The Jewel Trader of Pegu in book reviews

author: Jeffrey Hantover

At the end of the 16th Century, there was a brisk trade in jewels from the Orient. Men traveled to the east - in this case to Burma - from Europe to buy the jewels that were so coveted.

This slim volume (220 pages) tells the story of a Jewish man from Venice (home of the first Ghetto - where the Jews were locked in at night), who travels to make his family's fortune. He is alone as both his wife and young son died in the plague. He writes letters frequently to his cousin, not knowing when the letters will arrive.

The evolution of this man, his thoughts, beliefs and habits make up this book about the differences in culture - between a European Jew and the Buddhist Peguans. He develops friendships and falls in love.

When the city-state is threatened, he has a choice to make - leave?; stay?; what to take with him.

This is a rare book in that I actually flipped to the "epilogue" before finishing it. I was too anxious to find out his fate, his future.