[An] important and original book…the first attempt to confront Scholem’s stature as a contemporary theologian…erudite and admirably written.

New York Times Book Review

An excellent and deeply interesting study… Biale’s intelligent and helpful book displays Scholem not as a dry-as-dust scholar, but as a thinker and even a poet whose vision of Judaism contains a split or ‘abyss’ that is only precariously healed.

Commentary

In this brilliant and insightful study of the man, his life and works, his contributions to the understanding of Judaism in this age of secularism and nationalism, of religion caught short of spiritual components, David Biale has illuminated some of the essential issues for both Jewish and non-Jewish readers.

- Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times