Jew(ish): A primer, A memoir, A manual, A plea

(Paperback)

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What does it mean to be Jew(ish) in 2020 Caught between tradition and modernity, between a Jewish family and a non-Jewish son, Matt Greene ponders the big questions concerning identity, religion, family andSeinfeld.

When his son was born to a non-Jewish mother, Matt began to consider the upbringing he'd put behind himthe sense of not belonging, the forbidden foods, the holidays that felt more like punishments. There are more types of Jew than there are bagel fillings, and for every two there are three opinions. But if you're not a black-hattedfrummer, if you're allergic to groups, if you observe but don't believe, or you don't observe at all, does that make you less Jewish

In this wide-ranging series of essays, at turns irreverent, insightful, urgent and iconoclastic, Matt considers what might loosely be termed 'the modern Jewish experience', and asks what it means to be anything in a world obsessed with the self and the other.

'This wise nonfiction meditation on Jewish identity in the twenty-first century and very particularly on Greene's own identityfamilial, religious, cultural, held deep in the marrowalso brims over with grief and fury (and bemusement and love). I found it riveting reading.' Benjamin Dreyer,New York Timesbestselling author ofDreyer's English

Reviews

Wittypoignantacerbicdeftly blends the personal with the politicalJew(ish) is full of eclectic reflections and offers plenty of interesting food for thought. The Independent This wise nonfiction meditation on Jewish identity in the twenty-first century and very particularly on Greenes own identityfamilial, religious, cultural, held deep in the marrowbrims over with grief and fury (and bemusement and love). I found it riveting reading. Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyers English A beautifully fluid, nuanced and vital read: by turns hilarious, harrowing and heartwarming, and always thoroughly compelling. Musa Okwonga, author of How to Avoid Detection

Author Bio

Matt Greene is an author, journalist, former screenwriter and stay-at-home dad. He won a Betty Trask Award for his first novel, Ostrich. He teaches critical and creative writing in South London, where he lives with his partner and son. Find him on Twitter @arealmattgreene.