Books about the Sephardim
I have only had the opportunity to read a few books on the Sephardim; primarily due to their scarcity in this country. Nonetheless, Sephardic studies seems to be undergoing a publishing boom of late, with more and more titles becoming available each year. The books I have listed below I am familiar with and can recommend for various reasons.
Many more books are available and I recommend trying Amazon Books for many more selections. Schoenhof's Books also has a small selection of books available concerning Judeo-spanish (Ladino). Finally, perhaps the best way to keep abreast of Sephardic studies around the world is through the academic journal Sefarad which should be available at most university libraries.
General References and Histories
Sephardim: The Jews from Spain, Díaz-Mas, Paloma (trans. Zucker, George K.), University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1992. This is an excellent introduction to the history, customs, language and literature of the Sephardim, up until present-day. Available from Amazon Books.
The Jews of Spain: A History of the Sephardic Experience, Gerber, Jane S., The Free Press, New York, 1992. Another excellent introduction to the history of the Sephardim. Available from Amazon books.
Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jewries: History and Culture in the Modern Era, Goldberg, Harvey E. (ed.), Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1996. A collection of essays concerning the place of Sephardic Jews in the Middle Eastern, from their arrival to present-day. Available from Amazon Books.
Anyos Munchos i Buenos, Turkey's Sephardim: 1492-1992, Gürsan-Salzmann, Ayse and Salzmann, Laurence, Blue Flower, Philadelphia, 1991. A collection of photos, with accompanying text, taken in present-day Turkey from an exhibition of the same name which toured the world a few years ago. A 65 minute video is also available. Both the book and video are available from Amazon Books.
The Cross and the Pear Tree: A Sephardic Journey, Perera, Victor, André Deutsch Limited, London, 1995. A wonderfully written story of the author's family history from his own research. Available from Amazon Books.
Judeo-Spanish and its Literature
La lengua florida, Muñiz-Huberman, Angelina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 1989. An excellent anthology of Judeo-spanish literature. In Spanish and Judeo-spanish. Available from Schoenhof's Books.
The Death of a Language, Harris, Tracey K. [Publishing details lost, I'm afraid]. A good overview of the Judeo-spanish language, and all its dialects, in the perspective of its present-day demise as the lingua franca of Sephardic Jews. Available from Amazon Books.
Disclaimer: Despite the possible appearance otherwise, I am in no way affiliated with either Amazon Books or Schoenhof's Books. However, living in Australia, where publications on Sephardic studies are scarce, I have had to utilise the services of internet bookshops for all the above titles. I will say however, that I have received excellent service from both Amazon Books and Schoenhof's Books and can highly recommend their services.
All photos and text © 1997-2003 Robert R. Wagner unless otherwise indicated
Last updated 20 July, 2003