LARB Radio Hour: George Prochnik on Gershom Scholem, Walter Benjamin, and Jerusalem; Elif Batuman, "The People in Trees"

George Prochnik discusses his latest book, "Stranger in a Strange Land: Gershom Scholem and Jerusalem," and Elif Batuman recommends Hanya Yanagihara's "The People in the Trees."

By LARB Radio HourApril 14, 2017

George Prochnik is one of our leading biographers and cultural historians; and he talks with Kate and Medaya about his latest book, Stranger in a Strange Land: Gershom Scholem and Jerusalem. As he talks about Scholem's life, from his close friendship with Walter Benjamin to his exodus from Europe, to his history excavations of Judaica that were motivated by a desire to enliven contemporary Jewish life — it becomes apparent that Prochnik sees something of his own quest for meaning in Scholem's unique path. Also, Elif Batuman returns to recommend Hanya Yanagihara's The People in the Trees.