Comments on: The Prophet’s Pen http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/books/20622/the-prophet%e2%80%99s-pen/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-prophet%e2%80%99s-pen A New Read on Jewish Life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:37:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jacob Arnon http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/books/20622/the-prophet%e2%80%99s-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Jacob Arnon Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:47:52 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=20622#comment-75 I don't have as high an opinion of David Rosenberg's abilities as does Professor Kirsch. David Rosenberg along with the tiresome and repetitive Harold Bloom published "The book of J" a translation of of the Hebrew bible by Identified as J. Rober Alter had criticized their project as well as Rosenberg's translation choices. Alter had also attacked Bloom's critical pronouncements arguing that they left no room for either free play on the part of the author or of ironic readings. In fact he thinks that Bloom, while rightly critical of the "school of resentment" does not allow for reading as an act of pleasure. Bloom and his partner have repaid Alter in kind attacking his work and critical choices in one review after another. For example, Bloom trashed Alter's translation of parts of the Hebrew Bible and has attacked in reviews a number of projects that Alter has praised. The latest being his review of the cartoonist Crumb's drawing of Genesis. Alter had some kind things to say about it, Bloom in a review in a bad tempered screed attacked Crumb for being "a believer" as if that were relevant to the question of whether his drawings were any good. “Yahweh Meets R. Crumb” By Harold Bloom http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=23438 This is the background and context of Rosenberg's attack on Alter. I don’t have as high an opinion of David Rosenberg’s abilities as does Professor Kirsch.

David Rosenberg along with the tiresome and repetitive Harold Bloom published “The book of J” a translation of of the Hebrew bible by Identified as J.

Rober Alter had criticized their project as well as Rosenberg’s translation choices.

Alter had also attacked Bloom’s critical pronouncements arguing that they left no room for either free play on the part of the author or of ironic readings. In fact he thinks that Bloom, while rightly critical of the “school of resentment” does not allow for reading as an act of pleasure.

Bloom and his partner have repaid Alter in kind attacking his work and critical choices in one review after another.

For example, Bloom trashed Alter’s translation of parts of the Hebrew Bible and has attacked in reviews a number of projects that Alter has praised. The latest being his review of the cartoonist Crumb’s drawing of Genesis. Alter had some kind things to say about it, Bloom in a review in a bad tempered screed attacked Crumb for being “a believer” as if that were relevant to the question of whether his drawings were any good.

“Yahweh Meets R. Crumb” By Harold Bloom

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=23438

This is the background and context of Rosenberg’s attack on Alter.

]]> By: David Rosenberg http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/books/20622/the-prophet%e2%80%99s-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-67 David Rosenberg Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:56:49 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=20622#comment-67 I am deeply grateful for Adam Kirsch's thoughts on "A Literary Bible: An Original Translation." Would it sound odd if I said that I do, in fact, agree with him? Perhaps my comments to that effect were too mild, or overriden by the translation's poetics. And as for the very minor mentions of Alter and Kugel, I would hope that, even if it constitutes abuse, their fame and reputations can withstand a bit of textual criticism, even from a mere poet-scholar. I am deeply grateful for Adam Kirsch’s thoughts on “A Literary Bible: An Original Translation.” Would it sound odd if I said that I do, in fact, agree with him? Perhaps my comments to that effect were too mild, or overriden by the translation’s poetics. And as for the very minor mentions of Alter and Kugel, I would hope that, even if it constitutes abuse, their fame and reputations can withstand a bit of textual criticism, even from a mere poet-scholar.

]]> By: Derek Leman http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/books/20622/the-prophet%e2%80%99s-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Derek Leman Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:49:33 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=20622#comment-65 A good review and critique of Rosenberg's Literary Bible. Literary study of Biblical texts need not follow his line. Sternberg, Berlin, and Alter have given the world a different kind of insight into poetics of the Bible. I love the line in your article, "perhaps it takes a prophet, rather than a poet..." Great stuff! A good review and critique of Rosenberg’s Literary Bible. Literary study of Biblical texts need not follow his line. Sternberg, Berlin, and Alter have given the world a different kind of insight into poetics of the Bible. I love the line in your article, “perhaps it takes a prophet, rather than a poet…” Great stuff!

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