To be fair, I'm not the target demographic for this book, not being Jewish, but from the cover and the punning title I was expecting a lighter touch. The first couple of chapters, about the author's formative years in a not especially observant Jewish family, were very witty and I loved the story about the photo of his 'hunchback' great-grandfather. Then Matt Greene came over all broadsheet journalist and the rest of the book became a bit of a slog. Obviously, anti-Semitism and the Holocaust are very far from laughing matters, and as he says, 'We're tired of trying to be funny so you'll keep reading', but the switch from personal to preaching, and 'them' to 'we', was still jarring. I learned a lot, however. ( )

The author, a British journalist, was born into a Jewish family yet feels somewhat estranged from his Jewish heritage. He spends much of his career chronicling the alleged anti-Semitism of certain leading members of Parliament. He restlessly ponders the depths of whether being Jewish matters in a society where assimilation is easy and where discrimination is looked down upon.

Greene is at his best when he probes into how anti-Semitism can take root on the Internet. It’s obvious that he’s given much thought and research into this aspect of life. He also concludes this book with fascinating descriptions of visits to several concentration camps. Although he never finds a strict definition of what being Jewish means, he comes to the reasoned conclusion that it still matters in the modern, pluralist world.

I am a Christian, not a Jew, though I have had many Jewish friends throughout my years. I have probed deeply into the question of what it means to be a Christian in the modern world, and I relate to Greene’s inquiry. He, for one, does not see theism as an intricate part of the Jewish experience. Rather, the Jewish culture, with its overall meta-narrative, is most important.

This book has more limited appeal to an American audience (of which I am a part) because of its detailed analysis of British politics. Greene explores this topic as a part of his career in journalism, and it seems to hurt his impact. Yes, it impacts the author’s probe into Jewish identity directly; however, the overview seems to be focused on minor details and misses the big picture – something, as a non-Brit, I need.

This work has obvious appeal to those concerned about the state of Jews the world over. The author is not a rabid Zionist and is rather very modern. He learns to access the history of his identity, and that task, we can all relate to. Readers’ interest into the Holocaust and into centuries of persecution rises due to the difficulty of the subject matter. He does not seek to convert but instead to honestly relate to others his own experience and the experiences of those like him. The Jewish identity is one that has been slapped on him like it has been slapped on many people before; nevertheless, through and because of his inquiry, the reader can sense that he begins to take some pride in this label that did not exist before. That makes his story all-the-more gripping. ( )