Yes, But Is It Good for the Jews?: A Beginner's Guide, Volume 1 - Hardcover

Geller, Jonny

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1596912057 ISBN 13: 9781596912052

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2006

Synopsis

From the Amish to Zoolatry, this hilarious tour of world history and culture will answer the question on everyone's lips this Chanukah: "Yes, but is it good for the Jews?" Jews have long evaluated everything from current events to dinner menus through the prism of "Yes But is it good for the Jews." Finally, there is a method by which to evaluate this burning question―the ancient art of Judology. It's easy: Add "Anti-Semitic Potential" (an open and obvious threat to the Jews) + "Impact on the World" (10 years or more) x "The J-Factor" (level of "jewishness")= Tzurus (Yiddish word for trouble), and divide by the Mystical Kabalistic number "Seven." Readers will no longer be tortured by such decisions as: where to vacation (Micronesia good, Venezuela bad), what television to watch (Desperate Housewives no, Eurovision Song Contest yes), which celebrity to marry (Scarlett Johanssen yes, Joaquin Phoenix no), whether it's okay to use Google, enter a spelling bee, and much more. Extras include: the "How Jew Are You" quiz, handy lists such as "Jews Who Switched"; the "Six Degrees of Larry David" games, plus timelines, charts, and graphs. We guarantee you won't find this valuable info in either the Torah or the Kabbalah.

About this title

About the Author

Jonny Geller is a literary agent and is based in London where he lives with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

London literary agent Geller revolves his mock science of Judology around an equation that weighs the potential for anti-Semitic backlash, links to Jewish culture and worldwide cultural influence to determine whether a given subject is, as the old saying goes, "Good for the Jews" or "Not Good for the Jews." Of course, the numbers turn out to be largely meaningless, as the real substance of Geller's evaluations lie in his idiosyncratic commentaries. In some cases, the effort to find a Jewish connection feels strained, and most of the discussions are lightweight. The Godfather films, for example, are Good because they diverted attention from Jewish gangsters, while Nigella Lawson's love of ham and pork dishes make her Not Good. But there are thoughtful discussions of subjects like eBay's policy against allowing auctions of Nazi memorabilia and the impact of TiVo on Orthodox TV viewing. A lengthy section toward the end assesses various countries for their suitability as vacation spots, and a recurring sidebar presents a world history timeline from a Jewish perspective (the Louisiana Purchase is dubbed "a sweet kosher deal"). Unfortunately, there's really only one joke here, and though it's amusing in small doses, it can't sustain the entire book. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In the 1950s, it was common for Jewish kids to hear their parents whispering about current events: "Is it good for the Jews?" (The Rosenbergs--not so much.) Apparently, the whispering is still going on, prompting Geller to come up with a formula to answer all the questions. Here's how it works: anti-Semitic factor plus impact on the world times the level of Jewishness equals Tzurus (i.e., trouble) divided by seven equals good or not good for the Jews. Grouped alphabetically, the list of topics Geller rates on this scale constitutes an eclectic mix of bedfellows: alcohol is next to the Amish, and K-Y Jelly snuggles beside Karma. After each entry comes a definition and some examples of the term and an explanation of what went into the rating. There are surprises: Monica Lewinsky--good for the Jews! Andrew Lloyd Webber--not good for the Jews! Sidebars include lists of anti--Semitic writers (Roald Dahl, Agatha Christie, and Graham Greene, among others). He doesn't address Mel Gibson, but let's guess: not good for the Jews. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1596912057
• ISBN 13: 9781596912052
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208