Reading Journal Entry: Wandering Stars, edited by Jack Dann

In search of interesting Jewish-themed fiction for my book group, I came across this collection of Jewish science fiction and fantasy stories.

Originally published in 1974, this is old enough that Isaac Asimov was around to write an introduction, and other Jewish SF authors could confess to hiding their religious/ethnic persuasion in order to avoid discrimination. It's also old enough that some of the best stories in the volume feel dated; funny, original, sad, often classic, they have a patina of other decades.

More than one deals with the problem of alien Jews. Most are funny. I was particularly happy to re-read Horace Gold's 'The Trouble With Water', about a Jewish store owner who annoys the wrong water spirit.

This is definitely worth a read, but I would like to see a collection of more modern works. We'll see how More Wandering Stars (originally published in 1981) delivers.