Redemption: The Life of Henry Roth
By Steven G. Kellman
Norton. 372 pages. $25.95.

Henry Roth’s literary career is a testament to the power of a book review. His first novel, “Call It Sleep,” sold modestly when it was published in 1934, and didn’t approach national prominence. Three decades later, the critic Irving Howe penned an unusually positive and prominent review, and despite having been out of print for years, the book began to leap off the shelves. (more…)

Calling Mordecai Richler (1933-2001) the greatest of all Canadian-Jewish writers does not, at first, seem like much of a compliment to him. Could a pond that small have produced a truly big fish? (pdf…)