L IFESTYLE /C ULTURE
JESSE BERNSTEIN | JE STAFF
“Philip Roth: The Biography”
Blake Bailey
W.W. Norton & Co.

PHILIP ROTH WAS born
March 19, 1933 in Newark, New
Jersey, and, until his death in
2018, he was still trying to fi gure
out what that meant.

In the ethnic patchwork
of the city, Roth saw middle-
class strivers and upper-class
anxieties, sexual opportunities
and his community’s social
and religious pieties. He saw
the smallness and the bigness
of it all, that it was absolutely
mundane and absolutely a way
to think about the great big
country around him.

Roth couldn’t be said to have
been a pig-headed patriot, nor
a refl exive critic of the country
where he lived. But the man that
emerges from his collected work
— 31 books, some good, some
bad, some sublime — is one that
Courtesy of W.W. Norton & Company
seems like he could’ve only come
from here.

Blake Bailey’s new biography
of Roth — “Th e Biography,” as
it’s subtitled — tells the story
of Roth’s life and career in a
way that he deserves. Bailey, who
was given total access to Roth
and his papers, is obviously a
partisan for Roth in some fi ghts,
including one key battle, but
recounts every scandal and
airs every grievance, fi nancial,
literary, fi lial, romantic or other-
wise. Roth may have Bailey in
his corner, but Bailey sends him
back to the ring for every round.

Having previously written
biographies of titanically gift ed
and personally fl awed writers like
John Cheever and Richard Yates,
Bailey must have smiled when
Roth gave him his charge, the
one that’s used as the epigraph
of this book: “I don’t want you
to rehabilitate me. Just make me
interesting.” Th at’s all Bailey’s
ever done for men like Roth.

Granted, it would be diffi -
cult to make one of the most
decorated writers in American
history uninteresting. He was
also one of the most famous
writers in the country at a time
when a novelist could be a bona
fi de celebrity and, on top of
that, he had a tendency toward
bed-hopping, courting the ire of
his co-religionists and dispar-
aging just about anyone and
anything on the record. What
other novelist could claim the
B O O KS
JESSE BERNSTEIN | JE STAFF
ANOTHER MONTH, another
slew of exciting new Jewish
books. We wish we could review
them all, but the space available
is fi nite, and there’s a whole lot
of other stuff going on.

As a consolation prize, we’re
highlighting fi ve new releases
coming out this month that we
think you’ll enjoy. Happy reading!
Courtesy of Paul Dry Books
B OOKS
An April Shower
(of Books)
“Reading Ruth: Birth,
Redemption and the Way
of Israel” (April 6)
Leon Kass and
Hannah Mandelbaum
Courtesy of Knopf
Review: “Philip Roth:
The Biography”
Kass, a conservative bioethi-
cist, has written a few of these
close-reading volumes that
deal with Tanach texts. Th is
newest iteration, written with
his granddaughter Hannah
Mandelbaum, explores the
Book of Ruth. Th e pair found a
rich vein in which to both blast
See Roth, Page 26 and chisel, and their reading is,
if not particularly novel, at least
a clearly rendered introduction
to the text and the traditional
questions that surround it.

Courtesy of Metropolitan Books
HEALTHCARE DIRECTORY
“Antiquities” (April 13)
Cynthia Ozick
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APRIL 15, 2021
JEWISH EXPONENT
Th e physical “Antiquities” —
the book itself — lends itself to
the feeling that you’re reading a
curious little fable as much as
the text does. It’s on the smaller
side, just 179 pages, with almost
nothing in the way of pre- or
postscript, and a spare cover.

“Antiquities” takes the form
of a sort of dramatic monologue
from Lloyd Wilkinson Petrie,
an elderly man who once served
as the trustee of a long-defunct
synagogue, now preparing his
memoirs. “Antiquities” is best
encountered knowing that
and no more; its quiet subtlety
demands it.

“The Passenger” (April 13)
Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz;
translated by Philip Boehm
Th e text of “Th e Passenger”
is translated into English for
the fi rst time, and we’re lucky
to have it. Written in haste
in 1938, the book follows
Otto Silbermann, a Jewish
businessman in Germany who
See Books, Page 26
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Giving Others a Turn: Local Jewish Leader to
Auction Off Private Vintage Game Collection
BUD NEWMAN IS WIDELY KNOWN as a pillar in the Jewish community. A
member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s board of directors and
board of trustees, Newman has previously served as the board chair and held a
number of positions on other committees.

But outside his leadership and philanthropic works, members of the commu-
nity may not know that Newman holds one of the country’s largest private
collections of games.

After spending the last 45 years traveling throughout the United States
collecting antique games from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Newman is
ready to say goodbye to the massive collection. He and his wife, Judy, will auction
off more than 1,000 vintage American board games and jigsaw puzzles, as well as
antiques and folk art, later this month.

Recognizing it is time to fold on his collection, Newman is excited that other
historical game buffs will be able to learn from games that reflect the period of
time in which they were made and sold.

“I consider myself lucky to offer the collection to others who have the same
passion for the history of games and understand their importance in the political
and historical landscape of our culture,” Newman said.

For example, the game “Billy Possum,” which is included in the collection,
was used to advance President Howard Taft’s popularity, similar to how the
“Teddy Bear” was used to promote President Theodore Roosevelt.

“Others will now have the opportunity to purchase, display and learn from
these games while sharing them,” Newman said.

Having grown up in the paper industry, Newman has maintained a lifelong
appreciation for how games are designed and constructed.

“What drew me in part to start collecting board games and puzzles was the
way they exemplified the unique printing methods of the times,” said Newman,
president of Newman and Co. “The quality of work, the colors used and their
ability to survive through the decades is outstanding.”
A family business, Newman and Co. has manufactured paperboard for more
than 100 years. Used for the production of notebooks, cosmetics packaging and
countless other everyday items, the 100% recycled material is also the main
ingredient for the manufacturing of board games and jigsaw puzzles.

Over the past year, as families purchased many more games and jigsaw
puzzles to entertain themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic, Newman has
seen a significant increase in demand for the paperboard his business produces.

“The fact our business is doing so well right now, partly because board games
and jigsaw puzzles are gaining popularity once again, shows the ability for these
forms of entertainment to survive across generations,” he said.

Newman’s collection has something for everyone in the family and for all
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Bud Newman holds a 1902 edition of the
classic McLoughlin Bros. “Punch & Judy
Ten Pins” game that will be up for auction.

Bud Newman shows one of his auction
items, a painted gaming wheel from 1900.

Photos courtesy of Debbie Rose
interest types. The collection spans games of many topical areas, including sports,
geography, morality, finance, military and more. There are also kid-friendly
games that aim to teach children good behavior, dexterity and how to recognize
shapes, colors and patterns.

Thanks to the care the Newmans provided over the years, the collection is
in pristine condition. Taking pride in their finds, the Newmans have framed
and displayed a number of games in their home, preserving their integrity and
showing off the box covers, which are works of art in themselves.

A few years ago, the Mercer Museum in Doylestown even included pieces
from the Newman collection in its ToyTime exhibition, which showcased some
of the most popular action folk toys and games from around the world.

“It’ll be interesting to see how the market responds to this enormous and
amazing collection,” said Noel Barrett, game and toy expert at the Pook & Pook
auction house and past appraiser on hit television show “Antiques Roadshow.” “It
could create a renaissance in game collecting.”
Newman’s collection goes up for auction on April 23 with items available online.

Visit jewishphilly.org/antiques or Bidsquare.com to learn more about his collection.

JEWISH EXPONENT
APRIL 15, 2021
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