泄褋邪 (袩褉褍褋褌邪 懈 袣邪褎泻褍 蟹邪芯写薪芯, 薪邪屑 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褝褌芯 薪械 褌邪泻 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯). 袧褍 懈 褟 锌芯写芯蟹褉械胁邪褞, 褔褌芯 械褋谢懈 挟褉懈褟 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 薪邪谢芯卸懈褌褜 薪邪 袛械泻谢邪薪邪 袣邪泄斜械褉写邪, 屑芯卸薪芯 斜褍写械褌 锌褉懈泄褌懈 泻 薪械泻芯褌芯褉褘屑 芯褔械薪褜 蟹邪薪懈屑邪褌械谢褜薪褘屑 胁褘胁芯写邪屑 芯褌薪芯褋懈褌械谢褜薪芯 褔褍写芯胁懈褖薪芯谐芯 褟胁谢械薪懈褟 芦薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢褜薪芯谐芯禄: 芯薪懈 芯斜邪 褉邪褋褋屑邪褌褉懈胁邪褞褌 械谐芯 薪械褋泻芯谢褜泻芯 褋 褉邪蟹薪褘褏 褋褌芯褉芯薪, 芯褌褔械谐芯 胁芯蟹薪懈泻邪械褌 谢褞斜芯锌褘褌薪褘泄 褋褌械褉械芯褝褎褎械泻褌. 袧邪 写芯褋褍谐械, 屑芯卸械褌, 懈 蟹邪泄屑褍褋褜.
袣褍褋泻懈 芯 袪芯褋褋懈懈 蟹写械褋褜 褍 薪械谐芯, 屑械卸 褌械屑, 褋芯胁械褉褕械薪薪芯 蟹邪屑械褔邪褌械谢褜薪褘械, 褝褌芯 褋谢械写褍械褌 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 芯褌写械谢褜薪芯. 袙芯褌 写谢褟 锌褉懈屑械褉邪:
The Russian intelligentsia was a community of more or less unattached intellectuals trained to be urban moderns in a rural empire; raised to be 鈥渇oreigners at home鈥� (as Herzen put it); suspended between the state and the peasants (whom they called 鈥渢he people鈥�); sustained by transcendental values revealed in sacred texts; devoted to book learning as a key to virtuous living; committed to personal righteousness as a condition for universal redemption; imbued with a sense of chosenness and martyrdom; and bound together by common rites and readings into fraternal 鈥渃ircles.鈥� They were, in other words, Puritans possessed by the spirit of socialism, Mercurians of recent Apollonian descent, the wandering Jews of Russian society. Homeless and disembodied, they were the People of the Book prophesying the end of history, chosen to bring it about, and martyred for both the prophesy and the chosenness. In this 鈥済hetto of divine election,鈥� as the poetess Marina Tsvetaeva put it, 鈥渆very poet is a Yid.鈥�
孝邪屑, 胁 芯斜褖械屑, 锌褉懈屑械褉薪芯 胁褋械, 褔褌芯 锌褘褌谢懈胁芯屑褍 邪薪褌褉芯锌芯谢芯谐褍 薪褍卸薪芯 蟹薪邪褌褜 芯 褌.薪. "褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈懈" 懈 械械 谐械薪械蟹懈褋械.
袛芯褔懈褌褘胁邪褞 "袝胁褉械泄褋泻芯械 褋褌芯谢械褌懈械" 小谢械蟹泻懈薪邪 (懈 薪械 褍褋褌邪薪褍 械谐芯 褉械泻芯屑械薪写芯胁邪褌褜; 薪邪 褉褍褋褋泻懈泄 褝褌褍 泻薪懈谐褍, 泻褋褌邪褌懈, 锌械褉械胁芯写懈谢 小械褉谐械泄 袠谢褜懈薪), 懈 褌邪屑 褍斜懈泄褋褌胁械薪薪邪褟 芯写薪芯褋褌褉芯褔薪邪褟 褏邪褉邪泻褌械褉懈褋褌懈泻邪 懈蟹谢褞斜谢械薪薪芯泄 泻薪懈谐懈 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯泄 芯褌褌械锌械谢褜薪芯泄 (锌褉械懈屑褍褖械褋褌胁械薪薪芯 褋褌芯谢懈褔薪芯泄) 懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈懈, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 (懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈褟) 卸懈胁邪 写芯 褋懈褏 锌芯褉 胁薪械 蟹邪胁懈褋懈屑芯褋褌懈 芯褌 胁芯蟹褉邪褋褌邪 懈 芯锌芯蟹薪邪械褌褋褟 锌芯 谢褞斜胁懈 泻 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械. 袛邪, 褉械褔褜 锌褉芯 "袛芯褉芯谐褍 褍褏芯写懈褌 胁 写邪谢褜" 袗谢械泻褋邪薪写褉褘 袘褉褍褕褌械泄薪: "An engaging collection of literary clich茅s from the late nineteenth century..." 袧褍 懈 写邪谢褜褕械: "袙 薪械泄 械褋褌褜 胁褋褢, 泻褉芯屑械, 褋芯斜褋褌胁械薪薪芯, 械胁褉械械胁..."
袩芯-薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械屑褍 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪邪褟 懈 芯褔械薪褜 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉芯褑械薪褌褉懈褔薪邪褟 褝褌薪芯谐褉邪褎懈褟, 泻邪泻芯泄, 褟 锌芯写芯蟹褉械胁邪褞, 屑邪谢芯 薪邪 谢褞斜芯屑 褟蟹褘泻械. 袨薪懈 褝褌芯 薪邪蟹褘胁邪褞褌 芦褌芯谢泻芯胁邪褌械谢褜薪芯泄 懈褋褌芯褉懈械泄禄 懈谢懈 泻邪泻-褌芯, 薪芯 褋褍褌褜 薪械 胁 薪邪蟹胁邪薪懈懈. 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪, 泻芯薪械褔薪芯, 褋 褋邪屑芯谐芯 薪邪褔邪谢邪 锌褉邪胁: 啸啸 胁械泻 鈥� 胁械泻 械胁褉械泄褋泻懈泄, 薪械写邪褉芯屑 芯薪 薪邪褔懈薪邪谢褋褟 褋 褋邪屑芯谐芯 蟹薪邪泻芯胁芯谐芯 械胁褉械褟 胁 屑懈褉芯胁芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械 鈥� 袥械芯锌芯谢褜写邪 袘谢褍屑邪, 懈 薪械写邪褉芯屑 胁 袛褍斜谢懈薪械. 校 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 芯褔械薪褜 褏芯褉芯褕懈械 褋褌褉邪薪懈褑褘 褌邪屑 锌褉芯 袛卸芯泄褋邪 (袩褉褍褋褌邪 懈 袣邪褎泻褍 蟹邪芯写薪芯, 薪邪屑 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褝褌芯 薪械 褌邪泻 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯). 袧褍 懈 褟 锌芯写芯蟹褉械胁邪褞, 褔褌芯 械褋谢懈 挟褉懈褟 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 薪邪谢芯卸懈褌褜 薪邪 袛械泻谢邪薪邪 袣邪泄斜械褉写邪, 屑芯卸薪芯 斜褍写械褌 锌褉懈泄褌懈 泻 薪械泻芯褌芯褉褘屑 芯褔械薪褜 蟹邪薪懈屑邪褌械谢褜薪褘屑 胁褘胁芯写邪屑 芯褌薪芯褋懈褌械谢褜薪芯 褔褍写芯胁懈褖薪芯谐芯 褟胁谢械薪懈褟 芦薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢褜薪芯谐芯禄: 芯薪懈 芯斜邪 褉邪褋褋屑邪褌褉懈胁邪褞褌 械谐芯 薪械褋泻芯谢褜泻芯 褋 褉邪蟹薪褘褏 褋褌芯褉芯薪, 芯褌褔械谐芯 胁芯蟹薪懈泻邪械褌 谢褞斜芯锌褘褌薪褘泄 褋褌械褉械芯褝褎褎械泻褌. 袧邪 写芯褋褍谐械, 屑芯卸械褌, 懈 蟹邪泄屑褍褋褜.
袣褍褋泻懈 芯 袪芯褋褋懈懈 蟹写械褋褜 褍 薪械谐芯, 屑械卸 褌械屑, 褋芯胁械褉褕械薪薪芯 蟹邪屑械褔邪褌械谢褜薪褘械, 褝褌芯 褋谢械写褍械褌 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 芯褌写械谢褜薪芯. 袙芯褌 写谢褟 锌褉懈屑械褉邪:
The Russian intelligentsia was a community of more or less unattached intellectuals trained to be urban moderns in a rural empire; raised to be 鈥渇oreigners at home鈥� (as Herzen put it); suspended between the state and the peasants (whom they called 鈥渢he people鈥�); sustained by transcendental values revealed in sacred texts; devoted to book learning as a key to virtuous living; committed to personal righteousness as a condition for universal redemption; imbued with a sense of chosenness and martyrdom; and bound together by common rites and readings into fraternal 鈥渃ircles.鈥� They were, in other words, Puritans possessed by the spirit of socialism, Mercurians of recent Apollonian descent, the wandering Jews of Russian society. Homeless and disembodied, they were the People of the Book prophesying the end of history, chosen to bring it about, and martyred for both the prophesy and the chosenness. In this 鈥済hetto of divine election,鈥� as the poetess Marina Tsvetaeva put it, 鈥渆very poet is a Yid.鈥�
孝邪屑, 胁 芯斜褖械屑, 锌褉懈屑械褉薪芯 胁褋械, 褔褌芯 锌褘褌谢懈胁芯屑褍 邪薪褌褉芯锌芯谢芯谐褍 薪褍卸薪芯 蟹薪邪褌褜 芯 褌.薪. "褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈懈" 懈 械械 谐械薪械蟹懈褋械.
袛芯褔懈褌褘胁邪褞 "袝胁褉械泄褋泻芯械 褋褌芯谢械褌懈械" 小谢械蟹泻懈薪邪 (懈 薪械 褍褋褌邪薪褍 械谐芯 褉械泻芯屑械薪写芯胁邪褌褜; 薪邪 褉褍褋褋泻懈泄 褝褌褍 泻薪懈谐褍, 泻褋褌邪褌懈, 锌械褉械胁芯写懈谢 小械褉谐械泄 袠谢褜懈薪), 懈 褌邪屑 褍斜懈泄褋褌胁械薪薪邪褟 芯写薪芯褋褌褉芯褔薪邪褟 褏邪褉邪泻褌械褉懈褋褌懈泻邪 懈蟹谢褞斜谢械薪薪芯泄 泻薪懈谐懈 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯泄 芯褌褌械锌械谢褜薪芯泄 (锌褉械懈屑褍褖械褋褌胁械薪薪芯 褋褌芯谢懈褔薪芯泄) 懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈懈, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 (懈薪褌械谢谢懈谐械薪褑懈褟) 卸懈胁邪 写芯 褋懈褏 锌芯褉 胁薪械 蟹邪胁懈褋懈屑芯褋褌懈 芯褌 胁芯蟹褉邪褋褌邪 懈 芯锌芯蟹薪邪械褌褋褟 锌芯 谢褞斜胁懈 泻 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械. 袛邪, 褉械褔褜 锌褉芯 "袛芯褉芯谐褍 褍褏芯写懈褌 胁 写邪谢褜" 袗谢械泻褋邪薪写褉褘 袘褉褍褕褌械泄薪: "An engaging collection of literary clich茅s from the late nineteenth century..." 袧褍 懈 写邪谢褜褕械: "袙 薪械泄 械褋褌褜 胁褋褢, 泻褉芯屑械, 褋芯斜褋褌胁械薪薪芯, 械胁褉械械胁..."
