The ultimate strength in this text is that it serves as a companion to multiple pieces of science fiction and fantasy, while also focusing on a distinctively post-Holocaust thematic that arrives most clearly in the segment discussing post-apocalyptic works. The author’s observations are well supported by evidence cited directly from the source material. This strategy and presentation keeps both the analysis grounded.
Jewish Book Council
In <i>Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy of the 1960s and 70s: The Post-Holocaust Authors</i>, Valerie Estelle Frankel provides a fascinating ride through some of the key texts of the era and the Jews, Jewishness and Judaism in them. Highly recommended.
- Nathan Abrams, Professor of Film Studies, Bangor University, Wales and author of <i>The New Jew in Film: Exploring Jewishness and Judaism in Contemporary Cinema</i>,
<i>Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy of the 1960s and 70s </i>is another excellent book from the wonderfully prolific author and scholar Valerie Estelle Frankel. Covering the vast ground of Jewishness and the Holocaust in speculative fiction and cinema of the crucial two decades in the US, Israel, and South America, the volume is a rich source on everything from <i>Star Trek </i>to Kubrick to Clarice Lispector. Both the newcomers and aficionados of the genre will find here much to learn and debate. Highly recommended.
- Marat Grinberg, Reed College,
This book analyzes Jewish themes, characters, and contributions in science fiction and fantasy of the post-Holocaust period, from the U.S., Europe, the Soviet Union, South America, and Israel. The author explores the ways in which comic books, parody films, and emerging literary subgenres contested prejudice and embraced counterculture.
History? How the Hell Did That Happen?
by Jack Dann
Introduction
Chapter 1: Major Franchises
Chapter 2: Silver and Bronze Age Comics
Chapter 3: Postwar Fantasy Subgenres
Chapter 4: Humor from Spaceballs to Sleeper
Chapter 5: Science Fiction Tropes
Chapter 6: Alternate History
Chapter 7: The Postwar World
Chapter 8: The Emerging Israeli Genres
Conclusion
Jewish science fiction is a monumental literary genre worldwide, with hundreds of novels and short stories along with an enormous canon of films, plays, television shows, and graphic novels. It’s also strikingly popular. Not only have works of this category just won the Hugo and World Fantasy Award while dominating bestseller lists, but talks on the subject are standing room only. The Own Voices movement has led to a renaissance of Jewish fantasy, even as its authors create imaginary worlds reflecting their unique cultures. This series seeks subtopics of exploration within the massive canon, defining aspects of Jewish genre fiction and its unique qualities. It features both monographs and anthologies focused on trends, tropes, individual authors, beloved franchises, and so on. Scholars of all disciplines are welcome, especially those in Jewish Studies, Literature, and Media Studies, while interdisciplinary and international perspectives are particularly encouraged.
Series Editor: Valerie Estelle Frankel