The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse

Nov 28, 2025 5:32 AM

Author:T. Carmi

This stunning anthology gathers together the riches of poetry in Hebrew from 'The Song of Deborah' to contemporary Israeli writings. Verse written up to the tenth century show the development of piyut, or liturgical poetry, and retell episodes from the Bible and exalt the glory of God. Medieval works introduce secular ideas in love poems, wine songs and rhymed narratives, as well as devotional verse for specific religious rituals. Themes such as the longing for the homeland run through the ages, especially in verse written after the rise of the Zionist movement, while poems of the last century marry Biblical references with the horrors of the Holocaust. Together these works create a moving portrait of a rich and varied culture through the last 3,000 years.

Reviews

Orphaned, lost. Who is she really? One young woman's search across the globe for a past - and a future . . .

Losing her adopted mother threatens all she's ever had . . .

—— from the publisher's description

With characters it is impossible not to care about, this is storytelling at its very best

—— Daily Mail

An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry

—— Woman’s Weekly

Quriky, sexy and deeply fascinating

—— Sheila Hancock

Jean Plaidy knows her period and manages with skill a crowded cast

—— Times Literary Supplement

One of England's foremost historical novelists

—— Birmingham Mail

A fascinating historical romance ... vividly drawn

—— Manchester Evening News

Jean Plaidy shows the meticulous nature of her research and her ability to tell a good story without fuss or pretension

—— Sphere

'Irrestistably engaging'

—— Kirkus

'Witty and intelligent...just the thing for a lazy summer day'

—— Newsday

Genuine wit and charm

—— Image

Witty novel about life and love after divorce, Hollywood-style.

—— Daily Express

A bitchy and entertaining look at life in La-La Land

—— The Sun

A perfect poolside read

—— New Woman

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