JEWISH BOOK WEEK - SOMETHING FOR ALL
David Baddiel -
There used to be an old comedy record (remember those?) called ‘You Don’t Have To Be Jewish’. The implication was that everyone could appreciate the humour transmitted at 33 revs per minute. The same universality surely extends to ‘Jewish Book Week’ which begins today and run up to next Sunday. A kind of kosher literary festival, the programme certainly has wide appeal and I will be reviewing some of the guest authorial interviews.
Professor David Abulafia’ new book
One highlight has special Cambridge appeal. On Friday, Sam Leith talks to Professor David Abulafia about his monumental new work, ‘The Boundless Sea’ - a human history of the oceans (recently serialised on Radio 4). Abulafia is a fellow of Gonville and Caius and resident of our city far away from any foaming briny. I will also be logging in to ‘George Steiner – a celebration’ next Sunday. I once bumped into the great polymath on East Road - so Cambridge!
Another local link, albeit perhaps one less to shout about, is that of the former spy, the late George Blake. One of the Cambridge spooks, the new book ‘Happy Traitor’ will be discussed on Monday 1st. Lucian Freud has more tenuous connections with Cambridge but who’s counting the longitudes when the new tome ‘The Lives of Lucian Freud’ will be the subject of a discussion between art critics William Feaver and Marina Vaizey?
Other sessions that catch the eye (at least mine) include a literary encounter between Frederic Raphael and David Pryce Jones and a recent book about Heinrich Heine exploring his work as poet, writer and critic. I will not be missing the legendary critic David Thomson chatting to Francine Stock on the great filmmakers (Sunday 7th March) and Matthew d’Ancona presenting his critical gaze on Boris Johnson – the gambler.
Other sessions of JBW promise some decidedly Jewish themes which should appeal to all. Take for example, ‘You Talkin’ To Me’ about the hidden history of New York English and ‘Kosher Poker’ featuring the fine playwright and card player, Patrick Marber. I’m not sure what is distinctly Jewish about ‘Around the World in 80 Plants’ or Elif Shifak’s ‘How to Stay Sane’. One answer to her question may be to tune into fine literary festivals. You certainly don’t have to be Jewish to do that.
