Independent scholar Bingham has written a history of an early Jewish-American family--a remarkable family rooted in America well before the mass migrations of Jews from Eastern Europe. The difficulties of defining themselves as Jews and as Americans in a primarily Christian country spurred some members of the family to copious amounts of writing--letters and various histories and other publications--which are the basis of Bingham's research. The story of this family intertwines with that of the nation; and the tensions among generations, within the Jewish community, and in interaction with the larger community speak to the experiences of Americans then and now. Annotation 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
