The 20th Century Collection presents the lives of remarkable people who influenced the world for generations to come.

Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt
By Robert Gottlieb

“A terrific book" —NPR
A captivating exploration of the trajectory of the daughter of a courtesan who transformed herself into the most famous actress who ever lived

Einstein: His Space and Times
By Steven Gimbel

“Worthwhile” —The Sunday Times
A revealing new portrait of Albert Einstein, the world’s first scientific “superstar”

Becoming Freud: The Making of a Psychoanalyst
By Adam Phillips

“An audacious book” —The New Yorker
From one of the world’s foremost authorities on Sigmund Freud comes a strikingly original biography of the father of psychoanalysis

Hank Greenberg: The Hero Who Didn’t Want to Be One
By Mark Kurlansky

“A graceful appreciation” —USA Today
A thoughtful exploration of the truth behind the slugger's legend: his Bronx boyhood, his spectacular discipline as an aspiring ballplayer, and the cultural context of virulent anti-Semitism in which his career played out

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The Antiquity Collection

The Antiquity Collection explores the life and legacy of towering figures of the ancient world.

Rabbi Akiva: Sage of the Talmud
By Barry W. Holtz

“Lively and thought-provoking” —Publishers Weekly
A compelling and lucid account of the life and teachings of a founder of rabbinic Judaism and one of the most beloved heroes of Jewish history

David: The Divided Heart
By David Wolpe

“Vibrant and nuanced” —The Jewish Week
A reexamination of the biblical David, legendary warrior, poet, and king, by one of America’s most respected rabbis

Jacob: Unexpected Patriarch
By Yair Zakovitch

“Eloquently provocative” —Choice
A powerful hero of the Bible, Jacob is also one of its most complex figures

Moses: A Human Life
By Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg

“A rich, erudite study” —Kirkus Review, Starred Review
An unprecedented portrait of Moses's inner world and perplexing character, by a distinguished biblical scholar

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The Arts and Culture Collection

The Arts and Culture Collection features illustrious contributors to the arts and cultural scenes of the 19th-21st centuries.

Bernard Berenson: A Life in the Picture Trade
By Rachel Cohen

“Irresistibly readable” —ARTnews
An illuminating new biography of the connoisseur who changed the art world and the way we see art

Leonard Bernstein: An American Musician
By Allen Shawn

“A page-turner" —Symphony Magazine
A fresh appreciation of the great musical figure that gives him his due as composer as well as conductor

Peggy Guggenheim: The Shock of the Modern
By Francine Prose

“Lively, complex, and inclined to shock.” —Publishers Weekly
A spirited portrait of the colorful, irrepressible, and iconoclastic American collector who fearlessly advanced the cause of modern art

Mark Rothko: Toward the Light in the Chapel
By Annie Cohen-Solal

“Illuminating. Sublime.” —The Washington Times
A fascinating exploration of the life and work of one of America’s most famous and enigmatic postwar visual artists

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The Entertainment Collection

The Entertainment Collection includes biographies of world-renowned luminaries of the stage and silver screen.

Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt
By Robert Gottlieb

“A terrific book" —NPR
A captivating exploration of the trajectory of the daughter of a courtesan who transformed herself into the most famous actress who ever lived

Groucho Marx: The Comedy of Existence
By Lee Siegel

“Delightfully perverse” —The New York Times Book Review
A trenchant examination of an iconic American figure that explores the cultural and psychological roots of his comic genius

Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films
By Molly Haskell

“Uncommonly absorbing” —The New Republic
A film-centric portrait of the extraordinarily gifted movie director whose decades-long influence on American popular culture is unprecedented

Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power
By Neal Gabler

“Fascinating and insightful” —The Wall Street Journal
An enthralling appreciation of the monumentally gifted popular artist and cultural icon who challenged Hollywood’s standards of beauty and glamour

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The Law and Politics Collection I

The Law and Politics Collection I pulls together notable political and legal thinkers of the modern age.

Ben-Gurion: Father of Modern Israel
By Anita Shapira

“A beautiful portrayal” —Shimon Peres, President of Israel (2007-2014)
An insightful study of the inner life of the Zionist leader responsible for the creation of the state of Israel

Léon Blum: Prime Minister, Socialist, Zionist
By Pierre Birnbaum

“Illuminating” —Foreign Affairs
A new appreciation of the extraordinary life and legacy of Léon Blum, the first Jewish prime minister of France

Louis D. Brandeis: American Prophet
By Jeffrey Rosen

“Compelling” —LA Review of Books
A riveting new examination of the leading progressive justice of his era, published in the centennial year of his confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court

Yitzhak Rabin: Soldier, Leader, Statesman
By Itamar Rabinovich

“[A] fresh perspective” —Kirkus Reviews
An insider’s perspective on the life and influence of Israel’s first native-born prime minister, his bold peace initiatives, and his tragic assassination

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The Law and Politics Collection II

The Law and Politics Collection II includes revolutionary politicians and activists who made a lasting impact on our world.

