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Concerning the Jews
Book by Twain, Mark
29 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1985
22 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Mark Twain
9,048 books18.8k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 9, 2013
I downloaded the complete Mark Twain from Project Gutenberg today, and my eye was caught by this essay (from Harper's Magazine, March 1898).
It's stunning how timelessly he writes, and this piece should still be considered required reading. I'm only sorry that I believe he's not entirely correct:
Point No. 5.—'Will the persecution of the Jews ever come to an end?'
On the score of religion, I think it has already come to an end. On the score of race prejudice and trade, I have the idea that it will continue.
Twain's argument is that anti-Semitism has always been based on envy of the Jews business acumen (a generalization that he is entirely aware is such, but for which he makes a good case). Unfortunately, purely religious hatred continually flares, and those who hate Jews for their religion are more than happy to use others' envy to forward their own ends.
It's particular pleasing to see such a balanced and clearly unprejudiced article from the man who's been called a racist, and had his books banned, purely because characters use the language of the time and refer to "niggers".
It's stunning how timelessly he writes, and this piece should still be considered required reading. I'm only sorry that I believe he's not entirely correct:
Point No. 5.—'Will the persecution of the Jews ever come to an end?'
On the score of religion, I think it has already come to an end. On the score of race prejudice and trade, I have the idea that it will continue.
Twain's argument is that anti-Semitism has always been based on envy of the Jews business acumen (a generalization that he is entirely aware is such, but for which he makes a good case). Unfortunately, purely religious hatred continually flares, and those who hate Jews for their religion are more than happy to use others' envy to forward their own ends.
It's particular pleasing to see such a balanced and clearly unprejudiced article from the man who's been called a racist, and had his books banned, purely because characters use the language of the time and refer to "niggers".
June 22, 2017
I arranged my thoughts on this essay into a haiku:
"An ambitious try,
Distilling cause from issue
In something so old."
"An ambitious try,
Distilling cause from issue
In something so old."
May 2, 2019
This could be the most important work by Mark Twain.
June 13, 2024
I really wonder what Twain would think today.
Certainly, the Jews have always been the scapegoat for many countries for centuries. That is a fact no one can deny. In this essay, Twain explains his reasons why he thinks that's the case. He also adds various cases where Jews have been discriminated against. I don't think this work is anti-Semitic, quite contrary...
Why is this important to me as a non-Jewish person:
This current war in Palestine, I have found myself struggling... Seeing all the brutality against the Palestinians made me angry. These things we are seeing today... I never thought I would witness something like this. On the other hand, Israelis are throwing the word "antisemitism" so much, it has lost it's meaning... Over time, people have desensitized to that word and to the Jewish suffering. And that is posing a great danger to Jews all around the world.
I understand. Jews have been discriminated against for many, many centuries. I understand why that would prompt them to try and make their own country, where they could feel safe. But burning the house of other is not going to help you build your own. Setting fields on fire will not make your crops blossom and grow.
Lack of understanding can lead to hate... That's what makes books so great. They can provide that understanding.
Certainly, the Jews have always been the scapegoat for many countries for centuries. That is a fact no one can deny. In this essay, Twain explains his reasons why he thinks that's the case. He also adds various cases where Jews have been discriminated against. I don't think this work is anti-Semitic, quite contrary...
Why is this important to me as a non-Jewish person:
This current war in Palestine, I have found myself struggling... Seeing all the brutality against the Palestinians made me angry. These things we are seeing today... I never thought I would witness something like this. On the other hand, Israelis are throwing the word "antisemitism" so much, it has lost it's meaning... Over time, people have desensitized to that word and to the Jewish suffering. And that is posing a great danger to Jews all around the world.
I understand. Jews have been discriminated against for many, many centuries. I understand why that would prompt them to try and make their own country, where they could feel safe. But burning the house of other is not going to help you build your own. Setting fields on fire will not make your crops blossom and grow.
Lack of understanding can lead to hate... That's what makes books so great. They can provide that understanding.
January 26, 2023
This is a really interesting piece. Especially amongst the WWII reading that I have been doing of late. This short volume puts out a decent case against antisemitism and prejudice in general. The issue I see is that what Twain seems to praise are also reasons used to hate Jews. As a Jew, I find the book an interesting jaunt into the mind of an outsider concerned by the world he observes. It is also alarming prescient given the subject and when it was published.
July 16, 2023
Twain's contention is that anti-Semitism existed before Christ and that the main source of criticism of Jews is the fact that they do better in business than others. He proposes that they take a greater part in politics to protect themselves. The French revolution opened opportunities for Jews to participate as citizens.
October 20, 2021
4.5 out of 5
February 9, 2020
Clearly antisemitic - nothing else to say.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews