On today's show, Claire talks to historical novelist Allison Epstein about Dickens, antisemitism, and her deciding to rewrite of the Oliver Twist story as "Fagin the Thief"
As someone who also grew up on the Main Line, I'm sure you recall how the Merion Cricket Club was off limits to Jews as members in the '50's, '60's and '70's. What's interesting is to go on to Facebook and visit pages like "Main Line Memories", where people our age post nostalgia. Once in a while some tidbit about the Merion Cricket Club is posted. There is usually one comment about how the club was restricted... and oh, the battle that ensues over how true or not true that was and how the club now admits Jews, as if that is penance for its former sins.
I do indeed recall this. It is why my family never joined--as my mother said "because our friends are not welcome there." And in the late 1960s there was a huge hullabaloo about Arthur Ashe playing in a tournament there, because apparently a Black person who was not a servant had never set foot inside. Vile.
Hi, Claire, Great subject. When I moved to Orlando in the 1990s, there were still golf clubs that were "restricted." I think that's not the case these days, but it's not like I'm trying for golf memberships these days. Peter
It's just disgusting--and shocking to me that no one will talk about it, even as denials of antisemitism in America are a major feature of public discussion today.
Hi Claire,
As someone who also grew up on the Main Line, I'm sure you recall how the Merion Cricket Club was off limits to Jews as members in the '50's, '60's and '70's. What's interesting is to go on to Facebook and visit pages like "Main Line Memories", where people our age post nostalgia. Once in a while some tidbit about the Merion Cricket Club is posted. There is usually one comment about how the club was restricted... and oh, the battle that ensues over how true or not true that was and how the club now admits Jews, as if that is penance for its former sins.
I do indeed recall this. It is why my family never joined--as my mother said "because our friends are not welcome there." And in the late 1960s there was a huge hullabaloo about Arthur Ashe playing in a tournament there, because apparently a Black person who was not a servant had never set foot inside. Vile.
Hi, Claire, Great subject. When I moved to Orlando in the 1990s, there were still golf clubs that were "restricted." I think that's not the case these days, but it's not like I'm trying for golf memberships these days. Peter
It's just disgusting--and shocking to me that no one will talk about it, even as denials of antisemitism in America are a major feature of public discussion today.