Joshua A. Fogel Book order

Focusing on tractate Megilla of the Babylonian Talmud, this book provides a detailed page-by-page analysis and interpretation of the text. It aims to clarify complex themes and concepts, making the challenging material accessible to readers. Through careful exegesis, it enhances understanding and appreciation of this significant work in Jewish literature.

Lu Xun spent the last decade of his life in the turbulent world of Shanghai. Soon after arriving in 1927, he befriended Uchiyama Kanzō, owner of a bookstore specializing in Japanese writings. Their friendship and the mutual kindnesses (occasionally involving near-death experiences) form the core of this short volume. In part a meditation of what two people with such different backgrounds―one the most famous intellectual of his time, the other a merchant with a sixth-grade education from a country on the verge of launching total war against China―may speak to our own fractious times. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of Sino-Japanese exchange, Joshua Fogel paints a captivating portrait of two men of very different temperament, background, and political outlook. We see their friendship in ordinary moments over a cup of Karigane tea, a specially-reserved rattan chair, and the efforts at mounting exhibits of woodblock prints but also in extraordinary moments when Uchiyama protected Lu Xun from GMD spies and Japanese military police in the tumultuous years before total war. Theirs was a remarkable friendship indeed.

Beginning with his birth in 1162, The Blue Wolf follows the crucial alliances that led to Chinggis Khan's great campaigns in North China, Bukhara, and Samarkand, as well as the state of Khorazm.

Focusing on tractate Zevachim, this volume delves into the intricacies of meat offerings at the Temple. The author, Fogel, provides a page-by-page commentary infused with humor and relatable comparisons, aiming to make the ancient text accessible and engaging for modern readers. Through this approach, he humanizes the rituals and practices surrounding sacrifices, bridging the gap between historical context and contemporary understanding.

Focusing on tractate Menachot, this volume delves into the rituals surrounding grain offerings at the Temple, emphasizing their role in atonement. The author, Fogel, provides a page-by-page commentary infused with humor and relatable comparisons, making the ancient text accessible and engaging for modern readers.

Fogel's exploration of the tractate Horayot delves into the complexities of legal decision-making within the Sanhedrin, particularly when erroneous practices are mistakenly deemed lawful. Through a page-by-page commentary, he infuses humor and contemporary examples, making the intricate discussions accessible and engaging. The work emphasizes the importance of proper adjudication and the consequences of misguided legal interpretations on the community.

Focusing on the Talmud's tractate Avodah Zarah, this volume provides a page-by-page exploration of idolatry. It offers a modern commentary infused with humor and relatable examples, aiming to clarify and humanize the ancient text. The approach makes the complexities of idolatry more accessible to contemporary readers, bridging the gap between historical context and modern understanding.

Presents the perceptions that the Chinese and the Japanese have of each other, and the information that helped to fuel those perceptions. There are two sections: China in Japan, debating the Asiatic Mode of Production and kyodotai; and Japan in China, covering the Manchurian Railway.