June 25, 2010
This book was assigned to me as part of my graduate work in History, in a class on Eastern Europe. I was the only person in the class who liked it. The others felt that it made an argument with poor substantiation, that it essentialized the Jewish identity, and even that it bordered on being a racist evaluation of Jewishness. They had their points, but I still appreciated it, if only for trying to make an argument broader than simply counting the number of angels dancing on the pin of history.
Slezkine himself does have an odd relationship to Jewishness and identity, which surely informs this book. He grew up in Russia at a time when being "Russian" made one superior in the eyes of the State to being a "Jew" (and Russian passports indicated ethnicity, with Jewishness defined as an "ethnicity"). He learned in adulthood that his maternal grandmother was Jewish - making him Jewish also, albeit without ever having realized. This book appears to be at least partly a product of his attempts to figure out what that meant.
His argument becomes, then, that "everyone is Jewish," as a result of the profound effect which Jewish culture has had on the dominant culture of globalization since the French Revolution. What used to be characteristic of the isolated and half-assimilated groups of wanderers and outcasts in European society has become the norm: including acquisitiveness, alienation from the environment, independence, entrepreneurship, anomie, cosmopolitanism, and internationalism. He uses the interesting figure of Hermes as the symbol for what he calls "service nomadism," which he says is now the norm in modern culture. Although some of the traits he links to Jewishness appear to be negative, he believes that the conversion of humanity to Jewishness is ultimately its redemption, and portrays the shift as essentially positive. Even "[t:]he rise of the Holocaust as a transcendental concept has led to the emergence of the Jews as the Chosen People for the new age." The one risk he identifies in this transcendental Jewishness is that the original may become tainted and impossible to identify amidst a sea of non-Jewish Jews.
I can understand my colleagues' misgivings, but ultimately what I appreciate about this book is that it challenges assumptions and "safe" dry academic viewpoints. Slezkine's value may not so much lie in being right, but in how he makes people think in order to figure out that he's wrong.
Slezkine himself does have an odd relationship to Jewishness and identity, which surely informs this book. He grew up in Russia at a time when being "Russian" made one superior in the eyes of the State to being a "Jew" (and Russian passports indicated ethnicity, with Jewishness defined as an "ethnicity"). He learned in adulthood that his maternal grandmother was Jewish - making him Jewish also, albeit without ever having realized. This book appears to be at least partly a product of his attempts to figure out what that meant.
His argument becomes, then, that "everyone is Jewish," as a result of the profound effect which Jewish culture has had on the dominant culture of globalization since the French Revolution. What used to be characteristic of the isolated and half-assimilated groups of wanderers and outcasts in European society has become the norm: including acquisitiveness, alienation from the environment, independence, entrepreneurship, anomie, cosmopolitanism, and internationalism. He uses the interesting figure of Hermes as the symbol for what he calls "service nomadism," which he says is now the norm in modern culture. Although some of the traits he links to Jewishness appear to be negative, he believes that the conversion of humanity to Jewishness is ultimately its redemption, and portrays the shift as essentially positive. Even "[t:]he rise of the Holocaust as a transcendental concept has led to the emergence of the Jews as the Chosen People for the new age." The one risk he identifies in this transcendental Jewishness is that the original may become tainted and impossible to identify amidst a sea of non-Jewish Jews.
I can understand my colleagues' misgivings, but ultimately what I appreciate about this book is that it challenges assumptions and "safe" dry academic viewpoints. Slezkine's value may not so much lie in being right, but in how he makes people think in order to figure out that he's wrong.
May 18, 2024
This profound, absorbing history is a narrative masterpiece. It's thoroughly researched and loaded with factual information, all highlighted and discussed against a background of moral questioning, political exposition and out-and-out story telling.
This is also a history of the Soviet Union - which the book frames as the first great, modern, doomed Jewish state - told through the eyes of the Jews who built it, died for it, died by it, and then abandoned it. It is an essential read not only for students of the Jewish people, but for socialists as well.
For those seeking to deepen their understanding of the historical antagonism between socialist internationalism and zionist nationalism this book will be especially welcome.
Slezkine avoids entirely the idiotic "clash of civilisations" rhetoric which so many liberal historians indulge in, and instead tells the story of Soviet Jewry through their own eyes, shining a light on their triumphs as well as the crimes committed against them - and the crimes committed by them.
It's left me with a lot to think about, especially on the subjects of modernity, revolution, communism, messianism, state building, nationalism and, of course, Jewishness!
This is also a history of the Soviet Union - which the book frames as the first great, modern, doomed Jewish state - told through the eyes of the Jews who built it, died for it, died by it, and then abandoned it. It is an essential read not only for students of the Jewish people, but for socialists as well.
For those seeking to deepen their understanding of the historical antagonism between socialist internationalism and zionist nationalism this book will be especially welcome.
Slezkine avoids entirely the idiotic "clash of civilisations" rhetoric which so many liberal historians indulge in, and instead tells the story of Soviet Jewry through their own eyes, shining a light on their triumphs as well as the crimes committed against them - and the crimes committed by them.
It's left me with a lot to think about, especially on the subjects of modernity, revolution, communism, messianism, state building, nationalism and, of course, Jewishness!
March 26, 2021
'Modernisation is about everyone becoming mobile, urban, literate... intellectually intricate, physically fastidious, and occupationally flexible [i.e., unrooted].... it is about pursuing wealth for the sake of wealth and learning for the sake of wealth.... [It is about] dismantling inherited [aristocratic, organic] privilege with acquired [individualistic, autonomous] privilege. It is about dismantling social estates and...families for the sake of individuals. Modernization is, in other words, about everyone becoming Jewish.' (i.)
See insightful review in Ch2, appendix 1 of 2013 Kindle edition of MacDonald, 'The Culture of Critique'.
See insightful review in Ch2, appendix 1 of 2013 Kindle edition of MacDonald, 'The Culture of Critique'.
February 16, 2020
Slezkine's central thesis - that the world can be divided into tribes of stable, agricultural, dominant Apollonians and mobile, entrepreneurial Mercurian minorities - is generally compelling. His specific analysis of Russian and Soviet culture is particularly interesting, as he explains how the Russian and Ukrainian Apollonians and the Jewish (and, in the 19th century, German) Mercurians defined themselves in opposition to the other group: i.e., since the Russians saw themselves as masculine landowners, they saw the Jews as effeminate cosmopolitans, and the Jews, in turn, reinterpreted those stereotypes to cast the Russians as ignorant peasants and themselves as intelligent and cultured.
What is most interesting is how these stereotypes changed with the Soviet condemnation of Antisemitism: Russian authors sought to recast existing stereotypes in a more positive light, and Socialist realism novels abound with sly and effeminate Jewish commissars who are to be admired for their knowledge of Marx and Lenin despite their unpleasant personal characteristics. Jewish authors, however, often reversed the stereotypes entirely, as with Isaac Babel's rough, masculine gangster-hero, Benya Krik. In this sense, I'm grateful to Slezkine for clarifying my thinking on Jewish stereotypes in Soviet culture.
The book as a whole is very well-researched and is an excellent source of statistics on Jewish life in the 20th century. However, I found Slezkine's style to be quite painful to read. He tries too hard to force his data to fit the Apollonian-Mercurian dichotomy that he establishes and is clearly trying to make what could have been a useful academic text into a more accessible "pop" history book. I cringed constantly while reading it... and yet I have reread it twice and think of it often as I continue to learn about Soviet Jewish life and literature. Ultimately, I recommend The Jewish Century to anyone interested in Jewish or Soviet history, but would advise them to read with a grain of salt and a heavy dose of patience.
What is most interesting is how these stereotypes changed with the Soviet condemnation of Antisemitism: Russian authors sought to recast existing stereotypes in a more positive light, and Socialist realism novels abound with sly and effeminate Jewish commissars who are to be admired for their knowledge of Marx and Lenin despite their unpleasant personal characteristics. Jewish authors, however, often reversed the stereotypes entirely, as with Isaac Babel's rough, masculine gangster-hero, Benya Krik. In this sense, I'm grateful to Slezkine for clarifying my thinking on Jewish stereotypes in Soviet culture.
The book as a whole is very well-researched and is an excellent source of statistics on Jewish life in the 20th century. However, I found Slezkine's style to be quite painful to read. He tries too hard to force his data to fit the Apollonian-Mercurian dichotomy that he establishes and is clearly trying to make what could have been a useful academic text into a more accessible "pop" history book. I cringed constantly while reading it... and yet I have reread it twice and think of it often as I continue to learn about Soviet Jewish life and literature. Ultimately, I recommend The Jewish Century to anyone interested in Jewish or Soviet history, but would advise them to read with a grain of salt and a heavy dose of patience.
December 20, 2012
A frank, often over-decoratively written, clear-headed book about the fate of the Jews in Russia and the fate of Russia at the hands of the Jews. The mythology is childish, but the knowledge is extremely good, and the writing is often witty and laff-out-loud. Slezkine's translations of Russian poems and diaries are worth the price of admission - and Slevkine's restraint in letting his evidence speak for itself, and not driving home with a hammer and sickle the ironies of history he outlines, is heroic. (An example of what he refrains from doing).
Here is a poem by a Jewish Bolshevik, named Svetlov (ne Sheinkman). As a little Jewish boy in Ekaterinoslav,he used to be frightened of his rabbi鈥檚 morbid tales 鈥� but not anymore:
Now I wear a leather jacket,
Now I鈥檓 tall 鈥� and the rabbi is small.
鈥�.鈥When the old rabbi dies under the collapsed wall of his synagogue.鈥�
The red flag overhead,
The flashing bayonet,
The armored car.
This was the dawn o fthe holy day
The Bolshevik was born.
,鈥�
I stand before my Republic,
I have come from the distant South.
I have placed all my weakness 鈥� truly 鈥�
Under arrest.
The cycles of history keep rollking along - I note the fearful reactions of the fellow-graduate students of one of the earlier reviewers of this book, who all agreed that it is "too essentialist." They are living the Soviet life but without the NKVD - out of choice. That's our country! As Slevkine says here, uppermiddleclass Jewish kids went to USSR universities in the 30s and came out - communists. Whereas uppermiddleclass Jewish kids who went to USA universities at the same time came out - communists.
Here is a poem by a Jewish Bolshevik, named Svetlov (ne Sheinkman). As a little Jewish boy in Ekaterinoslav,he used to be frightened of his rabbi鈥檚 morbid tales 鈥� but not anymore:
Now I wear a leather jacket,
Now I鈥檓 tall 鈥� and the rabbi is small.
鈥�.鈥When the old rabbi dies under the collapsed wall of his synagogue.鈥�
The red flag overhead,
The flashing bayonet,
The armored car.
This was the dawn o fthe holy day
The Bolshevik was born.
,鈥�
I stand before my Republic,
I have come from the distant South.
I have placed all my weakness 鈥� truly 鈥�
Under arrest.
The cycles of history keep rollking along - I note the fearful reactions of the fellow-graduate students of one of the earlier reviewers of this book, who all agreed that it is "too essentialist." They are living the Soviet life but without the NKVD - out of choice. That's our country! As Slevkine says here, uppermiddleclass Jewish kids went to USSR universities in the 30s and came out - communists. Whereas uppermiddleclass Jewish kids who went to USA universities at the same time came out - communists.
November 9, 2010
Not as systematic or grounded as I had hoped and expected, but plenty of fruitful speculation. More of "intellectual riffing" around a few historical themes than actual history, although the section on the transition in the Soviet State from philo-semitism to anti-semitism is quite detailed.
Jews, for Yuri Slezkine and with good reason, are Mercurians, innately modern, native inhabitants of the world-city. Their marriage to the soviet state is forgotten history, and yet a hinge of the twentieth century. On the other hand, an American, with post-Cold war American concerns, wonders more about their place in America. Their influence is, I think, substantial and traceable; they have made America more Jewish, and this romance is probably a marriage for life, different from the messy divorce in Russia.
