Bridge of Light: Yiddish Film Between Two Worlds

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: This book is a perfect introduction to Yiddish film. Very little has actually been written about Yiddish film. Hoberman compiles the extant scholarship and couples it with astute and original analysis of the films. He brings Yiddish film away from being a novelty; he contextualizes Yiddish film in such a way as to show its general importance in mainstream film and American and European life. Yiddish movies portrayed the experience of Jews in the world; but more interesting is the effect Yiddish film had in the Americanization of Yiddish-speaking immigrants. For scholars interested in Yiddish film, this is a good first stop. For non-scholars, it is the only book you could want on the subject: entertaining, wonderful pictures and anecdotes, and interesting to browse through.