Marvin Tokayer

I have never reviewed an ER selection without finishing it before, but in this case, I must. I have read a little more than half of the book, 12 of 23 chapters, and I simply cannot slog through any more of it. It's not the subject matter, which ought to be utterly fascinating, and sometimes does take over enough to keep my interest for a while; it's the style. There is no narrative flow; it's clunky, it's non-sequential, there are too many references to the author's connections to his show more subjects, which add nothing to the reader's knowledge or understanding. I truly wanted to know about the accomplishments of Laura Margolis, Jacob Schiff, Beate Sirota Gordon, and Two-Gun Cohen (he should be irresistible, right? Not right.) so I struggled through those chapters, but I did not enjoy the journey. This is a badly written history textbook, not a gripping historical narrative. And it's a shame, because I believe the authors' basic premise, that there were fascinating Jewish figures lost in the cracks of Far Eastern history, is valid. There is enough dry information here to prove that premise, but the research did not translate well into Story in these hands.

Review written February 2015 show less

This book slipped by the wayside for a while there (oops!), so I had only read about half of it, and now finally just got to the other half. So when I added it, I glanced at the reviews. I'm sad to see so many negative remarks!

Personally, I thought this was excellent, and would recommend it to anyone curious about the history of Jews around the world. I had no idea Jews had such a prominent history in the East!

One reviewer commented "stylistically it reminds me of when my grandmother tells show more stories: kind of anecdotal and broad-ranging ... I wish the focus were narrower and it delved deeper." Now, if it were a novel, or a book about a single person, sure, I would have a problem with that. But since this is someone sitting the reader down and sharing with them the history of many people, I think "grandma telling stories" does fit the style Tokayer presents, and I think that is perfect! I also think that unless someone wants to read a multi-volume encyclopedia about Jews in the Far East, there is obviously only so much detail that can be covered! It's pretty clear to me that the point of this work is to highlight a good number of people in a reasonable amount of space. So that's what we get, the highlights. It's saying Hey, look, there's so many important and fascinating people you've never heard of! See what you're missing out on?
Many of the amazing people covered have written their own works, novels, poetry, history, etc, as well as autobiographies - which are mentioned; so anyone who is intrigued by these slices of narrative can go out and acquire the works that have all the detail. But it would be impossible to cover all that detail on all those people in one volume!

So for me, I was delighted to learn about all these incredible people, and while this was not a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat thriller to zip through, I found the style just right for the contents. Pepper, Silk, & Ivory is a great introduction to a great many fascinating people! show less

Pepper, Silk & Ivory was like looking through a window into a world that I didn’t know existed. As an American Jew of Eastern European ancestry I was so out of the loop on the varied and so very rich Jewish History of the Far East. It is an absolutely wonderful and educational, but also it is a broad look into a major chapter in Diaspora history. Overall these stories are a true collection of wonderfully written characters, they showcase so many aspects and traits of Judaism from ancient show more cultural traditions to those that were shaped by the powerful historical settings these Jews were thrust into. They showed me and can you how even the most unique Jewish individuals can feel the urge and or desire to serve the greater interests of mankind. Knowledge is and can be the most powerful tool in any nations, civilizsations and or peoples arsenal to defend or make better the world in which we live in. This book is one of the best books I’ve ever read and the knowledge I’ve gained is immeasurable and priceless. show less

This is an Advanced Review Copy. I consider this book a gift because I have enjoyed it so much.
Pepper, Silk & Ivory is an unusual historical book with an unusual point of view. The author tells stories (twenty-three) of individual Jews who influenced and were influenced by the Far East.. The stories are brief and each is a gem (Two-Gun Cohen: A Jewish General in the Chinese Army). I found myself reading one or two each day and savoring what I had read.
Before I continue my praise, I'll add show more one negative note. Some stories in the book might have benefited from an professional editor's touch because the writing is naive. Nonetheless, the chapters are compelling and great fun to read. I have also learned of fascinating history I might not have acquired anywhere else. For example, The development of the shell logo for Shell Oil, the influence of the inquisition on moving Marranos from Spain, through Portugal, to India and their strong, powerful influence on India culturally, scientifically, and academically.
I have recommended the book to the local public library and the community college. I understand both have purchased it. I am recommending the book to the Jewish Book Club and to the Jewish Library. I read segments of chapters aloud to who ever happens to be available to hear me. show less