Sunday, September 22, 2013

When General Grant Expelled the JewsWhen General Grant Expelled the Jews by Jonathan D. Sarna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not a scintillating read. Still, this book's topic is pretty interesting. It starts with a (to me) previously unknown piece of history -- General Grant expelled all the Jews from a territory under his control during the Civil War and follows Jews' varied reactions during his presidential campaign and his presidency. It's the question that still gets asked today: Are you a Jew first or an American first? Do you place your vote based on a single issue, or for the candidate that upholds the larger piece of your vision for the country? Photographs throughout provide relief from the tiny print. (Oh, my aging eyes!)

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