The Jews of Odessa: A Cultural History, 1794-1881

Rating:
Summary: Excellent choice for your first look at Russian Jewry.
Review: Easy to read and well-researched, this is an excellent book to add to your layperson's repertoire on Ukrainian/Russian Jewish history. I learned a lot about how Jewish people lived, what they did, what they thought about... and how political events shaped their lives.

Rating:
Summary: I recommend it
Review: Great book. In a small volume - lots of information and insightful analysis. One of the most interesting themes - development of Jewish political thought, and development of the Zionist idea. And a personal note. I am a Jew from Odessa myself. Reading the book brought me back to my beautiful city, and I couldn't help but recognized many familiar characters, and thought about my family origins. Thank you, Steven!