Family of Strangers: Building a Jewish Community in Washington State

Family of Strangers was a delight to read, especially after having hosted one of its authors, Mr Howard Droker, at our library. The book is a product of extensive research and very well done. Having been to many places in Washington and having come across several of the facts cited in this book, it brought the information to life. I especially enjoyed reading about the parts dealing with Seattle and its surrounding areas but throughout the book I had the sense that more could have been added. It seemed to present a brief overview of the many different areas in the state where development was affected in some way by the Jewish settlers. Though overall the book is a greatly needed addition to the collection of historical books on Washington state, it lacks the excitement of showing rather than telling. Nevertheless, as a whole it was an eye-opener and did present some information I had never seen before such as the Home Colony period and the existence of congregations in places like Aberdeen and the fact that there was a Jewish mayor in Port Townsend. This book should be in every library's history and/or Judaica section.