Yentl’s Revenge Critique
Mamas and Matriarchs: A Social History of Jewish Women in America
Professor Marcie Ferris
American Studies 253
Your book critique is Yentl’s Revenge, an anthology of contemporary Jewish
women’s writing, edited by Danya Ruttenberg. Your critique should be three to four
typed pages in length. This assignment accounts for 10% of your grade. Because this
assignment is meant to stimulate class discussion, no late reviews will be accepted.
Look at on-line book review data bases on the UNC library website to see what other
authors have said about this work. If you have trouble locating reviews, ask a reference
librarian for assistance.
Introduce the book (editor—info?, date of publication, and describe its
organization/structure. Critique the overall work---the concept of such a collection---
does it work? Strengths? Weaknesses?
Delineate the major themes of the book.
After your general critique of the volume, focus on one essay in particular. Describe
the author’s intent and in what ways the author adds to/detracts from the larger
mission of the volume. Discuss how the author conveys her point of view.
How would you have changed the collection if you were the editor? Would you have
included other topics?---explain.
Consider the significance of this work for the study of the American Jewish women’s
history.
