Leon Wieseltier – författare

Winner of the 1998 National Jewish Book Award"An astonishing fusion of learning and psychic intensity; its poignance and lucidity should be an authentic benefit to readers, Jewish and gentile." --The New York Times Book ReviewChildren have obligations to their parents: the Talmud says "one must honor him in life and one must honor him in death." Leon Wieseltier, a diligent but doubting son, recites the Jewish prayer of mourning at his father''s grave, and then embarks on the traditional year of saying the kaddish daily.Wieseltier''s highly acclaimed Kaddish is the spiritual and thoughtful journal of one of America''s most brilliant intellectuals. Driven to explore th origins of the kaddish, from the ancient legend of a wayeard ghost to a 17th-century Ukranian pogrom, he offers as well a mourner''s response to the questions of fate, freedom, and faith stirred up in death''s wake. Lyric, learned, and deeply moving, Kaddish is suffused with love: a son''s embracing of the traditon bequethed to him by his father, a scholar''s savoring of its beauty, and a writer''s revealing it, proudly unadorned, to the reader.From the Trade Paperback edition.

When Leon Wieseltier’s father died in March 1996, he began to observe the rituals of the traditional year of mourning, going daily to the synagogue to recite the Kaddish. Between his prayers and his everyday responsibilities, he sought out ancient, medieval and modern Jewish tests in pursuit of the Kaddish’s history and meaning. And every day he studied, translated and wrote his own reflections on the obscure texts that he found, punctuating his journal with stories about life in his synagogue and his family’s progress through grief. In reflecting upon the fate of his father and of his people, he wrestles with problems of loss and faith, the meaning of tradition, freedom and determinism, and the perplexity of rational religion.‘Leon Wieseltier’s Kaddish, a poignant book prompted by his year of mourning for a particular death, the death of his father, is a contradictory but illuminating journey . . . a profound quest for the origins of the Kaddish prayer’ Daily Telegraph‘Much more than a personal memoir . . . he speaks wisely about the most important things: about meaning and loss; about death and life; about the nature of ritual and tradition . . . Submitting oneself to [Kaddish’s] process, one discovers that, like the best novels and poems, it illuminates the world’ Times Literary Supplement

A landmark reissue of a great teacher's finest work.Lionel Trilling was, during his lifetime, generally acknowledged to be one of the finest essayists in the English language, the heir of Hazlitt and the peer of Orwell. Since his death in 1974, his work has been discussed and hotly debated, yet today, when writers and critics claim to be "for" or "against" his interpretations, they can hardly be well acquainted with them, for his work has been largely out of print for years.With this re-publication of Trilling's finest essays, Leon Wieseltier offers readers of many new generations a rich overview of Trilling's achievement. The essays collected here include justly celebrated masterpieces--on Mansfield Park and on "Why We Read Jane Austen"; on Twain, Dos Passos, Hemingway, Isaac Babel; on Keats, Wordsworth, Eliot, Frost; on "Art and Neurosis"; and the famous Preface to Trilling's book The Liberal Imagination.This exhilarating work has much to teach readers who may have been encouraged to adopt simpler systems of meaning, or were taught to exchange the ideals of reason and individuality for those of enthusiasm and the false romance of group identity. Trilling's remarkable essays show a critic who was philosophically motivated and textually responsible, alive to history but not in thrall to it, exercised by art but not worshipful of it, consecrated to ideas but suspicious of theory.

Liberties – A Journal of Culture and Politics features original essays and poetry from some of today’s best writers and artists to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of culture and politics.This issue of Liberties includes: Anthony Julius on censorship of the artsNicholas Lemann on rescuing capitalismAlfred Brendel on playing BeethovenPaul Berman on the George Floyd uprisingFouad Ajami’s story of an honor killingJack Goldsmith on conservatives and the courtsEdward Luttwak on understanding ChinaRoberto Calasso on when journals matteredWalter Scheidel on life after covidHelen Vendler on the poet Robert HaydenRobert Alter on Lolita todayDaryl Michael Scott on the 13th Amendment Alastair Macaulay on BalanchineDavid Greenberg on renaming our heritageNew poetry from Jorie Graham, Ishion Hutchinson, and Rosanna Warren; And Leon Wieseltier (editor) and Celeste Marcus (managing editor)

