Dimensions
162 x 240 x 40mm
'The Pity Of It All' is a passionate and poignant history of German Jews, tracing the journey of a people and their culture from the mid-eighteenth century to the eve of the Third Reich.
As it is usually told, the story of the Jews in Germany starts at the end, overshadowed by their tragic demise in Hitler's Reich. Now, in this important work of historical restoration, acclaimed historian and social critic Amos Elon takes us back to the beginning, chronicling a 150-year period of achievement and integration that at its peak produced a golden age second only to the Renaissance.
Writing with a novelist's eye, Elon shows how a persecuted clan of cattle dealers and wandering peddlers was transformed into a stunningly successful community of writers, philosophers, scientists, tycoons and activists.
A collective biography, full of depth and compassion, 'The Pity Of It All' summons up a magnificent lost world and evokes a dream of integration and tolerance that resonates as much in our own time.
