This remarkable short history of the Damascus affair of 1840 is an eye-opening snapshot of the dynamics of archaic anti-semitism resurfacing unexpectedly in the world of the moribund Ottoman empire.Despite its Middle Eastern context, it is almost as much about Europe and the story is really of the spread of a European strain of anti-semitism to a susceptible environment. The publication, then republication, for example, of a toxic 'blood libel' tract in the early nineteenth century, is one of the factors in the outbreak in the closed, almost archaic world of Jews, Christians and Moslems in old Damascus.
The story is told well, and crisply covers all the majors incidents, and the tale is an important incident in the emergence of the anti-semitism of the later nineteenth century.

i loved this book. its non-fiction, bUt i still read it in one shot. i recommend this book to anybody interested in jewish history. I liked the way the author described the fighting going on between Cremeiux and Montefiore. Two altruistic people who went out of their way to help out Jews worlds apart. They did it for the love of their nation. it still doesnt take the fact away that each one wanted the credit. But they do deserve it. Its very sad that after all that Cremieux did for his nation, his wife had his kids converted to Christianity.
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