I’m not Jewish and have no Jewish ancestry that I’m aware of. Though I had a great grandfather who was Polish and probably grew up around Jewish people, he himself was not Jewish to my knowledge. But the idea of antisemitism had nevertheless interested me. Interested me in the sense that I can’t wrap my head around why people have such notions towards an entire group of people in the first place. Sure I’m an atheist and anti-theist, but I don’t hate all Christians for their beliefs.
I just want to understand it. But I know it’s not a simple topic to cover. But any good starting point you all can recommend, I’ll look into. Something that reads kind of easily and not as much like a textbook but is nonetheless thorough and informative.
by Mad_Season_1994
2 Comments
For modern roots, Hannah Arendt’s *The Origins of Totalitarianism,* but it’s not exactly a light read. It’s not text-book dry or anything, though; it’s very well written.
For even deeper historical roots, I personally found several Great Courses audio books on European history enlightening on this particular matter as well. E.g., Dorsey Armstrong’s *Years That Changed History: 1215*, which talks about the Fourth Lateran Council etc.
Edward Flannery – [The Anguish of the Jews](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/253073.The_Anguish_of_the_Jews?). I suppose it is a textbook (I read it at university), but it is also a classic and one of the central works on jewish-christian relations.