Slezkine leaves us with this:
"All radical attempts to remake humankind are ultimately assaults on the family, and all of them either fail or dissimulate... Not vision of justice-as-equality can accommodate the human family however constituted, and no human existence involving men, women, and children can abide the abolition of the distinction between kin and nonkin."
Jews, for Yuri Slezkine and with good reason, are Mercurians, innately modern, native inhabitants of the world-city. Their marriage to the soviet state is forgotten history, and yet a hinge of the twentieth century. On the other hand, an American, with post-Cold war American concerns, wonders more about their place in America. Their influence is, I think, substantial and traceable; they have made America more Jewish, and this romance is probably a marriage for life, different from the messy divorce in Russia.
Slezkine leaves us with this:
"All radical attempts to remake humankind are ultimately assaults on the family, and all of them either fail or dissimulate... Not vision of justice-as-equality can accommodate the human family however constituted, and no human existence involving men, women, and children can abide the abolition of the distinction between kin and nonkin."
June 30, 2019
Tried to read it but couldn't finish ...really wasn't much information when you boil everything down. There were a lot of statistics and analogies to Hermes & Prometheus. The author tries to prove the thesis that the modern century is cultural embodiment of the Jews. I think this is a difficult thing to prove. It would have helped if he included more history and less statistics.
March 24, 2008
you want a conspiracy theory, take this!
provocative account of the role of jews in the 20th century that cannot be easily written off.
a bit to culturalist at times for me, but riveting nonetheless.
provocative account of the role of jews in the 20th century that cannot be easily written off.
a bit to culturalist at times for me, but riveting nonetheless.
August 9, 2013
A fascinating read. Among other themes, an interesting take on why Jews (or people of Jewish ancestry) were so overrepresented and successful in commerce, scientific and intellectual and art thought in late 19th - early 20th century in Europe.
July 1, 2008
The author Berkeley mentor, and just an incredible human being. I read it in manuscript form, and was blown away.
August 1, 2021
Another Russian-not-really-Russian writer with whom I have no ethical problems reading and reflecting upon and whose opinions about history and society interest me.
挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 (Yuri Slezkine) is a Russian (Soviet)-born Jewish American historian, writer, and translator, and he has never even had citizenship of modern Russia. He originally trained as an interpreter in the Moscow State University (袦袚校), and his first trip outside the Soviet Union was in the late 1970s, when he worked as a translator in Mozambique. He returned to Moscow to serve as a translator of Portuguese, and spent 1982 in Lisbon and then emigrated to the U.S. the next year. He earned a PhD from the University of Texas, Austin, and today he is a professor of Russian history, sovietologist and Director of the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He writes in English originally, but, of course, his books are dedicated mostly to Russian/Soviet history. I have read his 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪. 小邪谐邪 芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈懈鈥� last year and found it quite interesting, albeit oversaturated with various information (a large part of it should have better be in some other books). I read his books in Russian translation because it is much easier regarding Russian names, titles, quotes, etc., which often become unrecognizable in English translation and overall lose important nuances, in my opinion. 挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 translates his books into Russian from English himself.
This book, which has been widely read and discussed in Russia in a recent couple of years, was actually written much earlier (2004) than 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪. 小邪谐邪 芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈懈鈥� (2017), but it was translated and published in Russian only very recently, in the same year with 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� (2019), obviously because of the huge popularity of 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪.鈥� Otherwise, it would have probably stayed unnoticed there.
鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� is dedicated to Jews, as you can understand from the title. However, I would say that both the title and the first chapter of the book are misleading. About 80% of the book is dedicated to a very specific and very narrow phenomenon: Russian and, mostly, Soviet Jews. This overfocusing is an integral part of a bigger problem, the author鈥檚 conviction that Russia and, especially, the Soviet Union were the most powerful and important centers of 鈥渢rue Jewishness鈥� (鈥溞澬感盒靶盒拘� 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写 薪械 斜褘谢 褌邪泻懈屑 褋芯胁械褌褋泻懈屑, 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯泄 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写 薪械 锌褉芯褟胁谢褟谢 褌邪泻芯泄 谐芯褌芯胁薪芯褋褌懈 泻 芯褌泻邪蟹褍 芯褌 褋胁芯械谐芯 褟蟹褘泻邪, 芯斜褉褟写芯胁 懈 褌褉邪写懈褑懈芯薪薪褘褏 屑械褋褌 锌褉芯卸懈胁邪薪懈褟. 袧懈泻邪泻芯泄 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写, 懈薪邪褔械 谐芯胁芯褉褟, 薪械 斜褘谢 褋褌芯谢褜 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑 (褋锌谢芯褕褜 谐芯谢芯胁邪 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯谐芯 褌械谢邪) 懈谢懈 褋褌芯谢褜 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈芯薪薪褘屑 (褋锌谢芯褕褜 屑芯谢芯写芯褋褌褜 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯泄 褌褉邪写懈褑懈懈).鈥�). It looks like two other central 鈥淛ewish places in the world鈥� that the author is ever discussing, the U.S. and Israel, are purposefully dwarfed and pushed to the back seats of history: the respective information is much weaker in quantity and quality and often looks ridiculous overall, as if the respected and diligent historian did not even want to waste much of his precious time and effort on these topics.
The approach he uses in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� is similar to 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪,鈥� although the final book looks more compact and better structured than 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪.鈥� He has some big 鈥渦mbrella idea鈥� (Bolsheviks as a quasi-religious millenarian sect in 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� and Jews as the most prominent and exemplary 鈥渕ercurian鈥� ethnonational social group in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥�), and then he adds tons of very interesting information (both factual and deliberately hand-picked in order to 鈥渇it鈥� his 鈥渦mbrella idea鈥� as much as possible), tons of some strange quotes, comparisons, and reflections, sometimes tiresomely repetitive and/or extremely mind-boggling, and always very specific and subjective conclusions that, in my opinion, are not even 鈥渉istorical鈥� in the scientific sense (I never agreed with his key conclusions in 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪,鈥� and his conclusions in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� look even more artificial and disagreeable with me).
His key theory for this book, 鈥渕ercurianism,鈥� is very interesting per se, and I would gladly read a book dedicated to it in a wider context, even understanding all the obvious far-fetched argumentation and deficiencies. However, he uses this theory only as an introduction and convenient instrument for the following discussion about Jews, more specifically 鈥� Soviet Jews, while you understand perfectly that this 鈥渕ercurianism鈥� (if we accept this theory as a working social construct) is realized VERY differently with other ethnonational social groups (we cannot seriously compare Jews, Gypsies, Russian Germans, American Chinese, etc., right? at least, not by those key specific characteristic 挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 distinguishes himself). Moreover, even Jews themselves were VERY different social groups in different societies and in different time periods. When you understand that he manipulates facts and ideas in order to show Russian/Soviet Jews as the key, even archetypal 鈥渕ercurian鈥� nation, you lose half of the respect to this theory, because Russia in the 20th century and, most of all, the Soviet Union were as idiosyncratic societies as ever possible, and the path of Jews as a nation was also a pretty marginal one there (at least, definitely not 鈥渆xemplary鈥�).
Well, it鈥檚 an interesting subject for discussion, and I understand that I am not a historian and, therefore, have not much right for robust criticism; anyway, all these observations did not make the book look 鈥渟tupid鈥� or 鈥渟uperficial鈥� for me (it is rather very 鈥渟kewed鈥� and 鈥渂iased,鈥� I suppose, but almost all great scientific explorations are biased in their concentration on some aspects and ignoring others). You just have to understand that you will read here not about all the 鈥渕ercurian鈥� nations (as you can imagine based on the first chapter) and even not about all the Jews and their recent history all over the world; no, it will be a book about Russian/Soviet Jews, and most of all 鈥� about another favorite idea of the author, Jews as the key beneficiaries and thus creators of the Soviet state, its ideological foundation and its social elite. Again, there are many very intelligent and interesting observations here 鈥� but also a lot of bullshit, in my opinion. (The most ridiculous part of it is when the author tries to reconcile this idea with the fact of huge anti-Semitism and apparent anti-Jewish politics in the USSR and claims that 鈥溞曅惭€械懈 薪械 斜褘谢懈 芦蟹邪写邪胁谢械薪褘 懈 褍薪懈卸械薪褘 胁 谐芯褉邪蟹写芯 斜芯谢褜褕械泄 屑械褉械, 褔械屑 胁褋械 芯褋褌邪谢褜薪芯械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈械禄, 薪芯 芯薪懈 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯 写邪谢懈 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯泄 胁谢邪褋褌懈 芦懈 锌芯谢懈褌懈褔械褋泻懈褏 谢懈写械褉芯胁, 懈 写懈锌谢芯屑邪褌芯胁, 懈 胁芯械薪邪褔邪谢褜薪懈泻芯胁, 懈 褏芯蟹褟械胁 褝泻芯薪芯屑懈泻懈禄 懈 屑芯谐谢懈 斜褘 写邪褌褜 械褖械 斜芯谢褜褕械, 械褋谢懈 斜褘 芯褎懈褑懈邪谢褜薪芯 锌褉芯胁芯蟹谐谢邪褕械薪薪褘械 锌褉懈薪褑懈锌褘 屑械褉懈褌芯泻褉邪褌懈懈 懈 褉邪胁薪芯锌褉邪胁懈褟 写芯谢卸薪褘屑 芯斜褉邪蟹芯屑 褋芯斜谢褞写邪谢懈褋褜. 袠薪褘屑懈 褋谢芯胁邪屑懈, 械胁褉械懈 薪械 斜褘谢懈 蟹邪写邪胁谢械薪褘 胁 斜芯谢褜褕械泄 屑械褉械, 褔械屑 芯褋褌邪谢褜薪芯械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈械, 薪芯 芯薪懈 芯褖褍褖邪谢懈 褋械斜褟 斜芯谢械械 褍薪懈卸械薪薪褘屑懈 锌芯 锌褉懈褔懈薪械 懈褏 斜芯谢械械 胁褘褋芯泻芯谐芯 懈 斜芯谢械械 褍褟蟹胁懈屑芯谐芯 锌芯谢芯卸械薪懈褟 胁 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯屑 芯斜褖械褋褌胁械.鈥� In Russian, there is an exact formula for such deductions: 鈥溞窖�, 写芯谐芯胁芯褉懈谢褋褟鈥︹€�)
I also found completely inadequate most of the author鈥檚 opinions about American Jews and, especially, about Israel, and there are a lot of quite outrageous reflections about them, superficial and reproachful for a serious historian (I felt that representing Freudism as an antithesis to Marxism/Communism and as 鈥渢he religion of modern capitalism鈥� is especially shameful for a historian). His comments about the Holocaust are revolting and frivolous, and I did not expect to read something like this in a book of a Jewish author, not to mention 鈥渁 historian.鈥� However, as I already said, most of the book is about very different things, in essence 鈥� about the creation and development of the Soviet state (and there are many overlappings with 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� here, of course).
Also, the author has an unhealthy inclination to repeat the same metaphors all over again and again (鈥溠呅靶恍把� 袚邪谢懈薪褘 袗锌芯谢谢芯薪芯胁薪褘,鈥� 鈥溞叫狙� 小胁邪薪邪,鈥� 鈥溞⑿敌惭屝�-屑芯谢芯褔薪懈泻 懈 械谐芯 写芯褔械褉懈,鈥� etc.), which makes the reading quite irritating sometimes, but this is irrelevant comparing to other, more essential problems with the key ideas of the book and some arguments offered there.
Therefore, it鈥檚 an interesting from many points of view book, but I wouldn鈥檛 recommend it as some educational material if you do not know much about Jews but want to learn more (there is a high risk of falling behind the author鈥檚 biases). I would eagerly encourage reading it for those people who can understand and accept its subjective nature, form their own opinion, and discuss this book and its ideas from an independent critical point of view, appreciating all the cool sides of it but also rejecting indignantly all the obvious manipulations/bullshit. I believe it can be an excellent trigger for many very intelligent, illuminative, and incredibly interesting discussions about various historical and sociocultural aspects.
