Overview
In this freewheeling romp by the author of the post-Holocaust novel Not Me (“Nothing short of brilliant” —Baltimore Sun), the final pilgrimage of the great Andalusian Hebrew poet Yehuda Halevi frames a tale of Jews getting into trouble across centuries and continents, still looking for home.
Beginning in the 1830s, when an itinerant Viennese book dealer doesn’t know the value of the moldy old Hebrew typescript he has to sell, this novel plays fictional cat and mouse with the historical figure of Halevi, who was shaped by the rich Andalusian culture of 12th-century Muslim Spain and famously wrote “My heart is in the East / And I am at the edge of the West.” Jacob, a salt merchant’s son in Zaragoza, leaves home to follow in the footsteps of the great poet, whose life-ending journey to Jerusalem remains shrouded in mystery. Jacob’s quest interleaves chapters in which each generation—from a well-heeled Jewish son of 14th-century Vaucluse to a 20th-century fish monger in Newark—must ask: where do we Jews truly belong?
Everyone on the merry-go-round of diasporic lives carries a piece of Halevi’s poetry on their bumpy path to enlightenment, and only at the end of this era-spanning human comedy will we learn why their tale is being told, and by whom.
Beginning in the 1830s, when an itinerant Viennese book dealer doesn’t know the value of the moldy old Hebrew typescript he has to sell, this novel plays fictional cat and mouse with the historical figure of Halevi, who was shaped by the rich Andalusian culture of 12th-century Muslim Spain and famously wrote “My heart is in the East / And I am at the edge of the West.” Jacob, a salt merchant’s son in Zaragoza, leaves home to follow in the footsteps of the great poet, whose life-ending journey to Jerusalem remains shrouded in mystery. Jacob’s quest interleaves chapters in which each generation—from a well-heeled Jewish son of 14th-century Vaucluse to a 20th-century fish monger in Newark—must ask: where do we Jews truly belong?
Everyone on the merry-go-round of diasporic lives carries a piece of Halevi’s poetry on their bumpy path to enlightenment, and only at the end of this era-spanning human comedy will we learn why their tale is being told, and by whom.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry A Song at the Edge of the World (A Novel), we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of A Song at the Edge of the World (A Novel).