Soon after emigrating from Germany to the United States; Frederick Zeh impulsively joined the army as war with Mexico loomed. His written account is the first book-length description of the Mexican War by a German-American participant—a significant contribution; given that nearly half the regular army was made up of immigrant recruits. Although Zeh held the lowly rank of "laborer" in the army; he was well educated and an astute observer; and his story is both lively and well written. Besides the horror of battles; he describes relations between officers and enlisted men; military punishment; and day-to-day life. He is unusually candid about abuses that occurred in the American army and toward Mexican civilians. The editors' introduction gives biographical information on Zeh and sets the stage for the narrative. An epilogue traces the highlights of his activities in the half-century following his military service.
#1756618 in Books State University of New York Press 1987-12-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.40 x 6.00l; 1.98 #File Name: 0887064604620 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. An excellent non-fundamentalist overview of Jewish lawBy Robert New EnglandThis book examines biblical and rabbinic law as a coherent; continuing legal tradition. The authors are religious Jews; but non-fundamentalists.The publisher writes that: "It explains the relationship between religion and law and the interaction between law and morality. Abundant selections from primary Jewish sources; many newly translated; enable the reader to address the tradition directly as a living body of law with emphasis on the concerns that are primary for lawyers; legislators; and judges. This book has a comprehensive study of how Jewish law is applied and how it has developed from the Torah; through the Mishna and Talmud; into today's era. The book studies in great detail the evolution of halakha; an compares it to its parallel development in American law. This is illustrated by mainly dealing with three issues: (1) personal injury law; (2) Smoking; and (3) Marriage and divorce. Each of these issues is compared to American law; and is studied from the Orthodox; Conservative and Reform point of view. 'A Living Tree' will be of special interest to students of law and to Jews curious about the legal dimensions of their tradition. The authors provide sufficient explanations of the sources and their significance to make it unnecessary for the reader to have a background in either Jewish studies or law. "Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff is Provost and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Judaism; and is a member of the Conservative movement's Committe on Jewish Law and Standards. Arthur Rosett is Professor of Law at the University of California at Los Angeles.
