Videos are below the book review. The live discussion and performance took place at Brave New Books in Austin, Texas on 02/24/14.
Gilad Atzmon's new book "The Wondering Who?" offers a critical look at Israeli politics and Israeli society from someone who claims that he was so disgusted with Israel he requested a return of his foreskin. It is a must read for those who want to learn "inside info" about Israel from a former IDF soldier who became a writer and a jazz saxophonist extraordinaire.
Book Review: "The Wondering Who?"
Gilad Atzmon's New Book: The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity Politics
Jewish identity is tied up with some of the most difficult and contentious issues of today. The purpose in this book is to open many of these issues up for discussion. Since Israel defines itself openly as the ‘Jewish State’, we should ask what the notions of ’Judaism’, ‘Jewishness’, ‘Jewish culture’ and ‘Jewish ideology’ stand for. Gilad examines the tribal aspects embedded in Jewish secular discourse, both Zionist and anti Zionist; the ‘holocaust religion’; the meaning of ‘history’ and ‘time’ within the Jewish political discourse; the anti-Gentile ideologies entangled within different forms of secular Jewish political discourse and even within the Jewish left. He questions what it is that leads Diaspora Jews to identify themselves with Israel and affiliate with its politics. The devastating state of our world affairs raises an immediate demand for a conceptual shift in our intellectual and philosophical attitude towards politics, identity politics and history.
- Sorry folks, but youtube only allows me a 10-minute maximum for videos. I guess that defines me as an amateur.
Philosophy Discussion
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOFntvj_-gI for part one of the discussion at Brave New Books in Austin, Texas. Changes in American philosophy is the topic
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th3QPLFDkJs for part two with an introduction into Israeli philosophy and politics.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-0APl5dzW8 for part three of the continuation of discussion of Israeli philosophy and politics.
Jazz Performance
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78_nk8H8Sks for part one performance of Gilad Atzmon on saxophone and Trevor Laponte of Austin, Texas on guitar.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRbl-804yZc for part two performance of Gilad Atzmon on saxophone and Trevor Laponte of Austin, Texas on guitar.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJF2SDUJsyo for part three performance of Gilad Atzmon on saxophone and Trevor Laponte of Austin, Texas on guitar.
Replies
Gilad Atzmon admits that Jewish Labor Zionists played a role in the formation of the Nazi Holocaust during the taped Discussion Part 2, at 5:30 (I asked the question. He admitted that Israeli people do not like to talk about this fact).