jacobhermant 's review for:

Jewish Materialism: The Intellectual Revolution of the 1870s by Eliyahu Stern

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I found the intro and first chapter especially strong, and the conclusion very interesting. Well-written and argued, I think a successful and important intellectual history. As is common in this kind of Jewish Studies text, the author seems a bit unwilling to admit his politics (though I think it’s fairly clear?), and the linear political-historical path it draws is tricky given the bulk of the book ending in the 1870s. What are the philosophical underpinnings of, for instance, the fading-away of the Jewish labour movement? It’s beyond the scope, but would help make the ending feel more earned, perhaps.