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The First Jews in North America: The Extraordinary Story of the Hart Family, 1760–1860

by Denis Vaugeois
Baraka, dist. by IPG. 2012. 368p. tr. from French by Käthe Roth. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781926824093. pap. $34.95. HIST
COPY ISBN
This is a fine translation of Vaugeois's (Champlain: The Birth of French America) account of the Hart family in Quebec, from the arrival of British merchant Aaron Hart in 1760 through his family's early struggles and their ultimate success. Vaugeois presents a rich historical tapestry, ably illustrated with both religious and secular images. He succeeds in describing the ascent of the patriarch and his progeny so as to make the narrative accessible to general readers, while offering the specialist more detailed explanations of the social, political, and religious context. Of particular interest is the author's review of the failed machinations resorted to in an effort to prevent a Jew from being elected to the provincial parliament (Vaugeois himself has sat in the legislature).
VERDICT A significant contribution to our understanding of this period from the perspective of a family espousing a minority faith. Non-French-reading students of Canadian, Jewish, and North American social history will be rewarded in choosing this book.
Reviewed by Gilles Renaud, Cornwall, Ont. , Mar 01, 2013
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