Description: A very readable and comprehensive overview that examines the realities of Jewish life while setting them in their political, economic, and social contexts.
Review Quotes:
From reviews of The Jews in Poland and Russia, Volumes 1 - 3:
'Exemplary and formidable ... Polonsky, as much as anyone else, has created the field of modern Jewish history as a subject to be considered and understood rather than simply a tragic past to be mourned. He is too good a historian to confuse the history of Jewish life with the German policies that brought Jewish death ... The barely visible commitment in these three wonderful volumes is to rescue a world from polemic, for the sake of history.'- Timothy Snyder, Wall Street Journal 'We can only commend Antony Polonsky for his massive effort to explain seven centuries of Jewish history ... [his] strength lies in his ability to illuminate intellectual and cultural developments ... Because of the excellent bibliographies, extensive annotation, and wonderful maps ... any reader wishing to read in greater detail about Polish and Russian Jewry will have plenty of resources to enable the search.'
- Alexandra S. Korros, Jewish Quarterly 'Masterful ... In Polonsky's erudite and eminently clear treatment, the rich forest of eastern European Jewish civilization that has become obscured not only by trees, but also by debris of scholarly twigs, re-emerges in its full lushness ... The Judaic studies academy will long be in Polonsky's debt for this sweeping work, one destined to be the authoritative classic in its field for the foreseeable future.'
- Allan Nadler, Forward 'Definitive ... The scope is immense and the author does an impressive job of synthesizing a vast literature ... This trilogy will no doubt serve as a standard history of east European Jewry for a long time.'
- Shaul Stampfer, Religious Studies Review 'Well-researched, well-written ... a comprehensive survey ... highly recommended.'
- S. Kan, Choice 'Stupendous'
- David Frum, The Daily Beast 'The most important thing one can say about Antony Polonsky's The Jews in Poland and Russia is: get it and read it!'
- Theodore R. Weeks, The Polish Review 'Magisterial, comprehensive ... a highly original and distinctive contribution to the fields of east European as well as Jewish history ... an authoritative reference for research and teaching ... an eloquent and refreshing narrative and compelling analysis ... overwhelming keen judgement, deep knowledge of Poland and its Jews, and remarkable critical insights that are manifest in this extraordinary book.'
- Michael Berkowitz, Slavonic and East European Review