A permanent beginning: R. Nachman of Braslav and Jewish literary modernity
"The Hasidic leader R. Nachman of Braslav (1772-1810) has held a place in the Jewish popular imagination for over two centuries. Some see him as the (self-proclaimed) Messiah, others as the forerunner of modern Jewish literature. Existing studies struggle between these dueling readings, largely...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Book |
| Language: | English |
| Subito Delivery Service: | Order now. |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Albany
State University of New York Press
[2020]
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| In: | Year: 2020 |
| Reviews: | [Rezension von: Lewis, Yitzhak, 1981-, A permanent beginning : R. Nachman of Braslav and Jewish literary modernity] (2023) (Mandelbaum Kupeev, Alexandra)
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Naḥman, mi-Braslav 1772-1810
/ Jewish literature
/ Historical background
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| RelBib Classification: | BH Judaism |
| Further subjects: | B
Jewish literature
History and criticism
B Rabbis (Ukraine) Biography B Jews (Europe, Eastern) History 19th century B Judaism and literature B Hasidim (Ukraine) Biography B Naḥman of Bratslav (1772-1811) B Ukraine Biography B Jews (Europe, Eastern) History 18th century |
| Summary: | "The Hasidic leader R. Nachman of Braslav (1772-1810) has held a place in the Jewish popular imagination for over two centuries. Some see him as the (self-proclaimed) Messiah, others as the forerunner of modern Jewish literature. Existing studies struggle between these dueling readings, largely ignoring questions of aesthetics and politics in his work. A Permanent Beginning lays out a new paradigm for understanding R. Nachman's thought and writing, and with them, the beginnings Jewish literary modernity. Yitzhak Lewis examines the connections between imperial modernization processes in Eastern Europe at the turn of the eighteenth century and the emergence of "modern literature" in the storytelling of R. Nachman. Reading his tales and teachings alongside the social, legal, and intellectual history of the time, the book's guiding question is literary: How does R. Nachman represent this changing environment in his writing? Lewis paints a nuanced and fascinating portrait of a literary thinker and creative genius at the very moment his world was evolving unrecognizably. He argues compellingly that R. Nachman's narrative response to his changing world was a major point of departure for Jewish literary modernity."-- |
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| Item Description: | Includes bibliographical references and index |
| ISBN: | 1438477678 |