Sir Martin Gilbert; renowned author of many authoritative works of history and biography; speaks in a charming; personal voice in this fascinating volume; the saga of five thousand years of Jewish life laid out in a series of intimate; storytelling letters to a lifelong friend.Sir Martin first met “Auntie Fori†in 1958;when he arrived in New Delhi with a letter of introduction from her son; a fellow Oxford student. Their friendship flourished for forty years through correspondence and visits to the capitals where her husband; the diplomat B. K. Nehru; was posted. Then; at her ninetieth birthday celebration in 1998; Auntie Fori told her “adopted nephew†that she was not of Indian birth but was actually Hungarian–and Jewish. She did not know what this Jewish identity involved–historically or spiritually–and she asked him to enlighten her.In response; Sir Martin embarked on the series of letters that have been gathered to form this book; shaping each one as a concise; individually formed story. He presents Jewish history as the narrative expression–the timeline–of the Jewish faith; and the faith as it is informed by the history. Starting with Adam and Eve; he then brings us to Abraham and his descendants; who worshiped a God who repeatedly; and often dramatically; intervened in their lives. The stories of Genesis and Exodus lead seamlessly on to those of the eras when the land was ruled by the Israelite kings and then by Assyria; Babylonia; Persia; Greece; and Rome–the Biblical and post-Biblical periods. In Sir Martin’s hands; these stories are rich in incident and achievement. He then traces the long history of the Jews in the Diaspora; ending with an unexpected visit to an outpost of Jewry in Anchorage; Alaska. Ranging through almost every country in the world–including China and India–he maintains a chronological structure; weaving in the history of other peoples and faiths; to give Auntie Fori–and us–a sense of the larger stage on which Jewish history has played out.The last fifty letters are devoted to an explanation of Jewish faith and worship; intertwined with the history and observance of holy days and festivals. These letters are fascinating in their objectivity and at the same time infused with a deep personal warmth. Written for one beloved friend; Letters to Auntie Fori brings to life the events and sequence of Jewish history with a special charm that will endear this volume to readers old and young.
#364182 in Books Hollandsworth Skip 2016-04-05 2016-04-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.61 x 1.09 x 6.39l; 1.00 #File Name: 0805097678336 pagesThe Midnight Assassin Panic Scandal and the Hunt for America s First Serial Killer
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The prejudices of the time were on display but the inability of authorities to do anything led to political careers being ruinedBy Gary PageRiveting informative read about a new kind of killer--a serial murderer--terrorizing Austin; Texas; from December 1884 through December 1885 in the days before forensic science. The police force had no clue how to catch this fiend or stop the reign of terror. Although many men were arrested and three prosecuted the killer of several women in grusome fashion was never identified or apprehended. When Jack the Ripper started killing prostitutes in 1888 in London many wondered if the Midnight Assassin of Austin had gone to London started over. Both killers abruptly stopped killing disappeared from history. Most Austin residents thought blacks were responsible for the murders as the first victims were black servant women until the double event on Christmas Eve 1885 when two white women were murdered. The prejudices of the time were on display but the inability of authorities to do anything led to political careers being ruined a sex scandal developed for good measure. Highly recommended.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent narrative take you back in timeBy Andy GlassSkip Hollandsworth does an excellent job of taking you back in time to the late 1800s in Austin; Texas as a serial killer terrorizes the city. Layered with details about what was happening in Austin at the time the story comes to life as the citizens and lawmen hunt the murderer. The story ultimately covers years as the search and theories evolve. Most interesting was the timing of the murders; which happened around the time of the Ripper in London and HH Holmes in Chicago (Devil in the White City). Not that there was a connection with those; but the speculation is there and an interesting historical side note. Well done and would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys reading true crime stories.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Scope of the Story is LostBy LizWiscoSPOILER ALERT- It's a well researched book; and I'm sure somewhat inspired by the success of Devil in the White Cit;y but at the end of the day we're talking about 8 murders that go unsolved. Most of the book depicts social events and other random facts about Austin; which are interesting but not all that relevant to the story. (I think there's a whole chapter about street lights.) The murders themselves take place in a span of one year but the book spans many decades. The author really goes down a rabbit hold when he speculates that perhaps the same killer is Jack the Ripper. There are no conclusions made so if you like your true crime tidied up this is not the book for you.