Overall, I did not have an impression of a well-thought theory of Soviet Jews as an exemplary 鈥渕ercurian nation鈥� (it just does not make much sense if you try to analyze deeply any of the key arguments), although both the discussions about 鈥渕ercurian nations鈥� and about Soviet Jews as a very specific historical phenomenon here are worthy and deserve attention.
挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 (Yuri Slezkine) is a Russian (Soviet)-born Jewish American historian, writer, and translator, and he has never even had citizenship of modern Russia. He originally trained as an interpreter in the Moscow State University (袦袚校), and his first trip outside the Soviet Union was in the late 1970s, when he worked as a translator in Mozambique. He returned to Moscow to serve as a translator of Portuguese, and spent 1982 in Lisbon and then emigrated to the U.S. the next year. He earned a PhD from the University of Texas, Austin, and today he is a professor of Russian history, sovietologist and Director of the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He writes in English originally, but, of course, his books are dedicated mostly to Russian/Soviet history. I have read his 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪. 小邪谐邪 芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈懈鈥� last year and found it quite interesting, albeit oversaturated with various information (a large part of it should have better be in some other books). I read his books in Russian translation because it is much easier regarding Russian names, titles, quotes, etc., which often become unrecognizable in English translation and overall lose important nuances, in my opinion. 挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 translates his books into Russian from English himself.
This book, which has been widely read and discussed in Russia in a recent couple of years, was actually written much earlier (2004) than 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪. 小邪谐邪 芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈懈鈥� (2017), but it was translated and published in Russian only very recently, in the same year with 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� (2019), obviously because of the huge popularity of 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪.鈥� Otherwise, it would have probably stayed unnoticed there.
鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� is dedicated to Jews, as you can understand from the title. However, I would say that both the title and the first chapter of the book are misleading. About 80% of the book is dedicated to a very specific and very narrow phenomenon: Russian and, mostly, Soviet Jews. This overfocusing is an integral part of a bigger problem, the author鈥檚 conviction that Russia and, especially, the Soviet Union were the most powerful and important centers of 鈥渢rue Jewishness鈥� (鈥溞澬感盒靶盒拘� 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写 薪械 斜褘谢 褌邪泻懈屑 褋芯胁械褌褋泻懈屑, 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯泄 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写 薪械 锌褉芯褟胁谢褟谢 褌邪泻芯泄 谐芯褌芯胁薪芯褋褌懈 泻 芯褌泻邪蟹褍 芯褌 褋胁芯械谐芯 褟蟹褘泻邪, 芯斜褉褟写芯胁 懈 褌褉邪写懈褑懈芯薪薪褘褏 屑械褋褌 锌褉芯卸懈胁邪薪懈褟. 袧懈泻邪泻芯泄 写褉褍谐芯泄 薪邪褉芯写, 懈薪邪褔械 谐芯胁芯褉褟, 薪械 斜褘谢 褋褌芯谢褜 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑 (褋锌谢芯褕褜 谐芯谢芯胁邪 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯谐芯 褌械谢邪) 懈谢懈 褋褌芯谢褜 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈芯薪薪褘屑 (褋锌谢芯褕褜 屑芯谢芯写芯褋褌褜 懈 薪懈泻邪泻芯泄 褌褉邪写懈褑懈懈).鈥�). It looks like two other central 鈥淛ewish places in the world鈥� that the author is ever discussing, the U.S. and Israel, are purposefully dwarfed and pushed to the back seats of history: the respective information is much weaker in quantity and quality and often looks ridiculous overall, as if the respected and diligent historian did not even want to waste much of his precious time and effort on these topics.
The approach he uses in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� is similar to 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪,鈥� although the final book looks more compact and better structured than 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪.鈥� He has some big 鈥渦mbrella idea鈥� (Bolsheviks as a quasi-religious millenarian sect in 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� and Jews as the most prominent and exemplary 鈥渕ercurian鈥� ethnonational social group in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥�), and then he adds tons of very interesting information (both factual and deliberately hand-picked in order to 鈥渇it鈥� his 鈥渦mbrella idea鈥� as much as possible), tons of some strange quotes, comparisons, and reflections, sometimes tiresomely repetitive and/or extremely mind-boggling, and always very specific and subjective conclusions that, in my opinion, are not even 鈥渉istorical鈥� in the scientific sense (I never agreed with his key conclusions in 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪,鈥� and his conclusions in 鈥溞€邪 袦械褉泻褍褉懈褟鈥� look even more artificial and disagreeable with me).
His key theory for this book, 鈥渕ercurianism,鈥� is very interesting per se, and I would gladly read a book dedicated to it in a wider context, even understanding all the obvious far-fetched argumentation and deficiencies. However, he uses this theory only as an introduction and convenient instrument for the following discussion about Jews, more specifically 鈥� Soviet Jews, while you understand perfectly that this 鈥渕ercurianism鈥� (if we accept this theory as a working social construct) is realized VERY differently with other ethnonational social groups (we cannot seriously compare Jews, Gypsies, Russian Germans, American Chinese, etc., right? at least, not by those key specific characteristic 挟褉懈泄 小谢械蟹泻懈薪 distinguishes himself). Moreover, even Jews themselves were VERY different social groups in different societies and in different time periods. When you understand that he manipulates facts and ideas in order to show Russian/Soviet Jews as the key, even archetypal 鈥渕ercurian鈥� nation, you lose half of the respect to this theory, because Russia in the 20th century and, most of all, the Soviet Union were as idiosyncratic societies as ever possible, and the path of Jews as a nation was also a pretty marginal one there (at least, definitely not 鈥渆xemplary鈥�).
Well, it鈥檚 an interesting subject for discussion, and I understand that I am not a historian and, therefore, have not much right for robust criticism; anyway, all these observations did not make the book look 鈥渟tupid鈥� or 鈥渟uperficial鈥� for me (it is rather very 鈥渟kewed鈥� and 鈥渂iased,鈥� I suppose, but almost all great scientific explorations are biased in their concentration on some aspects and ignoring others). You just have to understand that you will read here not about all the 鈥渕ercurian鈥� nations (as you can imagine based on the first chapter) and even not about all the Jews and their recent history all over the world; no, it will be a book about Russian/Soviet Jews, and most of all 鈥� about another favorite idea of the author, Jews as the key beneficiaries and thus creators of the Soviet state, its ideological foundation and its social elite. Again, there are many very intelligent and interesting observations here 鈥� but also a lot of bullshit, in my opinion. (The most ridiculous part of it is when the author tries to reconcile this idea with the fact of huge anti-Semitism and apparent anti-Jewish politics in the USSR and claims that 鈥溞曅惭€械懈 薪械 斜褘谢懈 芦蟹邪写邪胁谢械薪褘 懈 褍薪懈卸械薪褘 胁 谐芯褉邪蟹写芯 斜芯谢褜褕械泄 屑械褉械, 褔械屑 胁褋械 芯褋褌邪谢褜薪芯械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈械禄, 薪芯 芯薪懈 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯 写邪谢懈 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯泄 胁谢邪褋褌懈 芦懈 锌芯谢懈褌懈褔械褋泻懈褏 谢懈写械褉芯胁, 懈 写懈锌谢芯屑邪褌芯胁, 懈 胁芯械薪邪褔邪谢褜薪懈泻芯胁, 懈 褏芯蟹褟械胁 褝泻芯薪芯屑懈泻懈禄 懈 屑芯谐谢懈 斜褘 写邪褌褜 械褖械 斜芯谢褜褕械, 械褋谢懈 斜褘 芯褎懈褑懈邪谢褜薪芯 锌褉芯胁芯蟹谐谢邪褕械薪薪褘械 锌褉懈薪褑懈锌褘 屑械褉懈褌芯泻褉邪褌懈懈 懈 褉邪胁薪芯锌褉邪胁懈褟 写芯谢卸薪褘屑 芯斜褉邪蟹芯屑 褋芯斜谢褞写邪谢懈褋褜. 袠薪褘屑懈 褋谢芯胁邪屑懈, 械胁褉械懈 薪械 斜褘谢懈 蟹邪写邪胁谢械薪褘 胁 斜芯谢褜褕械泄 屑械褉械, 褔械屑 芯褋褌邪谢褜薪芯械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈械, 薪芯 芯薪懈 芯褖褍褖邪谢懈 褋械斜褟 斜芯谢械械 褍薪懈卸械薪薪褘屑懈 锌芯 锌褉懈褔懈薪械 懈褏 斜芯谢械械 胁褘褋芯泻芯谐芯 懈 斜芯谢械械 褍褟蟹胁懈屑芯谐芯 锌芯谢芯卸械薪懈褟 胁 褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯屑 芯斜褖械褋褌胁械.鈥� In Russian, there is an exact formula for such deductions: 鈥溞窖�, 写芯谐芯胁芯褉懈谢褋褟鈥︹€�)
I also found completely inadequate most of the author鈥檚 opinions about American Jews and, especially, about Israel, and there are a lot of quite outrageous reflections about them, superficial and reproachful for a serious historian (I felt that representing Freudism as an antithesis to Marxism/Communism and as 鈥渢he religion of modern capitalism鈥� is especially shameful for a historian). His comments about the Holocaust are revolting and frivolous, and I did not expect to read something like this in a book of a Jewish author, not to mention 鈥渁 historian.鈥� However, as I already said, most of the book is about very different things, in essence 鈥� about the creation and development of the Soviet state (and there are many overlappings with 鈥溞斝拘� 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪鈥� here, of course).
Also, the author has an unhealthy inclination to repeat the same metaphors all over again and again (鈥溠呅靶恍把� 袚邪谢懈薪褘 袗锌芯谢谢芯薪芯胁薪褘,鈥� 鈥溞叫狙� 小胁邪薪邪,鈥� 鈥溞⑿敌惭屝�-屑芯谢芯褔薪懈泻 懈 械谐芯 写芯褔械褉懈,鈥� etc.), which makes the reading quite irritating sometimes, but this is irrelevant comparing to other, more essential problems with the key ideas of the book and some arguments offered there.
Therefore, it鈥檚 an interesting from many points of view book, but I wouldn鈥檛 recommend it as some educational material if you do not know much about Jews but want to learn more (there is a high risk of falling behind the author鈥檚 biases). I would eagerly encourage reading it for those people who can understand and accept its subjective nature, form their own opinion, and discuss this book and its ideas from an independent critical point of view, appreciating all the cool sides of it but also rejecting indignantly all the obvious manipulations/bullshit. I believe it can be an excellent trigger for many very intelligent, illuminative, and incredibly interesting discussions about various historical and sociocultural aspects.
Overall, I did not have an impression of a well-thought theory of Soviet Jews as an exemplary 鈥渕ercurian nation鈥� (it just does not make much sense if you try to analyze deeply any of the key arguments), although both the discussions about 鈥渕ercurian nations鈥� and about Soviet Jews as a very specific historical phenomenon here are worthy and deserve attention.
December 17, 2020
Really fascinating book. Great detail on the huge expulsion of Jewish influence across multiple professions in Europe and the the USA following the emancipation.
Having turned the world "Jewish" as he defines the development of Western humanity as a result of modernity, we then see that the result for the Jews is that on the one hand, they turn out to be the best Jews of all (from a secular point of view, dominating multipleEen professions way beyond their relative numbers in the population), but in many cases this leading to an even more problematic existence for Jews in the past 150 years. More antisemtism, more assimilation and the great destruction of the Shoah.
An important read!
