Ruth Gruber was an award-winning Jewish American journalist, photographer, and humanitarian. Born in Brooklyn in 1911, she became the youngest PhD in the world and went on to author nineteen books, including the National Jewish Book Award–winning biography Raquela (1978). She also wrote several memoirs documenting her astonishing experiences, among them Ahead of Time (1991), Inside of Time (2002), and Haven (1983), which documents her role in the rescue of one thousand refugees from Europe and their safe transport to America.
The narrative centers on Ruth Gruber, a remarkable ninety-five-year-old with a flawless memory who recounts her extraordinary life as an adventurer and international correspondent. Through her own words and photographs, she shares her experiences during World War II, highlighting her pivotal role in rescuing hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees. Gruber's unique perspective offers a vivid glimpse into history, showcasing her courage and the impact of her actions.
Focusing on the early years of Israel's statehood, this award-winning biography chronicles the life of a pioneering nurse who played a crucial role during this transformative period. Through her experiences, the book explores the challenges and triumphs faced by individuals in a newly established nation, highlighting the intersection of personal and national identity. It offers a unique perspective on the historical context and the contributions of women in the formation of modern Israel.
In 1935, while Virginia Woolf was alive and building her career as a woman writer, Ruth Gruber published a seminal essay on the novelist that is now seen as the first feminist interpretation of Woolf's writings and life. Seventy years after its original publication, Gruber's seminal critique is available once again, with new material that makes it more relevant for readers today. Virginia Woolf: The Will to Create as a Woman includes several previously unpublished letters exchanged between Woolf and Gruber, and a new introduction in which Gruber recalls her 1933 meeting with the English writer, examining the questions surrounding Woolf's bi-polar illness and anti-Semitism. In this groundbreaking assessment of Woolf's philosophy, influences, and style, Gruber laid the groundwork for a generation of future feminist analyses. She cogently examines Woolf's concept of gender and her literary influences, adeptly discussing how Woolf constructed a feminine writing style in a realm dominated by men. Above all, she shows how Woolf consciously strove to create as a woman. Virginia Woolf's experimental prose and her struggles with mental illness have made her an enduringly provocative figure, and today, more than sixty years after her suicide, Woolf's writing continues to fascinate and inspire readers.
