My Life As A Jew My book is six months old. It was published in Australia on October 3 and launched at a bookshop in St Kilda on October 5. Lots of people came along. More than 100 I reckon. It was a festive occasion. Two days later came the Hamas massacres.
What a pity they didn't take you on for AWW you would have been a good change from the flood of ABC staff and ex staffers. However I guess the pro Palestinian mob would have done their best to shut you down. It was good to see some leadership at WOMAD where a prominent supporter of Israel was not dumped from the program despite significant agitation.
it is an absolutely brilliant book, i used a very rare technique of underlining thoughts that were insightful and novel and resonated with me also a secular jew. Then so incredibly prescient as it was published before Oct 7 but as if after. . i look forward to listening to the pod cast.
Given your views of more respectful exposure of ideas I think you need to be even less modest, as it is a rare occurrence at present. We need to hear more from people of true knowledge and experience. I have been a recent subscriber and did not know of your book but I will now look forward to reading.
I have bought your book about a month ago. It is a heavy read. I have to pinch myself from time to time to remind me that I am not dreaming and that the antisemitism you are describing in your book was brewing for a long time, way before October the 7. No wonder it exploded on October 7. Your book, well written and researched, should be a highlight of any writer’s festival : a lesson in morality for our upside down and troubled world. Instead you are black -listed.
I keep writing and talking with people who are open to respectful conversation even when we disagree. We all should do that. I hope the read was not too heavy!
In response to the quote at the beginning of your chapter Good Jews, I like this definition of antisemitism, "Disliking Jews more than is absolutely necessary".
I have just finished My Life as a Jew. I could hardly put it down. And I listened to your interview with Michael Brissenden.
I so much appreciate your honest, ethical and warm writing and speech. I'm Jewish, raised by born-again atheists but began my journey into Judaism 30 years ago. I too am "Left-wing" (in the UK) and experiencing the conflict between my essentially socialist views and being Jewish. I started reading carefully about the Middle East more than 20 years ago and have been telling people for years that rather than taking sides (albeit with a soft spot for Jews because they are my people) I am against black-and-white, knee-jerk reactions (about this or anything). My niece, and others, won't even hear this. My niece in particular has declared her 100% support for Hamas and we don't speak any more. My town on the South Coast (originally a Londoner) is riddled with marches against The Brutal Oppressor. In contrast your writing is so clear, straightforward and balanced it gives me comfort. I think ultimately it is a book of love. Thank you.
Dear Alison, thank you. I am so glad my book touched you- no writer could ask for more. I think we have been on similar journeys. You in the UK, me here in Australia. Thank you for describing my book as a book of love. That’s what it is for me, that’s what it was as I was writing it. You saw it.
Interview? It was an attempt to goad you into either attacking Israel or defending the IDF for causing collateral damage. It happens and it is crazy to frame this war in terms of a dispute over territory. You did your best to try and apply reason to your interlocutor, but to no avail. The war is about religion, and about - in my view - the age-old envy of Jews, who as a race are undeniably gifted. But there is something else about Jews which has fascinated me and which is logical for the gifted Jew: his humility (I use the male gender in the universal sense; including women, of course). Your humility, reasonableness and impassioned plea for truth, was a stark contrast to Brissenden's frozen lack of compassion and his obvious, predictable and embarrassing bias against Israel and Jews. I expect nothing better from the ABC political commentariat. You will find no warmth or compassion from the establishment media, but you may be surprised and comforted by watching Andrew Bolt over at Sky News, or Ezra Levant on Rebel News. There are people close to me who are confirmed on the Left, and believe me, it's a war between us, too. The mobs waving Palestinian flags in our cities are abysmally ignorant and manipulated by the abysmally hateful who pledge to kill Christians, Jews, and any other beneficent religions.
What a pity they didn't take you on for AWW you would have been a good change from the flood of ABC staff and ex staffers. However I guess the pro Palestinian mob would have done their best to shut you down. It was good to see some leadership at WOMAD where a prominent supporter of Israel was not dumped from the program despite significant agitation.
it is an absolutely brilliant book, i used a very rare technique of underlining thoughts that were insightful and novel and resonated with me also a secular jew. Then so incredibly prescient as it was published before Oct 7 but as if after. . i look forward to listening to the pod cast.
I bought your book today Michael thanks
Sorry, as a correction, the rare occurrence is the respectful exposure of ideas. I hope it makes sense.
Given your views of more respectful exposure of ideas I think you need to be even less modest, as it is a rare occurrence at present. We need to hear more from people of true knowledge and experience. I have been a recent subscriber and did not know of your book but I will now look forward to reading.
Thank you Laurence. I hope you enjoy the book.
I have bought your book about a month ago. It is a heavy read. I have to pinch myself from time to time to remind me that I am not dreaming and that the antisemitism you are describing in your book was brewing for a long time, way before October the 7. No wonder it exploded on October 7. Your book, well written and researched, should be a highlight of any writer’s festival : a lesson in morality for our upside down and troubled world. Instead you are black -listed.
Where do we go from here?
I keep writing and talking with people who are open to respectful conversation even when we disagree. We all should do that. I hope the read was not too heavy!
In response to the quote at the beginning of your chapter Good Jews, I like this definition of antisemitism, "Disliking Jews more than is absolutely necessary".
I have just finished My Life as a Jew. I could hardly put it down. And I listened to your interview with Michael Brissenden.
I so much appreciate your honest, ethical and warm writing and speech. I'm Jewish, raised by born-again atheists but began my journey into Judaism 30 years ago. I too am "Left-wing" (in the UK) and experiencing the conflict between my essentially socialist views and being Jewish. I started reading carefully about the Middle East more than 20 years ago and have been telling people for years that rather than taking sides (albeit with a soft spot for Jews because they are my people) I am against black-and-white, knee-jerk reactions (about this or anything). My niece, and others, won't even hear this. My niece in particular has declared her 100% support for Hamas and we don't speak any more. My town on the South Coast (originally a Londoner) is riddled with marches against The Brutal Oppressor. In contrast your writing is so clear, straightforward and balanced it gives me comfort. I think ultimately it is a book of love. Thank you.
Dear Alison, thank you. I am so glad my book touched you- no writer could ask for more. I think we have been on similar journeys. You in the UK, me here in Australia. Thank you for describing my book as a book of love. That’s what it is for me, that’s what it was as I was writing it. You saw it.
Interview? It was an attempt to goad you into either attacking Israel or defending the IDF for causing collateral damage. It happens and it is crazy to frame this war in terms of a dispute over territory. You did your best to try and apply reason to your interlocutor, but to no avail. The war is about religion, and about - in my view - the age-old envy of Jews, who as a race are undeniably gifted. But there is something else about Jews which has fascinated me and which is logical for the gifted Jew: his humility (I use the male gender in the universal sense; including women, of course). Your humility, reasonableness and impassioned plea for truth, was a stark contrast to Brissenden's frozen lack of compassion and his obvious, predictable and embarrassing bias against Israel and Jews. I expect nothing better from the ABC political commentariat. You will find no warmth or compassion from the establishment media, but you may be surprised and comforted by watching Andrew Bolt over at Sky News, or Ezra Levant on Rebel News. There are people close to me who are confirmed on the Left, and believe me, it's a war between us, too. The mobs waving Palestinian flags in our cities are abysmally ignorant and manipulated by the abysmally hateful who pledge to kill Christians, Jews, and any other beneficent religions.