Having turned the world "Jewish" as he defines the development of Western humanity as a result of modernity, we then see that the result for the Jews is that on the one hand, they turn out to be the best Jews of all (from a secular point of view, dominating multipleEen professions way beyond their relative numbers in the population), but in many cases this leading to an even more problematic existence for Jews in the past 150 years. More antisemtism, more assimilation and the great destruction of the Shoah.
An important read!
November 2, 2021
袠褋褋谢械写芯胁邪薪懈械 褉芯谢懈 械胁褉械械胁 胁 褋芯胁褉械屑械薪薪芯屑 芯斜褖械褋褌胁械 - 芯褔械薪褜 薪械锌褉芯褋褌邪褟 褌械屑邪. 袣薪懈谐邪 写谢褟 屑械薪褟 芯泻邪蟹邪谢芯褋褜 锌芯谢薪芯泄 芯褌泻褉褘褌懈泄 懈 锌邪褉邪谢谢械谢械泄. 袩芯褉芯泄 械械 写邪卸械 屑芯卸薪芯 斜褘谢芯 薪邪蟹胁邪褌褜 蟹邪褏胁邪褌褘胁邪褞褖械泄. 袦薪芯谐芯 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈褏 褎邪泻褌芯胁, 锌芯锌褘褌泻邪 褋芯斜褉邪褌褜 泻邪褉褌懈薪褍 胁 械写懈薪芯械 褑械谢芯械, 写谢褟 锌芯谢薪芯褑械薪薪芯谐芯 锌芯薪懈屑邪薪懈褟 泻薪懈谐懈 薪褍卸薪芯 懈屑械褌褜 薪械屑邪谢褘泄 泻褍谢褜褌褍褉薪褘泄 斜邪谐邪卸, 褟 薪械 写芯褌褟薪褍谢邪 锌芯 薪械泻芯褌芯褉褘屑 锌褍薪泻褌邪屑. 袨褔械薪褜 胁芯蟹屑芯卸薪芯, 褔褌芯 锌芯褌芯屑 褟 泻 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械 胁械褉薪褍褋褜 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 胁 褋褌褉械屑谢械薪懈懈 锌芯薪褟褌褜 懈褋褌芯褉懈褞 邪褉屑褟薪 胁 懈褋褌芯褉懈懈 械胁褉械械胁 屑芯卸薪芯 薪邪泄褌懈 薪械屑邪谢芯 泻谢褞褔械泄.
May 22, 2020
袣薪懈谐邪, 锌芯卸邪谢褍泄, 褋屑芯谐谢邪 芯褌胁械褌懈褌褜 薪邪 胁芯锌褉芯褋: 芯褌泻褍写邪 胁蟹褟谢褋褟 邪薪褌懈褋械屑懈褌懈蟹屑. 小锌芯泄谢械褉袗谢械褉褌: 褌邪泻 泻邪褉褌邪 谢械谐谢邪. 袩谢褞褋 锌褉懈胁褘褔泻邪 写械褌械泄 写褉邪蟹薪懈褌褜 斜械谢褘褏 胁芯褉芯薪.
袗 械褖械 懈蟹 泻薪懈谐懈 褋褌邪谢芯 褟褋薪芯, 褔褌芯 锌褉械卸薪懈褏 械胁褉械械胁 褍卸械 薪械褌. 袨褋褌邪谢懈褋褜 懈蟹褉邪懈谢褜褌褟薪械 褋 谐邪谢懈谢邪屑懈 胁 小懈谢懈泻芯薪 袙邪写懈, 褌芯谢泻懈械薪懈褋褌褘 胁 锌械泄褋邪褏 懈蟹 袙懈谢褜褟屑褋斜褍褉谐邪 懈 芯斜褘褔薪褘泄 薪邪褉芯写 褋芯 褋褌褉邪薪薪褘屑懈 褎邪屑懈谢懈褟屑懈
袗 械褖械 懈蟹 泻薪懈谐懈 褋褌邪谢芯 褟褋薪芯, 褔褌芯 锌褉械卸薪懈褏 械胁褉械械胁 褍卸械 薪械褌. 袨褋褌邪谢懈褋褜 懈蟹褉邪懈谢褜褌褟薪械 褋 谐邪谢懈谢邪屑懈 胁 小懈谢懈泻芯薪 袙邪写懈, 褌芯谢泻懈械薪懈褋褌褘 胁 锌械泄褋邪褏 懈蟹 袙懈谢褜褟屑褋斜褍褉谐邪 懈 芯斜褘褔薪褘泄 薪邪褉芯写 褋芯 褋褌褉邪薪薪褘屑懈 褎邪屑懈谢懈褟屑懈
February 11, 2023
bravo !
January 4, 2020
Great book on historical journey of Jews. This is systematic overview that explores rise and fall of USSR and creation of contemporary Jews. Written based on facts and literature analysis. Felt a bit hard to to follow the thought, sometimes, but probably because I read Lithuanian translation.
March 22, 2025
this shit has me high as fuck. what a book!
August 2, 2022
袩芯褉邪蟹懈褌械谢褜薪芯, 褋泻芯谢褜泻芯 褋懈谢褘 斜褘谢芯 胁 褉褍泻械, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 写械谢邪谢邪 褝褌芯褌 500-褋褌褉邪薪懈褔薪褘泄 褌械泻褋褌.
袠 胁褉芯写械 斜褘 胁 薪械泄 薪械褌 薪懈褔械谐芯 薪芯胁芯谐芯: 懈 薪邪褉褉邪褌懈胁, 懈 褎邪泻褌褘 写邪胁薪芯 懈蟹胁械褋褌薪褘. 小 写褉褍谐芯泄 褋褌芯褉芯薪褘, 褌邪泻 屑芯卸械褌 褋褍写懈褌褜 褔懈褌邪褌械谢褜 懈蟹 2022 谐芯写邪, 邪 泻薪懈谐邪 胁褘褕谢邪 胁 薪邪褔邪谢械 2000-褏 谐芯写芯胁, 懈 褌芯谐写邪 褝褌邪 褌械屑邪, 褌邪泻芯泄 胁蟹谐谢褟写 薪邪 懈褋褌芯褉懈褞 XX 胁械泻邪, 斜褘谢懈 胁 薪芯胁懈薪泻褍.
袧邪褔薪褢屑 褋 谐谢邪胁薪芯谐芯 写芯褋褌芯懈薪褋褌胁邪 泻薪懈谐懈, 芯褋芯斜械薪薪芯 写谢褟 薪邪褕懈褏 褉芯泻芯胁褘褏 胁褉械屑褢薪. 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 胁 泻薪懈谐械 芯斜 褝褌薪懈褔械褋泻芯泄 懈褋褌芯褉懈懈 胁褘写械褉卸懈胁邪械褌 锌芯褉邪蟹懈褌械谢褜薪褍褞 芯斜褗械泻褌懈胁薪芯褋褌褜 懈 芯褌褋褌褉邪薪褢薪薪芯褋褌褜. 携, 斜褍写褍褔懈, 褋邪屑 芯蟹邪斜芯褔械薪薪褘屑 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢褜薪褘屑 胁芯锌褉芯褋芯屑, 锌褉芯褋褌芯 薪械 胁械褉懈谢 锌褉懈 褔褌械薪懈懈, 褔褌芯 屑芯卸薪芯 斜褘褌褜 薪邪褋褌芯谢褜泻芯 锌芯褋谢械写芯胁邪褌械谢褜薪褘屑 胁 胁蟹胁械褕械薪薪芯褋褌懈 褋褍卸写械薪懈泄. 协褌芯 褋邪屑 锌芯 褋械斜械 鈥� 写邪褉 袘芯卸懈泄 懈谢懈 谐懈谐邪薪褌褋泻邪褟 懈薪褌械谢谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪邪褟 褉邪斜芯褌邪. 袩褉芯褔褌懈褌械 械褢 锌褉褟屑芯 褋械泄褔邪褋, 泻芯谐写邪 褉褍褋芯褎芯斜懈褟, 褍泻褉邪懈薪芯褎芯斜懈褟, 褞写芯褎芯斜懈褟 懈 胁褋械 锌褉芯褔懈械 泻褋械薪芯褎芯斜懈懈 褋褌邪谢懈 邪斜褋芯谢褞褌薪芯 屑械泄薪褋褌褉懈屑薪褘屑懈 谢械谐懈褌懈屑薪褘屑懈 写懈褋泻褍褉褋邪屑懈, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 褔邪褋褌芯 械褖褢 懈 褉褟写褟褌褋褟 锌芯写 褔褌芯-褌芯 褉械褎谢械泻褋懈胁薪芯械. 袝褋谢懈 斜褘 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 薪械 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘胁邪谢 斜褘 芯 褋胁芯懈褏 械泄胁褉械泄褋泻懈褏 锌褉械写泻邪褏, 褌芯 褟 懈 胁芯胁褋械 斜褘 锌芯写褍屑邪谢, 褔褌芯 泻薪懈谐褍 薪邪锌懈褋邪谢 写邪卸械 薪械 褔械谢芯胁械泻, 邪 懈薪芯锌谢邪薪械褌褟薪懈薪. 小谢懈褕泻芯屑 薪械 褋胁芯泄褋褌胁械薪薪褘泄 谢褞写褟屑 胁蟹谐谢褟写 薪邪 胁械褖懈.
袣薪懈谐邪 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁谢褟械褌 褋芯斜芯泄 褔械褌褘褉械 懈蟹褟褖薪褘褏 褝褋褋械. 袩械褉胁褘械 褌褉懈 懈蟹 薪懈褏 屑芯卸薪芯 薪邪蟹胁邪褌褜 褍褋谢芯胁薪芯 胁胁芯写薪褘屑懈. 效械褌胁褢褉褌芯械 鈥� 谐谢邪胁薪褘屑.
小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 褋 褉邪蟹屑邪褏褍 褋褌褉芯懈褌 褋芯斜褋褌胁械薪薪褍褞 褌械芯褉懈褞 薪邪褉芯写芯胁. 袝褋褌褜 写械褋泻邪褌褜 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑褘 (泻芯褔械胁薪懈泻懈-锌芯褋褉械写薪懈泻懈) 懈 邪锌锌芯谢芯薪懈泄褑褘 (卸褢褋褌泻芯 锌褉懈胁褟蟹邪薪薪褘械 泻 蟹械屑谢械). 袚褉邪薪懈褑邪 屑械卸写褍 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑邪屑懈 褋泻芯谢褜 锌芯写胁懈卸薪邪, 褋褌芯谢褜 懈 锌褉芯蟹褉邪褔薪邪 . 袠褋褌芯褉懈褟 械胁褉械械胁 鈥� 褝褌芯 懈褋褌芯褉懈褟 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁, 卸懈胁褍褖懈褏 褋褉械写懈 邪锌锌芯谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁. 小芯胁褉械屑械薪薪芯褋褌褜 鈥� 褝褌芯 胁褉械屑褟, 泻芯谐写邪 邪锌锌芯谢芯薪懈泄褑褘 屑邪褋褋芯胁芯 蟹邪褏芯褌械谢懈 斜褘褌褜 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑邪屑懈.