Moshe Dayan: Israel’s Controversial Hero
By Mordechai Bar-On

“Refreshing. Highly thoughtful.” —Jerusalem Report
Instantly recognizable with his iconic eye patch, Dayan was one of Israel's most charismatic—and controversial—personalities

Disraeli: The Novel Politician
By David Cesarani

“Superb” —The Wall Street Journal
A fresh, vivid look at Disraeli's life, achievements, and temperament that casts doubts on his much-touted commitment to Jewish rights

Emma Goldman: Revolution as a Way of Life
By Vivian Gornick

“Gripping” —The Boston Globe
Emma Goldman is the story of a modern radical who took seriously the idea that inner liberation is the first business of social revolution.

Leon Trotsky: A Revolutionary’s Life
By Joshua Rubenstein

“Exemplary” —The Jewish Advocate
A preeminent revolutionary figure and a masterful writer, Trotsky led an upheaval that helped to define the contours of twentieth-century politics

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The Literary Arts Collection

The Literary Arts Collection explores the lives of legendary Jewish storytellers and poets.

Hayim Nahman Bialik: Poet of Hebrew
By Avner Holtzman

“A remarkable story, superbly told” —David G. Roskies, The Jewish Theological Seminary
A moving inquiry into the dramatic life, epic success, and ultimate tragedy of the great Hebrew poet

Franz Kafka: The Poet of Shame and Guilt
By Saul Friedländer

“Stimulating” —The Jewish Ledger
A captivating investigation of Kafka’s personal anguish and its complex reflections in his imaginary world

Primo Levi: The Matter of a Life
By Berel Lang

“A fresh vision” —Jewish Book Council
A groundbreaking biography of an important Holocaust writer and witness

Marcel Proust: The Search
By Benjamin Taylor

“A marvel of brief biography” —The New York Times Book Review
An arresting new study of the life, times, and achievement of one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century

For orders outside the U.S. + Canada click here

The Origins of Israel Collection

Explore the origins of the modern State of Israel with Jewish Lives.

Ben-Gurion: Father of Modern Israel
By Anita Shapira

“A beautiful portrayal” —Shimon Peres, President of Israel (2007-2014)
An insightful study of the inner life of the Zionist leader responsible for the creation of the state of Israel

Hayim Nahman Bialik: Poet of Hebrew
By Avner Holtzman

“A remarkable story, superbly told” —David G. Roskies, JTS
A moving inquiry into the dramatic life, epic success, and ultimate tragedy of the great Hebrew poet

Moshe Dayan: Israel’s Controversial Hero
By Mordechai Bar-On

“Refreshing. Highly thoughtful.”—Jerusalem Report
Instantly recognizable with his iconic eye patch, Moshe Dayan (1915–1981) was one of Israel's most charismatic—and controversial—personalities

Jabotinsky: A Life
By Hillel Halkin

“Beautifully written” —New York Review of Books
An insightful new biography of the most controversial and perhaps most fervent of all Zionist political figures

Rav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution
By Yehudah Mirsky

“Learned, luminous and uncannily timely” —Jewish Review of Books
Rav Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935) was one of the most influential—and controversial—rabbis of the twentieth century

Yitzhak Rabin: Soldier, Leader, Statesman
By Itamar Rabinovich

“A thoughtful and extraordinarily comprehensive account of a significant leader” —Henry A. Kissinger
An insider’s perspective on the life and influence of Israel’s first native-born prime minister, his bold peace initiatives, and his tragic assassination

For orders outside the U.S. + Canada click here

The Women's Library Collection

The Women’s Library Collection celebrates the contributions of Jewish women in the modern era.

Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt
By Robert Gottlieb

“A terrific book" —NPR
A captivating exploration of the trajectory of the daughter of a courtesan who transformed herself into the most famous actress who ever lived

Emma Goldman: Revolution as a Way of Life
By Vivian Gornick

“Gripping” —The Boston Globe
Anarchist par excellence, Goldman is one of the memorable political figures of our time

Lillian Hellman: An Imperious Life
By Dorothy Gallagher

“Sharp-edged, darkly humorous” —Kirkus Reviews
A sharply drawn portrait of a woman who lived large to the end of her remarkable life and never backed down from a fight

Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power
By Neal Gabler

“Fascinating and insightful” —The Wall Street Journal
An enthralling appreciation of the monumentally gifted popular artist and cultural icon who challenged Hollywood’s standards of beauty and glamour

For orders outside the U.S. + Canada click here

The Complete Jewish Lives Collection

The Complete Jewish Lives Collection includes all 38 books published in the series to date.

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