Reviews
"This book is a union of letters and texts no less magnetic; to enter Ilana Blumberg's houses of study is, invariably, to become ignited."-Lilith, "A book that deserves a serious readership: a memoir that reads like a poem, a voice that's intelligent, brave, passionate and conversant."-Sandee Brawarsky, Jewish Week, " Houses of Study is the bildungsroman not only of a single individual, but also of a generation of women brought up in a not yet self-confident stream of Orthodoxy, a school of thought in the making. . . . The text's tone reflects its subject's complexity, as it moves back and forth between the discursive and instructive and the poetic and intimate. The book's form embraces extreme variety, from snippets of poems, written by the author and others, to extended discourses on Hebrew and Talmudic phrases and concepts, streams of consciousness, and mini-stories that sound like extended metaphors."-- Haaretz, "This is a poignant and perceptive account of how a highly educated Jewish woman managed to combine her extensive Jewish knowledge with her insights into English literature. Her journey toward mature awareness, so well described here, has many impediments and we are privileged to take this trip with her."-Morton I. Teicher, National Jewish Post & Opinion, " Houses of Study is the bildungsroman not only of a single individual, but also of a generation of women brought up in a not yet self-confident stream of Orthodoxy, a school of thought in the making. . . . The text's tone reflects its subject's complexity, as it moves back and forth between the discursive and instructive and the poetic and intimate. The book's form embraces extreme variety, from snippets of poems, written by the author and others, to extended discourses on Hebrew and Talmudic phrases and concepts, streams of consciousness, and mini-stories that sound like extended metaphors."- Haaretz, "Blumberg's moving memoir begins with her experiences learning at a woman's seminary in Jerusalem after high school, and comes to a close with her reflections on the challenge of raising her daughter to be a committed Jewish woman. The author struggles throughout her work to make peace with traditional Judaism and modern notions of women's equality. Her experiences confirm and elucidate the complex negotiations in which any woman must engage in today's society. . . . While this title certainly belongs in a generalist's collection, Blumberg's work will also strengthen libraries that focus on gender, autobiography, and Jewish women's role in modernity."-Jewish Book World, "Houses of Study is the bildungsroman not only of a single individual, but also of a generation of women brought up in a not yet self-confident stream of Orthodoxy, a school of thought in the making. . . . The text's tone reflects its subject's complexity, as it moves back and forth between the discursive and instructive and the poetic and intimate. The book's form embraces extreme variety, from snippets of poems, written by the author and others, to extended discourses on Hebrew and Talmudic phrases and concepts, streams of consciousness, and mini-stories that sound like extended metaphors."-Haaretz, "Tension wraps around the pages of Blumberg's memoir, an ardent intellectual autobiography by a woman in love with both Jewish texts and secular literature. . . . [H]er memoir elucidates . . . the passion for study no matter what a person's gender."-Publishers Weekly, "In its originality of approach, vigor and beauty of style, and fierce honesty in naming and exploring uncharted territories, this book is a great contribution to women's studies, autobiography and memoir, and Jewish studies."-Mary Gordon, author of Final Payments and The Company of Women