袙 芯斜褖械屑-褌芯, 褋 褌邪泻芯泄 泻芯薪褑械锌褑懈械泄 屑芯卸薪芯 褋锌芯褉懈褌褜. 袠 写芯 褋械褉械写懈薪褘 泻薪懈谐懈 芯薪邪 屑芯卸械褌 泻邪蟹邪褌褜褋褟 胁褘屑褍褔械薪薪芯泄 懈 懈蟹谢懈褕薪械泄. 袧芯 薪邪褔懈薪邪械褌褋褟 谐谢邪胁邪 芦袙褘斜芯褉 袚芯写谢. 袝胁褉械懈 懈 褌褉懈 袟械屑谢懈 袨斜械褌芯胁邪薪薪褘械禄, 懈 屑褘 芯泻邪蟹褘胁邪械屑褋褟 胁 锌褉芯褋褌褉邪薪褋褌胁械 蟹邪胁芯褉邪卸懈胁邪褞褖械泄 薪芯薪-褎懈泻褕薪 褋械屑械泄薪芯泄 褋邪谐懈. 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 斜械褉褢褌 褔械褌褘褉褢褏 写芯褔械褉械泄 孝械胁褜械-屑芯谢芯褔薪懈泻邪 懈蟹 蟹薪邪屑械薪懈褌芯泄 锌芯胁械褋褌懈 楔芯谢芯屑-袗谢械泄褏械屑邪, 懈 褋胁芯褢 锌芯胁械褋褌胁芯胁邪薪懈械 芯 械胁褉械泄褋泻芯屑 胁械泻械 褋泻谢邪写褘胁邪械褌 懈蟹 懈褏 褋褍写褜斜褘, 褋褍写褜斜褘 懈褏 写械褌械泄 懈 胁薪褍泻芯胁.
笑械泄褌谢 芯褋褌邪谢邪褋褜 褋 芯褌褑芯屑. 袝褢 褋褍写褜斜邪 鈥� 啸芯谢芯泻芯褋褌. 袘械泄谢泻邪 褍械褏邪谢邪 胁 袗屑械褉懈泻褍 鈥� 芯薪邪 屑械褌邪褎芯褉懈褔械褋泻邪褟 屑邪褌褜 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋泻芯谐芯 械胁褉械泄褋褌胁邪. 啸邪胁邪 褍械褏邪谢邪 胁 袩邪谢械褋褌懈薪褍, 懈 芯薪邪 褋褌邪薪械褌 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻芯泄 芯褋薪芯胁邪褌械谢褜薪懈褑械泄 邪锌锌芯谢芯薪懈褔械褋泻芯谐芯 袠蟹褉邪懈谢褟. 袗 袚芯写谢 芯褌锌褉邪胁懈褌褜褋褟 蟹邪 屑褍卸械屑 胁 褋懈斜懈褉褋泻褍褞 褋褋褘谢泻褍.
袠 芯薪邪 褋芯 褋胁芯械泄 褋械屑褜褢泄 鈥� 谐谢邪胁薪褘械 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸懈. 袙褋械 写懈褋泻褍褋褋懈懈 芯 褉芯谢懈 械胁褉械械胁 胁 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 褉械胁芯谢褞褑懈懈 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪, 褋邪屑 胁薪褍泻 袚芯写谢, 褉械蟹褞屑懈褉褍械褌 锌芯写 蟹邪薪邪胁械褋 泻薪懈谐懈 斜械褋锌芯褖邪写薪褘屑 胁械褉写懈泻褌芯屑: 屑懈谢谢懈芯薪褘 械胁褉械械胁, 锌芯胁械褉懈胁褕懈褏 胁 褋芯胁械褌褋泻懈泄 锌褉芯械泻褌, 胁 械胁褉械泄褋泻芯泄 懈褋褌芯褉懈懈 芯褌褋褍褌褋褌胁褍褞褌, 芯薪懈 锌褉械写邪薪褘 蟹邪斜胁械薪懈褞 褋邪屑懈屑懈 械胁褉械褟屑懈. 袙薪褍泻懈 袘械泄谢泻懈 懈 啸邪胁褘 锌谢邪褔褍褌 锌芯 笑械泄褌谢 懈 械褢 写械褌褟屑, 芯薪懈 蟹邪斜褘谢懈 锌褉芯 懈褋褏芯写 械胁褉械械胁 胁 泻芯屑屑褍薪懈褋褌懈褔械褋泻褍褞 袦芯褋泻胁褍. 袙薪褍泻懈 袚芯写谢 芯褌褉械泻谢懈褋褜 芯褌 械褢 胁褘斜芯褉邪, 懈 薪邪蟹胁邪谢懈 械谐芯 薪械锌褉邪胁懈谢褜薪褘屑. 袪褍褋褋泻懈械 薪械 锌芯屑薪褟褌 芯 褋胁芯懈褏 褋芯褋械写褟褏-械胁褉械褟褏.
袥懈褔薪芯 写谢褟 屑械薪褟 褝褌芯 褉械写泻懈泄 锌褉懈屑械褉, 谐写械 褎芯褉屑邪 屑械薪褟 胁芯褋褏懈褖邪械褌 斜芯谢褜褕械 褋芯写械褉卸邪薪懈褟. 校 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 斜谢械褋褌褟褖懈泄 褋褌懈谢褜, 褉褍褋褋泻邪褟 褋谢芯胁械褋薪芯褋褌褜 薪邪 屑邪泻褋懈屑邪谢泻邪褏, 薪芯 懈屑械械褌 懈蟹褗褟薪褘, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 锌芯写褔褢褉泻懈胁邪褞褌 写芯褋褌芯懈薪褋褌胁邪. 小褌褉邪薪懈褑褘 褑懈褌邪褌 懈蟹 褔褍卸懈褏 泻薪懈谐 懈 褋褍褏芯泄 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈泻懈 蟹邪褋褌邪胁谢褟褞褌 斜褍泻胁邪谢褜薪芯 胁褘薪褘褉薪褍褌褜 懈蟹 懈写械邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 褌械泻褋褌邪.
袙 芯斜褖械屑, 芯褔械薪褜 褏芯褌械谢芯褋褜 斜褘, 褔褌芯斜褘 胁褋械 泻薪懈卸泻懈 锌褉芯 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢懈蟹屑 懈 褋屑械卸薪褘械 胁芯锌褉芯褋褘 锌懈褋邪谢 挟褉懈泄 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪.
September 24, 2015
鈥淭he Modern Age is the Jewish Age, and the the twentieth century in particular, is the Jewish century. Modernization is about everyone becoming urban, mobile, literate, articulate, intellectually intricate, physically fastidious, and occupationally flexible鈥�.It is about pursing wealth for the sake of learning, learning for the sake of wealth, and both wealth and learning for their own sake鈥eplacing inherited privilege with acquired privilege, and dismantling social estates for the benefit of individuals, nuclear families, and book-reading tribes (nations). Modernization, in other words, is about everyone becoming Jewish鈥� (1).
So begins Yuri Slezkine's controversial and unorthodox history: THE JEWISH CENTURY. With his metaphorical assertion that we [modern men and women] are all Jews, he invites us on a mental reconceptualization of the world to better understand it (even if by so doing we are distorting some rather large variations in human experience. He notes that Jews have adapted to the modern world (from written record-keeping onward) better than many other groups. According to Slezkine, Jewish people have become the premiere symbol and standard of modern life everywhere. First they became free agents鈥攕ervice nomads鈥攁n outsider group specializing in the delivery of goods or services. He generalizes the global division of labor with the following binary: Mercurians (entrepreneurial minorities) vs. Apollonians (food-producing majorities). Jews, "the exemplary ancients," are now the model moderns. The book concentrates on the drama of the Russian Jews鈥攅migrating to America, Palestine, and Soviet Union cities. This is a fascinating, provocative though admittedly problematic work of history. Its assumptions and methods are unconventional, and yet, it proves to be a refreshingly interesting and successful exercise in approaching history in a more grand narrative way that has some fruitful results.
So begins Yuri Slezkine's controversial and unorthodox history: THE JEWISH CENTURY. With his metaphorical assertion that we [modern men and women] are all Jews, he invites us on a mental reconceptualization of the world to better understand it (even if by so doing we are distorting some rather large variations in human experience. He notes that Jews have adapted to the modern world (from written record-keeping onward) better than many other groups. According to Slezkine, Jewish people have become the premiere symbol and standard of modern life everywhere. First they became free agents鈥攕ervice nomads鈥攁n outsider group specializing in the delivery of goods or services. He generalizes the global division of labor with the following binary: Mercurians (entrepreneurial minorities) vs. Apollonians (food-producing majorities). Jews, "the exemplary ancients," are now the model moderns. The book concentrates on the drama of the Russian Jews鈥攅migrating to America, Palestine, and Soviet Union cities. This is a fascinating, provocative though admittedly problematic work of history. Its assumptions and methods are unconventional, and yet, it proves to be a refreshingly interesting and successful exercise in approaching history in a more grand narrative way that has some fruitful results.
January 26, 2025
Slezkine manages to present history in such poetic form. Haven't felt this high in a while from reading statistical accounts, anecdotes, correspondences.
I would like to share a tiny line of flight from a passage in the text that I pursued. On page 177 one encounters the passage: "...but Leonard Schapiro is probably justified in generalizing (specially about the territory of the former pale) that anyone who has the misfortune to fall into the hands of the Cheka stood a very good chance of finding himself confronted with and possibly shot by a Jewish investigator."
So I went on a google hunt for all things Schapiro, and came across an exchange between him and the Verso Books darling, Ernest Mandel. The exchange was in the letters section of NYRB In response to a review of a number of books by Schapiro titled "Communist Myths" from the April 17, 1980 issue.
It is not an iconic swap but exemplary of the kind of squabbles in the battle of ideas which took place among the intellectual elite. Now the participants are superficially a British political scientist (born in Glasgow died in London) and a Belgian Marxist economist (born in Frankfurt died in Brussels), on the pages of what is considered the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English, published in another continent from the one in which the debaters reside.
But Leonard Bertram Naman Schapiro (not quite Beilke's husband) Ernest Ezra Mandel (not quite Hodl's husband) and the referee (editor of NYRB) Robert Benjamin Silvers (very much from the Beilke line) are all from the same ethnic background. And they seem to best embody all the arguments, counter arguments, mistakes and rebuttals of the past century's dialectic.
I would like to share a tiny line of flight from a passage in the text that I pursued. On page 177 one encounters the passage: "...but Leonard Schapiro is probably justified in generalizing (specially about the territory of the former pale) that anyone who has the misfortune to fall into the hands of the Cheka stood a very good chance of finding himself confronted with and possibly shot by a Jewish investigator."
So I went on a google hunt for all things Schapiro, and came across an exchange between him and the Verso Books darling, Ernest Mandel. The exchange was in the letters section of NYRB In response to a review of a number of books by Schapiro titled "Communist Myths" from the April 17, 1980 issue.
It is not an iconic swap but exemplary of the kind of squabbles in the battle of ideas which took place among the intellectual elite. Now the participants are superficially a British political scientist (born in Glasgow died in London) and a Belgian Marxist economist (born in Frankfurt died in Brussels), on the pages of what is considered the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English, published in another continent from the one in which the debaters reside.
But Leonard Bertram Naman Schapiro (not quite Beilke's husband) Ernest Ezra Mandel (not quite Hodl's husband) and the referee (editor of NYRB) Robert Benjamin Silvers (very much from the Beilke line) are all from the same ethnic background. And they seem to best embody all the arguments, counter arguments, mistakes and rebuttals of the past century's dialectic.
November 7, 2022
袨褔械薪褜 泻邪褔械褋褌胁械薪薪邪褟, 械屑泻邪褟 懈 锌芯褋谢械写芯胁邪褌械谢褜薪邪褟 泻芯屑锌懈谢褟褑懈褟 懈褋褌芯褉懈懈 锌芯褝褌邪锌薪芯谐芯 褉邪蟹胁懈褌懈褟 (胁 芯褋薪芯胁薪芯屑, 胁 泻芯薪褌械泻褋褌械 懈薪褌械谐褉邪褑懈懈 懈 邪写邪锌褌邪褑懈懈 胁 褕懈褉芯泻芯屑 褋屑褘褋谢械 鈥� 胁械写褜 屑褘 懈屑械械屑 胁 胁懈写褍 懈蟹薪邪褔邪谢褜薪褍褞 懈薪邪泻芯胁芯褋褌褜) 械胁褉械泄褋泻芯谐芯 芯斜褖械褋褌胁邪, 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈褔械褋泻懈褏 写邪薪薪褘褏, 锌芯写斜芯褉泻懈 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪褘褏 锌褉芯懈蟹胁械写械薪懈泄 懈 褉械褎谢械泻褋懈懈, 胁褋械 褝褌芯 褋胁褟蟹褘胁邪褞褖械泄 懈 锌褉懈胁芯写褟褖械泄 泻 械写懈薪芯屑褍 蟹薪邪屑械薪邪褌械谢褞.
芦袧懈谐写械, 褋芯谐谢邪褋薪芯 袚芯褉褜泻芯屑褍, 胁 械胁褉械褟褏 薪械 薪褍卸写邪谢懈褋褜 褌邪泻 芯褌褔邪褟薪薪芯 懈 薪械 芯斜褉邪褖邪谢懈褋褜 褋 薪懈屑懈 褌邪泻 锌谢芯褏芯, 泻邪泻 胁 袪芯褋褋懈懈, 谐写械 芦褉邪褋褏谢褟斜邪薪薪芯褋褌褜禄 (芯斜谢芯屑芯胁褖懈薪邪) 斜褘谢邪 谢械谢械械屑芯泄 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢褜薪芯泄 褔械褉褌芯泄, 邪 锌械褉械褏芯写 芦懈蟹 斜芯谢芯褌邪 胁芯褋褌芯褔薪芯泄 泻芯褋薪芯褋褌懈 薪邪 褕懈褉芯泻懈械 锌褍褌懈 蟹邪锌邪写薪芯械胁褉芯锌械泄褋泻芯泄 泻褍谢褜褌褍褉褘禄 鈥� 斜械褋锌褉械褑械写械薪褌薪芯 褌褟卸泻芯泄 屑褍泻芯泄. 袝胁褉械泄褋泻邪褟 褌褉邪写懈褑懈褟, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 芦蟹邪锌褉械褖邪械褌... 胁褋褟泻芯械 锌褉邪蟹写薪芯械, 薪械 芯褋薪芯胁邪薪薪芯械 薪邪 褌褉褍写械 褍写芯胁芯谢褜褋褌胁懈械禄, 褝褌芯 芦褌芯 褋邪屑芯械, 褔械谐芯 薪械写芯褋褌邪械褌 薪邪屑, 褉褍褋褋泻懈屑禄. 袠斜芯 芦谐写械-褌芯 胁 谐谢褍斜懈薪械 写褍褕懈 褉褍褋褋泻芯谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪 鈥� 胁褋械 褉邪胁薪芯 斜邪褉懈薪 芯薪 懈谢懈 屑褍卸懈泻 鈥� 卸懈胁械褌 屑邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 懈 褋泻胁械褉薪褘泄 斜械褋 锌邪褋褋懈胁薪芯谐芯 邪薪邪褉褏懈蟹屑邪, 芯薪 胁薪褍褕邪械褌 薪邪屑 薪械斜褉械卸薪芯械 懈 斜械蟹褉邪蟹谢懈褔薪芯械 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈械 泻 褌褉褍写褍, 芯斜褖械褋褌胁褍, 薪邪褉芯写褍, 泻 褋邪屑懈屑 褋械斜械禄. 袠 褔械屑 芯褔械胁懈写薪械械 褌芯褌 褎邪泻褌, 褔褌芯 芦械胁褉械懈 斜芯谢褜褕械 械胁褉芯锌械泄褑褘, 褔械屑 褉褍褋褋泻懈械禄, 懈 褔褌芯 械胁褉械泄 芦泻邪泻 锌褋懈褏懈褔械褋泻懈泄 褌懈锌, 泻褍谢褜褌褍褉薪芯 胁褘褕械, 泻褉邪褋懈胁械械 褉褍褋褋泻芯谐芯禄, 褌械屑 褋懈谢褜薪械械 薪械谐芯写褍褞褌 锌芯泻芯褉薪褘械 懈 褋邪屑芯写芯胁芯谢褜薪褘械.禄
芦袧懈谐写械, 褋芯谐谢邪褋薪芯 袚芯褉褜泻芯屑褍, 胁 械胁褉械褟褏 薪械 薪褍卸写邪谢懈褋褜 褌邪泻 芯褌褔邪褟薪薪芯 懈 薪械 芯斜褉邪褖邪谢懈褋褜 褋 薪懈屑懈 褌邪泻 锌谢芯褏芯, 泻邪泻 胁 袪芯褋褋懈懈, 谐写械 芦褉邪褋褏谢褟斜邪薪薪芯褋褌褜禄 (芯斜谢芯屑芯胁褖懈薪邪) 斜褘谢邪 谢械谢械械屑芯泄 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢褜薪芯泄 褔械褉褌芯泄, 邪 锌械褉械褏芯写 芦懈蟹 斜芯谢芯褌邪 胁芯褋褌芯褔薪芯泄 泻芯褋薪芯褋褌懈 薪邪 褕懈褉芯泻懈械 锌褍褌懈 蟹邪锌邪写薪芯械胁褉芯锌械泄褋泻芯泄 泻褍谢褜褌褍褉褘禄 鈥� 斜械褋锌褉械褑械写械薪褌薪芯 褌褟卸泻芯泄 屑褍泻芯泄. 袝胁褉械泄褋泻邪褟 褌褉邪写懈褑懈褟, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 芦蟹邪锌褉械褖邪械褌... 胁褋褟泻芯械 锌褉邪蟹写薪芯械, 薪械 芯褋薪芯胁邪薪薪芯械 薪邪 褌褉褍写械 褍写芯胁芯谢褜褋褌胁懈械禄, 褝褌芯 芦褌芯 褋邪屑芯械, 褔械谐芯 薪械写芯褋褌邪械褌 薪邪屑, 褉褍褋褋泻懈屑禄. 袠斜芯 芦谐写械-褌芯 胁 谐谢褍斜懈薪械 写褍褕懈 褉褍褋褋泻芯谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪 鈥� 胁褋械 褉邪胁薪芯 斜邪褉懈薪 芯薪 懈谢懈 屑褍卸懈泻 鈥� 卸懈胁械褌 屑邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 懈 褋泻胁械褉薪褘泄 斜械褋 锌邪褋褋懈胁薪芯谐芯 邪薪邪褉褏懈蟹屑邪, 芯薪 胁薪褍褕邪械褌 薪邪屑 薪械斜褉械卸薪芯械 懈 斜械蟹褉邪蟹谢懈褔薪芯械 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈械 泻 褌褉褍写褍, 芯斜褖械褋褌胁褍, 薪邪褉芯写褍, 泻 褋邪屑懈屑 褋械斜械禄. 袠 褔械屑 芯褔械胁懈写薪械械 褌芯褌 褎邪泻褌, 褔褌芯 芦械胁褉械懈 斜芯谢褜褕械 械胁褉芯锌械泄褑褘, 褔械屑 褉褍褋褋泻懈械禄, 懈 褔褌芯 械胁褉械泄 芦泻邪泻 锌褋懈褏懈褔械褋泻懈泄 褌懈锌, 泻褍谢褜褌褍褉薪芯 胁褘褕械, 泻褉邪褋懈胁械械 褉褍褋褋泻芯谐芯禄, 褌械屑 褋懈谢褜薪械械 薪械谐芯写褍褞褌 锌芯泻芯褉薪褘械 懈 褋邪屑芯写芯胁芯谢褜薪褘械.禄
December 4, 2007
The theory behind this book is outstanding.
Jews, through systematic discrimination were forced to enter into the new industries, ideas, and philosophies of the 20th century and thus become its leaders. As an ethnicity they heralded change and thus were persecuted for it.
The problem is that the book reads like a college text and the author overreaches in trying to tie all elements of Jewish history (especially Marxism) to this theory.
This theory academically reiterates the rightwing wall streeter's advice to the skinhead to lay off the anti-semitism in the movie "The Believer": "We're all Jews now"
Jews, through systematic discrimination were forced to enter into the new industries, ideas, and philosophies of the 20th century and thus become its leaders. As an ethnicity they heralded change and thus were persecuted for it.
The problem is that the book reads like a college text and the author overreaches in trying to tie all elements of Jewish history (especially Marxism) to this theory.
This theory academically reiterates the rightwing wall streeter's advice to the skinhead to lay off the anti-semitism in the movie "The Believer": "We're all Jews now"
February 5, 2012
"Modernization, in other words, is about everyone becoming Jewish."
This book has an amazing argument and I found it very fresh and provocative. It's a totally new and irreverent look at Jewish roles in the USSR, the US, and Israel...at the same time, it left me with a lot of respect for what those roles have been.
This book has an amazing argument and I found it very fresh and provocative. It's a totally new and irreverent look at Jewish roles in the USSR, the US, and Israel...at the same time, it left me with a lot of respect for what those roles have been.
October 20, 2020
Slezkine's book has the same excellence as the Jews he describes: "literate, articulate, intellectually intricate..." A must read for anyone who is interested in Jews or the modern world they did so much to create.
March 15, 2013
So fascinating. And right up my 'family-tree' alley, so to speak.
Probably not an interesting read for everyone, but it was full of so much relevant information for me!
Probably not an interesting read for everyone, but it was full of so much relevant information for me!
October 9, 2019
This reading slices traditional Jewish life into perspectives that were known to me very vague. A must read one to ones who are in to the history of Jews.
June 23, 2020
This is an extremely impressive and relevant book. It's a little academic and long-winded in place, but it reveals some powerful truths about Jewish identity.
March 16, 2024
Extraordinary. Should be read in tandem with Jewish History, Jewish Religion by Israel Shahak.
December 18, 2020
袩械褉胁邪褟 泻薪懈谐邪 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪 锌芯薪褉邪胁懈谢邪褋褜, 锌芯卸邪谢褍泄, 斜芯谢褜褕械, 褔械屑 "袛芯屑 锌褉邪胁懈褌械谢褜褋褌胁邪", 褏芯褌褟 懈 芯薪邪 薪械 胁褘蟹胁邪谢邪 胁芯褋褌芯褉谐邪. 袟邪薪懈屑邪褌械谢褜薪芯 - 胁芯褌, 薪邪胁械褉薪芯械, 薪邪懈斜芯谢械械 褌芯褔薪芯械 褋谢芯胁芯, 锌械褉械写邪褞褖械械 胁锌械褔邪褌谢械薪懈械 芯褌 锌褉芯褔褌械薪懈褟.
袚谢邪胁薪邪褟 懈写械褟 邪胁褌芯褉邪 - 褝褌芯 褋褍褖械褋褌胁芯胁邪薪懈械 褌.薪. "邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁" 懈 "屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁" (褌械褉屑懈薪芯谢芯谐懈褔械褋泻懈 邪胁褌芯褉 芯褌褌邪谢泻懈胁邪械褌褋褟 芯褌 薪懈褑褕械邪薪褋泻懈褏 "邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁" 懈 "写懈芯薪懈褋懈泄褑械胁", 薪芯 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌, 褔褌芯 褝褌芯 写械谢械薪懈械 械谐芯 薪械 褍褋褌褉邪懈胁邪械褌). 袗锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑褘 - 褔谢械薪褘 褌褉邪写懈褑懈芯薪薪芯谐芯 芯褋械写谢芯谐芯 芯斜褖械褋褌胁邪. 袦械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑褘 - 懈薪芯褉芯写褑褘, 卸懈胁褍褖懈械 胁 谐芯褋褍写邪褉褋褌胁邪褏 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁, 薪芯 褝褌薪懈褔械褋泻懈 懈 褉械谢懈谐懈芯蟹薪芯 芯褌 薪懈褏 芯斜芯褋芯斜谢械薪薪褘械 懈 蟹邪薪懈屑邪褞褖懈械褋褟 写褉褍谐懈屑懈 写械谢邪屑懈 (薪械 锌褉芯懈蟹胁芯写褋褌胁芯屑 懈 褋械谢褜褋泻懈屑 褏芯蟹褟泄褋褌胁芯屑, 邪 褋芯褑懈邪谢褜薪褘屑懈 泻芯薪褌邪泻褌邪屑懈 懈 芯斜屑械薪芯屑 - 褌芯褉谐芯胁谢褟, 泻褉械写懈褌, 泻芯屑屑褍薪懈泻邪褑懈懈 懈 褌.锌. 袝胁褉械懈, 褑褘谐邪薪械, 写卸邪泄薪褘 胁 懈薪写懈懈, 懈薪写褍褋褘 胁 邪褎褉懈泻械, 谐褉械泻懈 懈 邪褉屑褟薪械 胁 械胁褉芯锌械, 谢械胁邪薪褌懈泄褑褘 胁 褞卸薪芯泄 邪屑械褉懈泻懈 懈 褌.写.).
袩芯 屑褘褋谢懈 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪, 20 胁械泻 - 褝褌芯 胁械泻, 泻芯谐写邪 谐谢芯斜邪谢褜薪褘械 褑械薪薪芯褋褌懈 懈蟹屑械薪懈谢懈褋褜: 屑懈褉, 斜褘胁褕懈泄 褉邪薪械械 胁 褑械谢芯屑 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褋泻懈屑 懈 谢懈褕褜 褔邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑, 褋褌邪谢 胁 褑械谢芯屑 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑 懈 谢懈褕褜 褔邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褋泻懈屑. 袠 芯褋薪芯胁薪邪褟 蟹邪褋谢褍谐邪 胁 褝褌芯屑 褍 械胁褉械械胁 - 谐谢邪胁薪褘褏 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁 蟹邪锌邪写薪芯谐芯 屑懈褉邪.
袗胁褌芯褉 褔褉械蟹胁褘褔邪泄薪芯 褝褉褍写懈褉芯胁邪薪 懈 薪械 谢懈褕褢薪 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪芯谐芯 褌邪谢邪薪褌邪, 薪芯 胁芯褌 泻芯谐写邪 写械谢芯 写芯褏芯写懈褌 写芯 胁褘褋褌褉邪懈胁邪薪懈褟 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈褏 泻芯薪褑械锌褑懈泄, 芯薪 褋泻邪褌褘胁邪械褌褋褟 胁 懈褋褌芯褉懈芯褋芯褎懈褞 懈, 泻邪泻 泻邪卸械褌褋褟, 锌褘褌邪械褌褋褟 锌褉械胁褉邪褌懈褌褜 胁褘写褍屑邪薪薪褘械 懈屑 屑械褌邪褎芯褉褘 胁 锌芯写芯斜懈械 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻芯谐芯 蟹邪泻芯薪邪. 袧邪锌褉懈屑械褉, 写械谢械薪懈械 薪邪 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁 懈 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁 - 褝褌芯 褋芯斜褋褌胁械薪薪邪褟 (斜械褋褋锌芯褉薪芯, 泻褉邪褋懈胁邪褟) 锌褉懈写褍屑泻邪 邪胁褌芯褉邪, 薪芯 胁械写褜 褝褌芯 薪械 芯蟹薪邪褔邪械褌, 褔褌芯 胁褋械 薪邪褑懈懈 懈 褋芯芯斜褖械褋褌胁邪 芯斜褟蟹邪褌械谢褜薪芯 写芯谢卸薪褘 褍泻谢邪写褘胁邪褌褜褋褟 胁 褝褌褍 写懈褏芯褌芯屑懈褞. 袧芯 薪械褌, 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 薪械 锌褉懈蟹薪邪褢褌 褌褉械褌褜械谐芯 锌褍褌懈: 褌褘 懈谢懈 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈械褑, 懈谢懈 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪械褑. 协褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪邪 写谢褟 薪邪褍褔薪芯谐芯 褌褉褍写邪 懈 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 薪邪褍褔薪邪 写谢褟 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉芯胁械写褔械褋泻芯谐芯. 孝械屑 薪械 屑械薪械械, 写邪卸械 泻芯谐写邪 褋 邪胁褌芯褉芯屑 薪械 褋芯谐谢邪褕邪械褕褜褋褟, 芯薪 懈 械谐芯 泻芯薪褑械锌褑懈褟 薪械 薪邪褋泻褍褔懈胁邪褞褌, 懈 褝褌芯, 锌芯卸邪谢褍泄, 谐谢邪胁薪芯械.
袙 芯斜褖械屑, 褋邪屑芯械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯械 胁 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械 - 褝褌芯 褋邪屑 邪胁褌芯褉 懈 褏芯写 械谐芯 屑褘褋谢懈: 泻邪泻 芯薪 斜谢械褖械褌 褝褉褍写懈褑懈械泄, 泻邪泻 锌械褉械褏芯写懈褌 芯褌 邪薪邪谢懈蟹邪 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪褘褏 锌褉芯懈蟹胁械写械薪懈泄 泻 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈屑 懈 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈褔械褋泻懈屑 胁褘泻谢邪写泻邪屑, 邪 蟹邪褌械屑 泻 锌褋懈褏芯邪薪邪谢懈蟹褍.
袚谢邪胁薪邪褟 懈写械褟 邪胁褌芯褉邪 - 褝褌芯 褋褍褖械褋褌胁芯胁邪薪懈械 褌.薪. "邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁" 懈 "屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁" (褌械褉屑懈薪芯谢芯谐懈褔械褋泻懈 邪胁褌芯褉 芯褌褌邪谢泻懈胁邪械褌褋褟 芯褌 薪懈褑褕械邪薪褋泻懈褏 "邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁" 懈 "写懈芯薪懈褋懈泄褑械胁", 薪芯 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌, 褔褌芯 褝褌芯 写械谢械薪懈械 械谐芯 薪械 褍褋褌褉邪懈胁邪械褌). 袗锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑褘 - 褔谢械薪褘 褌褉邪写懈褑懈芯薪薪芯谐芯 芯褋械写谢芯谐芯 芯斜褖械褋褌胁邪. 袦械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑褘 - 懈薪芯褉芯写褑褘, 卸懈胁褍褖懈械 胁 谐芯褋褍写邪褉褋褌胁邪褏 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁, 薪芯 褝褌薪懈褔械褋泻懈 懈 褉械谢懈谐懈芯蟹薪芯 芯褌 薪懈褏 芯斜芯褋芯斜谢械薪薪褘械 懈 蟹邪薪懈屑邪褞褖懈械褋褟 写褉褍谐懈屑懈 写械谢邪屑懈 (薪械 锌褉芯懈蟹胁芯写褋褌胁芯屑 懈 褋械谢褜褋泻懈屑 褏芯蟹褟泄褋褌胁芯屑, 邪 褋芯褑懈邪谢褜薪褘屑懈 泻芯薪褌邪泻褌邪屑懈 懈 芯斜屑械薪芯屑 - 褌芯褉谐芯胁谢褟, 泻褉械写懈褌, 泻芯屑屑褍薪懈泻邪褑懈懈 懈 褌.锌. 袝胁褉械懈, 褑褘谐邪薪械, 写卸邪泄薪褘 胁 懈薪写懈懈, 懈薪写褍褋褘 胁 邪褎褉懈泻械, 谐褉械泻懈 懈 邪褉屑褟薪械 胁 械胁褉芯锌械, 谢械胁邪薪褌懈泄褑褘 胁 褞卸薪芯泄 邪屑械褉懈泻懈 懈 褌.写.).
袩芯 屑褘褋谢懈 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪邪, 20 胁械泻 - 褝褌芯 胁械泻, 泻芯谐写邪 谐谢芯斜邪谢褜薪褘械 褑械薪薪芯褋褌懈 懈蟹屑械薪懈谢懈褋褜: 屑懈褉, 斜褘胁褕懈泄 褉邪薪械械 胁 褑械谢芯屑 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褋泻懈屑 懈 谢懈褕褜 褔邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑, 褋褌邪谢 胁 褑械谢芯屑 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褋泻懈屑 懈 谢懈褕褜 褔邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褋泻懈屑. 袠 芯褋薪芯胁薪邪褟 蟹邪褋谢褍谐邪 胁 褝褌芯屑 褍 械胁褉械械胁 - 谐谢邪胁薪褘褏 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁 蟹邪锌邪写薪芯谐芯 屑懈褉邪.
袗胁褌芯褉 褔褉械蟹胁褘褔邪泄薪芯 褝褉褍写懈褉芯胁邪薪 懈 薪械 谢懈褕褢薪 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪芯谐芯 褌邪谢邪薪褌邪, 薪芯 胁芯褌 泻芯谐写邪 写械谢芯 写芯褏芯写懈褌 写芯 胁褘褋褌褉邪懈胁邪薪懈褟 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈褏 泻芯薪褑械锌褑懈泄, 芯薪 褋泻邪褌褘胁邪械褌褋褟 胁 懈褋褌芯褉懈芯褋芯褎懈褞 懈, 泻邪泻 泻邪卸械褌褋褟, 锌褘褌邪械褌褋褟 锌褉械胁褉邪褌懈褌褜 胁褘写褍屑邪薪薪褘械 懈屑 屑械褌邪褎芯褉褘 胁 锌芯写芯斜懈械 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻芯谐芯 蟹邪泻芯薪邪. 袧邪锌褉懈屑械褉, 写械谢械薪懈械 薪邪 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈泄褑械胁 懈 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪褑械胁 - 褝褌芯 褋芯斜褋褌胁械薪薪邪褟 (斜械褋褋锌芯褉薪芯, 泻褉邪褋懈胁邪褟) 锌褉懈写褍屑泻邪 邪胁褌芯褉邪, 薪芯 胁械写褜 褝褌芯 薪械 芯蟹薪邪褔邪械褌, 褔褌芯 胁褋械 薪邪褑懈懈 懈 褋芯芯斜褖械褋褌胁邪 芯斜褟蟹邪褌械谢褜薪芯 写芯谢卸薪褘 褍泻谢邪写褘胁邪褌褜褋褟 胁 褝褌褍 写懈褏芯褌芯屑懈褞. 袧芯 薪械褌, 小谢褢蟹泻懈薪 薪械 锌褉懈蟹薪邪褢褌 褌褉械褌褜械谐芯 锌褍褌懈: 褌褘 懈谢懈 邪锌芯谢谢芯薪懈械褑, 懈谢懈 屑械褉泻褍褉懈邪薪械褑. 协褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪邪 写谢褟 薪邪褍褔薪芯谐芯 褌褉褍写邪 懈 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 薪邪褍褔薪邪 写谢褟 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉芯胁械写褔械褋泻芯谐芯. 孝械屑 薪械 屑械薪械械, 写邪卸械 泻芯谐写邪 褋 邪胁褌芯褉芯屑 薪械 褋芯谐谢邪褕邪械褕褜褋褟, 芯薪 懈 械谐芯 泻芯薪褑械锌褑懈褟 薪械 薪邪褋泻褍褔懈胁邪褞褌, 懈 褝褌芯, 锌芯卸邪谢褍泄, 谐谢邪胁薪芯械.
袙 芯斜褖械屑, 褋邪屑芯械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯械 胁 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械 - 褝褌芯 褋邪屑 邪胁褌芯褉 懈 褏芯写 械谐芯 屑褘褋谢懈: 泻邪泻 芯薪 斜谢械褖械褌 褝褉褍写懈褑懈械泄, 泻邪泻 锌械褉械褏芯写懈褌 芯褌 邪薪邪谢懈蟹邪 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪褘褏 锌褉芯懈蟹胁械写械薪懈泄 泻 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈屑 懈 褋褌邪褌懈褋褌懈褔械褋泻懈屑 胁褘泻谢邪写泻邪屑, 邪 蟹邪褌械屑 泻 锌褋懈褏芯邪薪邪谢懈蟹褍.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.