Jewish and Indian and Other Stories

By: H. C. Kim

Narrated by: Jennifer Brent

Jewish identity. Perhaps, no other socio-psychological phenomena has gone through so many shifts, tribulations, elation, and changes. Jewish identity and experiences have been a source of much intellectual interest and discussion for philosophers and literary geniuses in the history of humanity, such as Hillel, St. Paul, Ibn Ezra, Maimonides, Calvin, Mann, Levinas, Herzl, etc. In this fine tradition and in the class of such geniuses, H. C. Kim has produced a volume of literature that will certainly rank among the most elite in the genre.

In In Jewish and Indian and Other Stories H. C. Kim explores the complexity of Jewish identities and experiences as someone who has expert knowledge and years of research experience. Kim has held some of the most prestigious scholarships and fellowships in Israel, such as the Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship and the Lady Davis Fellowship, to investigate Jewish experiences, history, identity, and culture.

Writing as an informed expert of Jewish studies, Kim proves that he is an expert storyteller as well. Kim interweaves difficult concepts and ideas into the flow of stories and makes the whole reading experience interesting and enjoyable for the listener. The listener will be drawn into the world of the short stories and will vicariously experience them. After listening to the book, the listener will certainly understand the diversity and the complexity of Jewish identities around the world far better. And these enjoyable-to-listen to stories will bring laughter and empathetic sympathy to every reader.

Listening to the short stories in Jewish and Indian and Other Stories will be memorable experiences to treasure. The listener will be sure to listen to the stories over and over again and be initiated into deeper mysteries of symbolism, metaphor, history, and the psyche of the self.

©2004 The Hermit Kingdom Press (P)2013 The Hermit Kingdom Press

A Political and Religious Polemic

What would have made Jewish and Indian and Other Stories better?

Less polemic and more plot and character development.

Has Jewish and Indian and Other Stories turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

Did Jennifer Brent do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Ms. Brent didn't have much to work with since there was so little character development.

What character would you cut from Jewish and Indian and Other Stories?

The Indian girl from the title story.

Any additional comments?

This work is a political and religious polemic masquerading as a collection of short stories.
The stories themselves are quite amateurish; there is minimal character development. The stories are badly structured, with limited plotting, do not have any “falling action,” and end as if the author simply ran out of something else to say. The theme is uniform though out the stories which is that Jews are religiously, culturally, and politically flawed and can only be “saved” by giving up their Jewish identity. The author’s point of view is not per se anti-Semitic. It is more accurate to describe it as anti-Judaism. The publisher, Hidden Kingdom Books, has published several other books with the same and similar themes.