About the book
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
The definitive biography of the poet whose sonnet \"The New Colossus\" appears on the base of the Statue of Liberty, welcoming immigrants to their new home.
Emma Lazarus’s most famous poem gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty, but her remarkable life has remained a mystery until now. She was a woman so far ahead of her time that we are still scrambling to catch up with her–-a feminist, a Zionist, and an internationally famous Jewish American writer before these categories even existed.
Drawing upon a cache of personal letters undiscovered until the 1980s, Esther Schor brings this vital woman to life in all her complexity. Born into a wealthy Sephardic family in 1849, Lazarus published her first volume of verse at seventeen and gained entrée into New York’s elite literary circles. Although she once referred to her family as “outlaw” Jews, she felt a deep attachment to Jewish history and peoplehood. Her compassion for the downtrodden Jews of Eastern Europe–-refugees whose lives had little in common with her own–-helped redefine the meaning of America itself.
In this groundbreaking biography, Schor argues persuasively for Lazarus’s place in history as a poet, an activist, and a prophet of the world we all inhabit today–a world that she helped to invent.
Jewish Encounters Series
Editions of Emma Lazarus
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780805242164
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780805211665
- EBook
- ISBN 9780805242751
Read an Excerpt
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
The definitive biography of the poet whose sonnet \"The New Colossus\" appears on the base of the Statue of Liberty, welcoming immigrants to their new home.
Emma Lazarus’s most famous poem gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty, but her remarkable life has remained a mystery until now. She was a woman so far ahead of her time that we are still scrambling to catch up with her–-a feminist, a Zionist, and an internationally famous Jewish American writer before these categories even existed.
Drawing upon a cache of personal letters undiscovered until the 1980s, Esther Schor brings this vital woman to life in all her complexity. Born into a wealthy Sephardic family in 1849, Lazarus published her first volume of verse at seventeen and gained entrée into New York’s elite literary circles. Although she once referred to her family as “outlaw” Jews, she felt a deep attachment to Jewish history and peoplehood. Her compassion for the downtrodden Jews of Eastern Europe–-refugees whose lives had little in common with her own–-helped redefine the meaning of America itself.
In this groundbreaking biography, Schor argues persuasively for Lazarus’s place in history as a poet, an activist, and a prophet of the world we all inhabit today–a world that she helped to invent.
Jewish Encounters Series
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Emma Lazarus about?
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
The definitive biography of the poet whose sonnet \"The New Colossus\" appears on the base of the Statue of Liberty, welcoming immigrants to their new home.
Emma Lazarus’s most famous poem gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty, but her remarkable life has remained a mystery until now. She was a woman so far ahead of her time that we are still scrambling to catch up with her–-a feminist, a Zionist, and an internationally famous Jewish American writer before these categories even existed.
Drawing upon a cache of personal letters undiscovered until the 1980s, Esther Schor brings this vital woman to life in all her complexity. Born into a wealthy Sephardic family in 1849, Lazarus published her first volume of verse at seventeen and gained entrée into New York’s elite literary circles. Although she once referred to her family as “outlaw” Jews, she felt a deep attachment to Jewish history and peoplehood. Her compassion for the downtrodden Jews of Eastern Europe–-refugees whose lives had little in common with her own–-helped redefine the meaning of America itself.
In this groundbreaking biography, Schor argues persuasively for Lazarus’s place in history as a poet, an activist, and a prophet of the world we all inhabit today–a world that she helped to invent.
Jewish Encounters Series
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Emma Lazarus?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Biography: general > Biography: writers
Where can I read a sample of Emma Lazarus?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780805242164
Is Emma Lazarus part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Jewish Encounters Series
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Emma Lazarus?
Esther Schor
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Emma Lazarus is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780805242164) and paperback(ISBN 9780805211665) and ebook(ISBN 9780805242751)
Where can I buy Emma Lazarus online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Emma Lazarus from below
Where can I buy Emma Lazarus?