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance”“Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”“Liberties sure is needed in these times.”In a short time since its launch, Liberties - A Journal of Culture and Politics, a quarterly, has become essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time. The writers in Liberties offer deep experience from across borders, national identities, political affiliations and artistic achievements. As the introductory essay in the inaugural edition noted, “At this journal we are betting on what used to be called the common reader, who would rather reflect than belong and asks of our intellectual life more than a choice between orthodoxies.”Each issue of Liberties features original in-depth essays and compelling new poetry from some of the world's most significant writers, artists, and scholars, as well as introducing new talent, to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics. This spring issue of Liberties includes: Giles Kepel on the Murder of Samuel PatyIngrid Rowland’s Long Live the Classics!Vladimir Kara-Murza Surviving Putin’s PoisonsPaul Starr on Reckoning with National Failure from CovidBecca Rothfeld on Today's Sanctimony LiteratureEnrique Krauze explores What is Latin America?William Deresiewicz on Why Great Visual Art Forces Us to Think; Benjamin Moser on Rediscovering Frans HalsDavid Nirenberg on What We Can Learn from Earlier PlaguesAgnes Callard’s view of Romance without Love, Love without RomanceMitchell Abidor looks back to “Social Media” in 1895 to Understand a Crowd’s “Wisdom”The Tallis Scholars' Peter Phillips on the Secrets of JosquinDavid Thomson on Movies’ Poetic DesirePoetry from Henri Cole, Chaim Nachman Bialik, and Paul Muldoon Leon Wieseltier (editor) asks "Where Are the Americans?” And Celeste Marcus (managing editor) writes for a Pluralistic Heart.

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance”“Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”Liberties — A Journal of Culture and Politics features new essays and poetry from some of the world's best writers and artists to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of our current culture and today's politics.This summer issue of Liberties includes: Elliot Ackerman on Veterans Are Not VictimsDurs Grünbein on Fascism and the WriterR.B. Kitaj’s Three TalesThomas Chatterton Williams on The Blessings of AssimilationAnita Shapira on The Fall of Israel’s House of LaborSally Satel on Woke MedicineMatthew Stephenson On Corruption’s Honey and PoisonHelen Vender on Wallace StevensDavid Haziza on Illusions of ImmunityPaul Berman on the Library of AmericaClara Collier’s nostalgia for strong women in filmMichael Kimmage on American InquisitionsLeon Wieseltier (editor) on the high price of StoicismCeleste Marcus (managing editor) on a Native American TragedyAnd new poetry from Adam Zagajewski, A.E. Stallings, and Peg Boyers

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance”“Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”“Libertiesis THE place to be. Change starts in the mind.”Liberties, a journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time.Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers and leaders throughout the world; new poetry; and, introduces the next generation of writers and voices to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics.This issue of Liberties includes: New work from Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas LlosaDrawings by Leonard Cohen published for the first timeMamtimin Ala’s essay on China’s genocide of the UyghursJaroslaw Anders’ analysis of the crisis in BelarusCass R. Sunstein on liberalism inebriatedRichard Thompson Ford on what slavery does and does not explainSean Wilentz on the historical strategy of the Republican PartyBenjamin Moser writes about translation as a form of tourism in literary lifeJonathan Zimmerman on the scandal of college teachingMark Lilla on cults of innocence and their victimsHelen Vendler on Adrienne Rich; Holly Brewer on race and enlightenmentDavid Thomson asks, What shall we watch now?Celeste Marcus (managing editor) on the legend of Alice NeelLeon Wieseltier (editor) on Zionism’s beautiful stubbornness of survivalAnd new poetry from Ange Mlinko and Shaul Tchernikhovsky, translated by Robert Alter

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance” “Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”" Liberties is THE place to be. Change starts in the mind.” Liberties, a journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time. Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers and leaders throughout the world; new poetry; and, introduces the next generation of writers and voices to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics.In this issue of Liberties, highlights include: Martha C. Nussbaum on not hating the bodyDavid Nirenberg and Ricardo Nirenberg explain what numbers cannot captureMaria Stepanova on living out of time during CovidPratap Mehta on India’s VoltaireMichael Kimmage on American rise of declineNicholas Lemann on gaining his religionSamuel Moyn on rights v. duties in contemporary liberalismWilliam Deresiewicz analyzes our culture's obsession with origin storiesAlastair Macaulay on Merce Cunningam’s singular beauty and importanceHelen Vendler on the tormented life of Gerard Manley HopkinsElisabeth Lasch-Quinn on ancient philosophy as self-helpPhilip Kitcher on the cost of pre-professionalization at college campusesCeleste Marcus on The Night Porter as a love storyLeon Wieseltier on Art, Politics, And ConfusionAnd new poems by Andrew Motion, Collin Channer, and Aaron Fagan

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance”“Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”"Liberties is THE place to be."Liberties, a journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time. Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers and leaders throughout the world; new poetry; and, introduces the next generation of writers and voices to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics.In this issue of Liberties: Laura Kipnis on Genders Without FearDorian Abbot’s call to arms - Science to Politics: Drop DeadBernard Henri-Lévy on What is Reading?Bruce D. Jones on today’s reality of Taiwan, China, AmericaDavid Greenberg examines The War on ObjectivityHelen Vendler on Art vs. Stereotypes through the work of Marianne MooreIngrid Rowland captures Thucydides on our ConflictsDavid A. Bell exposes the Greatest Enemy of Democracy in FranceRobert Cooper reports on Myanmar, Atrocity in the Garden of EdenSteven M. Nadler on Bans and Excommunications, Then and NowMorten Høi Jensen on the State of Literary BiographyClara Collier on Women with Whips — Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Stanwyck; Celeste Marcus on Unknown Heroes of Modern ArtLeon Wieseltier reveals Christianism in Modern PoliticsAnd new poetry from Durs Grünbein, Nathaniel Mackey, and Haris Vlavianos

