Description: VINTAGE Daughter of the Waves: Memories of Growing Up in PRE-WAR PALESTINE Ruth Jordan 1ST EDITION/PRINTING Born in 1921 in British Mandate Palestine, Ruth Jordan chronicles her remarkable childhood in this award-winning autobiography. Seen from the fresh perspective of a young girl, this is a poignant and witty account of growing up in a seaside suburb of Haifa called Bat Galim (Daughter of the Waves). Jordan seamlessly weaves together personal anecdotes with the epoch-making events of her time.She vividly depicts her pet hyena and the superstitions he evokes, a ride atop a coffin with a kindly Arab mule driver, and her profound love of the sea, as Haifa is transformed into a bustling port. She brings the legendary conductor Toscanini to life as she describes his groundbreaking performances with the newly formed Palestine Orchestra. In the final chapters, she recounts the arrival of the refugee boats from Germany and her anguish as they are turned away, the Arab Revolt and the outbreak of the Second World War. For Jordan and her childhood friends, this burgeoning country was not just the land of their birth, but the fulfilment of a dream nurtured by countless generations. Her beautifully observed recollections are never defensive, apologetic or accusatory. Instead, she paints an affectionate, humorous and always empathetic portrait of a child and nation growing up side by side. First published in 1983, Daughter of the Waves depicted a nation in its formative years, its struggle for survival, and its transformation into statehood. Today, some forty years on, this compelling account is more timely than ever. A pioneering journalist in the 1950s, Ruth Jordan was one of the first women to achieve a senior post at the BBC. As the first woman news presenter and producer in the Hebrew Section, she specialized in politics, current affairs, and the arts. The author of six books, Jordan was hailed by the British press as ''one of our best modern biographers.'' She died in 1994, and her memories of growing up in pre-war Palestine are an enduring legacy that speaks to generations past, present and future. ー ''Skilfully and lovingly written memoir.'' ーThe Independent "The fragmented memories of childhood are skillfully woven together to create a vivid tapestry of life in Palestine during the years of the British mandate. Through personalized vignettes Jordan conveys the burgeoning cul-tural, intellectual, and political life during this developmental period: the intense struggle for supremacy of Hebrew as the national language; the deep appreciation for the land instilled through formal and informal teaching; the uneasy relationship with the Arab population; and the heavy handed efforts of the British authorities in preventing Jews fleeing from persecution in Europe from entering the country. Highly recommended." ーLibrary Journal "Jordan's recollections of her childhood and youth in Palestine during the 1920s and '30s, when it was under the British mandate, help to illuminate the continuing conflict there. Her own life, as the daughter of teachers living in Bat Galim ('Daughter of the Waves'), a Haifa suburb, was quite ordinary. In bits and pieces, Jordan describes her schooling, friendships and home life against the ever-present background of friction between Jews and Arabs laying claim to Palestine as homeland. The author's blending of moments in her private life (from movie-and festival-going to her parents' divorce) and larger events (Arab disturbances, restrictions on Jewish immigration, etc.) re-create the period in strikingly human terms!" ーPublishers Weekly
Price: 35 USD
Location: North Hollywood, California
End Time: 2024-08-11T01:18:21.000Z
Shipping Cost: 5 USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Binding: Hardcover
Language: English
Special Attributes: 1st Edition, 1st Printing
Author: Ruth Jordan
Topic: Palestine
Subject: Memoir
Year Printed: 1983