Review by Choice Review
Shiff's book is labeled as a biography, but it is more of an intellectual history of Abba Hillel Silver's views on Zionism. As the title indicates, there is very little in the way of Silver's early life, as the book jumps into his work in the Zionist movement and the creation of Israel in the 1940s. Shiff's goal, however, is to move past this well-covered aspect of Silver's career to focus on the post-statehood decline of his standing. The author does a nice job of contrasting Silver's assessments of his own influence (for example, during the Suez Crisis) with those of major actors like Abba Eban, who have little to say about Silver's role. Shiff (Ben-Gurion Univ.) also portrays Silver's struggle to reconcile conflicting feelings of disagreement with Israel's actions and a desire to maintain support for the Jewish state. As a result, Silver publicly decried US policy and privately criticized Israel to its leaders, losing standing with both governments in the process. Overall, while the book presents an insight into a less well-known aspect of Silver, the assumption of knowledge about his earlier life and career limits its audience to those specializing in the topic. Summing Up: Recommended. Faculty and specialists. --Denise E. Jenison, Kent State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