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance”“Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is”"Invaluable""Liberties is THE place to be. Change starts in the mind.” Liberties, a journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time. Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers and leaders throughout the world; new poetry; and, introduces the next generation of writers and voices to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics.In this issue of Liberties: Cass R. Sunstein - The Supreme Court Gone WrongCarissa Veliz - Digitization is SurveillanceEkaterina Pravilova - The Autocrat’s WarRichard Taruskin - What is Bad TasteJonathan Zimmerman - Memoirs of a White SaviorRichard Wolin - The Cult of Carl SchmittMark Polizzotti - Surrealism and CancellationAndrew Butterfield - Dante During CovidScott Spillman - The Strange History of the Slave SongsLeora Batnitzky - The Sacrifice of Edith SteinHelen Vendler - Sylvia Plath on MotherhoodJared Marcel Pollen - Was Havel Right?Celeste Marcus - The Curse of the Radical Israeli RightLeon Wieseltier - The Future of NatureAnd new poems by Claire Malroux, Marissa Grunes, Paula Bohince

Liberties - A Journal of Culture and Politics features new essays and poetry from some of today’s best writers and artists, along with introducing new talent, to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of culture and politics.This inaugural issue of Liberties includes: Michael Ignatieff on liberalism and the environmentLaura Kipnis cheers transgressionDavid Grossman on literature and peaceRamachandra Guha on the Indian tragedyThomas Chatterton Williams on the real James BaldwinMark Lilla on the power of indifferenceHelen Vendler on Yeats' The Second Coming; Sean Wilentz on abolition and American originsAdam Zagajeweski on Gustav MahlerJames Wolcott on America’s modern JacobinsAndrea Marcolongo on how language defines usEli Lake on the birth of American unexceptionalismSally Satel on the riddle of addictionMoshe Halbertal on creating a democratic Jewish stateDavid Thomson on the wonder of Terrence MalickJulius Margolin’s memoir confronting hatredClara Collier on plague literatureShawn McCreesh’s personal look at a youthful community of addictionNew poetry from the most recent winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Louise Glück, Joshua Bennett, and Hannah Sullivan; And Leon Wieseltier (editor) and Celeste Marcus (managing editor)

“A Meteor of Intelligent Substance” “Something was Missing in our Culture, and Here It Is” "Liberties is THE place to be.”Liberties, a journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues and causes of our time.Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers throughout the world; new poetry; and, introduces the next generation of writers and voices to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics.In this edition of Liberties: Oksana Forostyna’s A Diary from LvivRobert Kagan argues All Wars are Wars of ChoiceJustin E. H. Smith grapples with The Gamification of RealityJames Wolcott questions The Poetry of RockPascal Bruckner sees The Oblomovization of the WestWilliam Deresiewicz on higher education’s Schools for SoulsJaroslaw Anders writes An Open Letter to an Enemy in My Native LandElliot Ackerman reveals The Politicization of the American MilitaryJonathan Baskin on Sheila Heti and the Fight for ArtA Conversation About Modern History between Isaiah Berlin and Adam MichnikDavid Thomson goes back to Chinatown with Roman Polanski and John HustonHelen Vendler reads John Donne for How to Talk to GodCeleste Marcus on Why Women Mortify ThemselvesLeon Wieseltier on Ukraine and UsAnd poetry from Valzhyna Mort, Daryna Gladun, Lesyk Panasiuk, Uri Tzvi Greenberg, Henri Cole, Claire Malroux, La Fontaine, and Devin Johnston

Liberties, a Journal of Culture and Politics, is essential reading for those engaged in the cultural and political issues of our time. In this issue of Liberties: Michael Ignatieff - The Mind’s EmancipationMary Gaitskill - The Trials of the YoungSergei Lebedev - Putin’s Philosopher: A MemoirMichael Walzer - Moral ConcernJustin E. H. Smith – The Happiness Industrial ComplexAndrew Scull – The Fashions in TraumaDavid A. Bell – The Triumph of Anti-Politics in AmericaMichael Kimmage – A Defense of Delight in a Dark TimeRobert Alter – Proust and the Mystification of the JewsSteven B. Smith – What is a Statesman?Benjamin Moser – Rembrandt’s shadowsHelen Vendler – The Poetry of CharmCeleste Marcus – Priorism, or the Joshua Katz AffairLeon Wieseltier – Problems and Struggles; andNew poems by Karen Solie, Adam Zagajewski, and John HodgenPublished quarterly, Liberties, is a collection of the most significant writers today as well as launching the voices of tomorrow.Liberties features serious, independent, stylish, and controversial essays by significant writers and introduces the next generation of writers and poets to inspire and impact the intellectual and creative lifeblood of today’s culture and politics. Nobel Prize winners, leading op-ed writers, well-known non-fiction writers, rising talents, and poets from around the world are part of the Liberties series.There’s a reason why engaged citizens, cultural warriors, political leaders, opinion makers, and activists from across the cultural and political spectrum read and cherish Liberties.