University of Alabama Press,
1973,
961 pages,
English
Alexander Altmann's acclaimed, wide-ranging biography of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-96) was first published in 1973, but its stature as the definitive biography ...
read more
Alexander Altmann's acclaimed, wide-ranging biography of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-96) was first published in 1973, but its stature as the definitive biography remains unquestioned. In fact, there has been no subsequent attempt at an intellectual biography of this towering and unusual figure: no other Jew so deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition was at the same time so much a part of the intellectual life of the German Enlightenment in the second half of the eighteenth century. As such, Moses Mendelssohn came to be recognized as the inaugurator of a new phase in Jewish history; all modern Jews today are in his debt. Altmann presents Moses Mendelssohn in strictly biographical terms. He does not attempt to assess his significance with the hindsight of historical perspective nor to trace his image in subsequent generations, but rather to observe his life from the period within which it was set. Altmann has written an absorbing and compelling narrative that makes a whole epoch come alive with great drama, for Mendelssohn's life was a kaleidoscope of the European intellectual scene, Jewish and non-Jewish. As both a prominent philosopher and a believing Jew, Mendelssohn became a spokesman for the Jews and Judaism; he was one of the rare figures who become the symbol of an era. Through Altmann's skilful use of hitherto unpublished archival material, the reader is introduced to the vast array of people-men of letters, artists, politicians, scientists, philosophers, and theologians-with whom Mendelssohn was in contact, and sometimes in conflict. What was Mendelssohn's Judaism like? To what extent did the disparate worlds of Judaism and modern Enlightenment jostle each other in his mind and to what degree could he harmonize them? These questions are not easily answered, and it is only in the aggregate of a multitude of accounts of experiences, reaction, and statements on his part that the answer is to be found. Alexander Altmann's analysis of this wealth of material is extraordinary in its discernment, subtlety, and clarity of expression. This masterly work will be of interest not only to those who are concerned with Jewish intellectual history but also to those interested in eighteenth-century cultural and social history, philosophy and theology, literary criticism, aesthetics, and the other areas of intellectual activity in ferment at that time. The general reader will also find much of contemporary relevance in Mendelssohn's life, not only because of his exemplary devotion to reason and tolerance, but also because of his lifelong struggle with the basic dilemma of the Jew in the modern world: the attraction of assimilation versus the singularity of Jewish life, and the preservation of Jewish identity versus integration in the wider society.
hide
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Very Good, Very Good. 8VO, 899 pgs., B/W Illus, Hardcover. Hardcover: Blue cloth binding with title on spine in gold. Paste-downs and endpapers are lightly oxidized. Foredge foxing. Frontispiece, title, text pages are clean. Moses Mendelssohn, " the German Socrates" was the most celebrated figure of German Enlightenment in the 18th century, who became recognized as the inaugurator of a new phase in Jewish History. Illustrated. Nice tight binding. Jacket: Slightly foxed on edges. Illustrated front cover. Desirable copy in protective mylar.
Description: Good in Very Good jacket. 6.5x9.5. JUD 023148 Very solid cloth hard cover with clean text. Boards with slight wear and some soiling. Some moisture exposure has slightly warped the pages along the bottom edge. Slight musty fragrance. Dj with mild wear and soiling. Foredges soiled. 900pp.
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. 6.5x9.5. JUD 025585 LIVEZEY Very solid and clean cloth hard cover with clean text. Boards with slight wear. Dj with mild soiling and some wear inclu. some tiny chipping at the top edge. We have applied a protective fold-on cover. 900pp.
Description: About VG/About VG. 0817368604 Ex-Library Sticker to front pastedown. Spotting to covers and along top edge. DJ worn/torn along edges. 900p.
Description: Very Good/Very Good. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" 0817368604 The front hinge of this book has cracked but the binding is intact. The text is unmarked. The dust jacket has a new removable mylar cover.
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
