The Jews

Story of a People

By: Howard Fast

Narrated by: Nelson Runger

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

“There is no human being on the face of this earth exempt from the Jewish influence. For as long as there has been history, the Jew has wandered through it, shaping it at times, riding the current silently at other times, but always leaving his mark. History without the Jew? It is inconceivable.”—Howard Fast. His popular history brings the history of the Jewish people into focus, from Genesis to contemporary times.

©1968 Howard Fast (P)1988 Recorded Books

The Jews: Story of a People

Great book and superb narration! The author is truly brilliant. A few times I felt that there is an exaggeration, but in general, it was clear that he is trying to be objective. I felt that his story unfolded in the best tradition "an honest tale speeds best being plainly told". I did not notice the moment when I realized that the story is a truly harrowing drama. I knew that the Jews have endured millenniums of persecution, but it did not even come to my mind that persecution was so cruel and repeated so many times.
I feel enriched immensely by listening this book.

author too liberal for me..

very jaded "no intelligent jew is happy with the strong Israeli Army" that he knows..nut. wasted time.

What is the roots of main cause for the Jew to suffer? ?

It is good to hear Jewish story from a Jew. I am very sympathise with the people who worship God faithfully. But I am deeply puzzled that where is their God in the river of the history ? Or God want the Jew to learn something ? Also the Jew faced prosecution even far before Jesus Christ. In this sense, the author failed to dig out the roots of main cause.

This is not what thought it would be

I am reading lots of history about the Jews.
I thought this would be that.
While the author admits up front that as a Novelist first, he will not be able to please everyone, I figured I'd give it a shot.
However, when he misquoted Hillel as first uttering "The Golden Rule" i.e. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" that is when I lost it! Not what Hillel said at all!
"The Golden Rule" i.e. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is distinctly Christian!
What Hillel said was in reply to a challenge from a man who said he would become a Jew if Hillel could tell him everything of meaning in the Torah while standing on one foot.
Hillel stood on one foot and said "That which you find hateful, do not do to your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Go study the commentary."
What is the difference?
Well, Christians have used "The Golden Rule" to proselytize even to the point of annoyance because by this reason "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" if they were not "Saved" then they would want to be badgered to distraction until they accepted "the Savior"
"That which you find hateful, do not do to your neighbor." is much more about not doing things you dislike to anyone else and I think is much more ethically sound.
If you are looking for a history of the Jewish People I would recommend Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.
Many others.
I would not recommend this book by Howard Fast at all.

Fascinating

Fascinating & comprehensive- unto 1968. So much has happened. It would be interesting for a scholar to attempt an epilogue

not ebook or whispersoft connected

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

no

Any additional comments?

needs to be ebook connected and whispersoft connected...thought it was and wasted a credit on it.

Great history

I never knew the Jews where persecuted for so long in human history by so many different peoples and nations. I will have to listen to again to soak in all the information.

Good but for the most part!

I’m not a scholar of jewish history and found this book quite enlightening. However, the author seemed extremely harsh on Christians especially Paul. I am not trying to white wash the sin’s of Christians throughout history. Jesus and Paul never taught or condone those sins. Paul in fact took up collections for the poverty stricken Jews in Israel and took that offering to Israel.His harshness was highly inappropriate in a number of places and inaccurate in others. He also had no clue as to Jesus his ministry or his relationship with the Pharisees.

Lots of suffering and hatred. Small academic value

There are certainly better books on this subject. Wikipedia would be a better source to start.

the victimized story of such a nice people

Jews are harassed, Jews are prosecuted, Jews are victims of antisemitism... no need to buy. a book and waste my time listening to the ages-old tales of Jewish suffering. There's plenty of movies made in Jewish Hollywood for that. I wanted the real history. This novella is the stuff some children are told by their ghetto-minded parents.