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Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful introduction to Jewish history
Review: A wonderful introduction to Jewish history in graphic novel format. Brief, but well-told, with a sensitivity to women that is a delight to see. Where else will you find Queen Alexandra, whose reign in the 1st century BCE was a golden age for the Jews, and Dona Gracia Nasi, a Jewish Italian business woman, who helped Portuguese Jews escape persecution in the 16th century CE.Stan Mack's book is not as funny as Larry Gonick's cartoon histories, but more factual. As a result it serves as a good brief one volume history of the Jewish people. Only thing missing is a bibliography of further readings to pick up where this overview leaves the reader clamouring for more information.
Rating: 
Summary: Real Life spoiler
Review: Being a huge Stan Mack fan from his "Real Life Funnies" work in the Village Voice, I was looking forward to an iconoclastic, irreverent and hard-hitting work. The book was a huge disappointment, although the endorsements by various very "serious" individuals on the cover blurbs shoud have warned me! This is History done by the numbers, accepting all the official myths and institutionalised legends of Jewish History, thus doing a disservice to what is actually a very complex, revealing and fascinating story. Stan Mack comes on, surprisingly enough, as a deeply religious and one-dimensional viewer of History whereas, if we know one thing about History, it's that it is anything but one-dimensional. The book, in its eagerness to toe the line, makes several blunders on historical accuracy too. Take the howler on p.230 about Hitler: "In '33, powerful industrialists got Hitler apponted Chancellor of Germany" - which is simply false. Hitler was appointed by Hindenburg, the old warrior then serving as President of the Republic after the Nazi Party amassed a considerable percentage of the popular vote. The economic establishment did want a bulwark against the Red Menace but they were not exactly happy with Hitler's strong anti-capitalist rhetoric. In other instances, the book makes no distinction between myth and reality. This could easily have been called "A Jewish Mythology". Stan, I'm sorry but your book is definitely NOT "overheard verbatim"! It could have easily being written (and drawn - in the same bland manner) by Norman Podhoretz. A big, big letdown.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun and user friendly
Review: First off, I am biased. I love Stan Mack. He was my favorite cartoonist when I was in high school and college, back when he was with the Village Voice.
The book is fun and user friendly. Perfect, no - there are some areas where his NYC Liberal Jewish impulses might have stifled a deeper or more balanced approach (I think the issue of "choseness" could have been explained differently.) But over all, I highly recommend this book. Solomon Graysel and others have deeper, richer, but tougher to read books on the same topic. Why go the Stan Mack route? Stans approach is funny, edgy and smart. I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Reasonably Good
Review: Good Cartoon histories are not an easy find. If you have stumbled onto this one,then, by now you must have read Larry Gonick's Cartoon history of Universe too (if you havn't check it out). The story of the Jews is a reasonable good history. It is a little pro-Jew rather than impartial. However once you take that into account and stop looking for Palestine-Israel struggle history, it becomes a good introduction to overall Jewish history throughout the ages. Cartoon Histories are fun to read and create a better impact than raw text. I initially checked it out from my library but then I bought it. Of course it would be better if the author could become a litle more critical. Larry Gonick's Cartoon history of USA is a good example where the author went beyond normal textbook history and added his insights. Another good cartoon history is the Latino USA: A Cartoon History by Ilan Stavans. But then with so few cartoon histories (6 precisely - 4 from Gonick, 1 from Stavans and this one) you can't really afford to pass this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty informative...
Review: I enjoyed this book and found it to be very informative. Most books explain 20th century Jews. This gives a rare historical perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful treatment of a complex subject!
Review: I picked up this book in the library, not knowing quite what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised! The author/illustrator uses the traditional model of Jewish history to recount the timeless story of the Chosen People, adding a poignant and humorous perspective which makes for a truly enjoyable reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: Entertainment, information, and a whole lot of fun
Review: I worked as a Jewish History teacher, and I used this as a supplementary textbook with my 7th-grade students. I can't begin to tell you how useful it was; this was a book that was entertaining, and yet still managed to give the basic information, its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. Some of the darker moments in Jewish history (the Holocaust, for example) do not lend themselves easily to cartoonization (Maus notwithstanding). These were understandably the weakest parts of the book. But I would recommend this book wholeheartedly for absolutely anyone over the age of 9...including adults.
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