Walter Benjamin

“The force of this remarkable memoir derives as much from the insights it offers into the mind and beliefs of the writer as into those of its subject.” —Publishers Weekly

“Walter Benjamin [was] perhaps the most subtle, intuitive, and creative critic of the age….Since Scholem is himself a great scholar and thinker, since the intellectual comradeship between the two was so intense for a long time, the commingling of their thoughts comes to be even more revealing than the life-facts themselves….An invaluable document about not merely one but two of the century’s most profound minds.” —Kirkus Reviews

Gershom Scholem (1897-1982) was born in Berlin, educated at the universities of Jena and Bern, and emigrated to Palestine in 1923, where he devoted himself to the study of the Jewish mystical tradition and the Kabbala. One of the greatest scholars of the twentieth century, admired both for his philological prowess and his philosophical insight, Scholem was the author of many books, including Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, Sabbatai Sevi- The Mystical Messiah, and On Jews and Judaism in Crisis, a collection of autobiographical writings and essays on Zionism. The Correspondence of Gershom Scholem and Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem- A Life in Letters were published posthumously.

Lee Siegel is the author of four books, including Against the Machine- How the Web Is Reshaping Culture and Commerce-and Why It Matters and Are You Serious- How to Be True and Get Real in the Age of Silly. He is also the author of the essay “Harvard Is Burning,” just published as an e-book. He has written essays and reviews for many publications, including Harper’s Magazine, The New Republic, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New York Times. In 2002, he received the National Magazine Award for Reviews and Criticism.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.