Lot 330
"Three Years in America" – Benjamin II – Study of the Life of Jews in the U.S. – Germany, 1862
Drei Jahre in Amerika, 1859-1862 / Reise in den Ostlichen Staaten der Union und San Francisco / Reise im Innern von Californien, J. J. Benjamin. Self-published in Hanover, 1862. German.
Single edition of a travel diary from a journey to the United States, undertaken by the Jewish-Romanian historian israel Joseph Benjamin, called "Benjamin II". Benjamin spent three years on the new continent, researching the history and way of life of Jews of North America. He stayed in California, living in San Francisco and visiting, among other places, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Jose, Vancouver, Oregon, Michigan and Cincinatti. In addition to his comprehensive and important description of Jewish life in North America, Benjamin was deeply impressed by the Mormons, providing an early and important description of their way of life in Salt Lake City. The author's portrait appears on the page facing the title page.
Three parts in one volume. XVI, 384, VI, 168, VIII, 132 pp., 21 cm. Good condition. Some stains. Library stamp. Tear to first title page. Cardboard binding with leather spine, slightly worn.
