The Jewish Phenomenon : Seven Keys to the Enduring Wealth of a People
Author: Steven Silbiger
List Price: $24.00
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 1563525666
Publisher: Longstreet Press (May, 2000)
Sales Rank: 53,324
Average Customer Rating: 4.21 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Great Book
Steve Silbiger's "The Jewish Phenomenon" was a real eye opener for me. I was raised in a close-knit Irish Catholic environment and rarely had contact with Jews or other non-Catholics as a child. I finally met, lived with, and made lifelong friends with Jews at Princeton (undergrad), Columbia (MBA), and in the work world. But even after these experiences as a university student and a working adult, I never really understood what Jewish culture was all about or what accounted for the great success of the Jewish people in the face of many serious threats they had encountered over the centuries. "The Jewish Phenomenon" has given me valuable insight into seven principles that have allowed Jews to contribute to society far beyond their numbers. Just as important, I can look at my own conservative, risk averse background and use the seven principles that Silbiger highlights to help improve my chances of entrepreneurial success as a small business owner in the computer technology field.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Emulating Jewish Success
Why are Jews so successful in a wide range of professions and industries? Steven Silberger says it has nothing to do with inherent genius, but rather is the result of certain Jewish cultural habits that non-Jewish people can emulate.Silberger's book is arranged in seven chapters to highlight the seven traits he thinks helps Jews to be successful. Some of them -- such as "Successful People are Professionals and Entrepreneurs" -- are probably not that relevatory to those already looking to make a name for themselves, but others -- like "Develop your Verbal Confidence" -- might be useful for many Americans (who distrust a too easy facility with language).
Having previously read some of the source material that Silberger used for the "The Jewish Phenomenon", I was familiar with the successful track record of American Jews. But the catalogue of Jewish accomplishment he highlights here is still impressive, even to one already familiar with it. If you have no interest in reading self-help books, you still might find this book interesting for that reason alone.
Rating: 2 out of 5
save your time and money
I am from Los Angeles and I am half-Jewish. When I first purchased this book, I thought I was in for a treat. However, I was sorely disappointed. The author filled this book with pointless measures and statistics that seemed to repeat themselves in every chapter. The author also claims to outline how non-Jews can emulate the seven principles. However, he describes how to do this in less than two pages at the end of every chapter--There is not much detail or explanation. Moreover, it was fairly obvious that Silbiger had an intention to fix, change, and debunk all of the common Jewish stereotypes, as if his book alone would cause some sort of shift in the manner that Jewish people are viewed by the rest of the world.
I am very proud of my Jewish background, and this book is nothing more than a love letter from one Jewish person to the rest of the Jewish community.
Borrow this book from someone whom already owns it or look for it in your local library, but I would not recommend that you purchase it. If you desire success, I would highly recommend reading up on writings by Napoleon Hill, Robert E. Quinn, and Tracy Goss. Similar Products
The Ten-Day MBA: A Step-By-step Guide To Mastering The Skills Taught In America's Top Business Schools
Wall Street People: True Stories of Today's Masters and Moguls
Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money
Book Index