Remembering to Cherish: From Station Eleven to Jerusalem

From eJewish Philanthropy (AUGUST 12, 2024)

Back in May, The New York Times reported on a list of “pro-Israel/Zionist writers” circulating through the literary world along with a call to boycott their work: “Titled ‘Is Your Fav Author a Zionist?,’ it reads like a cross between ‘Tiger Beat’ and ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.’”

Canadian writer Emily St. John Mandel appears prominently in the list; that’s reason enough to buy her books, but it helps that they tend to be both literary masterpieces and page-turners. Prompted by the boycott, I defiantly decided to read Station Eleven, one of St. John Mandel’s most famous novels and now also a TV show. The book is part of the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre, imagining a world where civilization has collapsed and survivors struggle to survive. Mandel’s writing reflects her love for her characters, and the result is a deeply human book in which the apocalypse is just a setting for profound and highly relatable human drama.

Read the full article by Andrés Spokoiny in eJewish Philanthropy.