Internationally renowned essayist and cultural commentator Ilan Stavans spent five years traveling across a dozen countries in Latin America in search of what defines the Jewish communities in the region, whose roots date back to Christopher Columbus' arrival, for his latest book, "The Seventh Heaven." Our conversation touches on the book, a recipient of the 2020 Natan Notable Book Award from the Jewish Book Council, as well as Ilan's writing, his ongoing quest to explore the personal and the historical, and the three books that he always has near at hand.

Episode 0267

July 24, 2020

Yiddish Book Center

Amherst, Massachusetts