Will the Tenth Commandment—“Thou shalt not covet”— forever remain as the only one of the Ten Commandments fundamentally in conflict with human nature? Is humanity capable of rejecting its basic qualities of greed and envy, character traits that have unleashed horrific death and suffering over the millennia? Can and should human nature be altered, by God or man?
These questions lie at the heart of a riveting, meticulously researched historical novel by Salem Michael Katsh, who is a scion of a famous Jewish family that traces its lineage through generations of chief rabbis and Hebrew scholars. After attending a Jewish day school in Manhattan, he studied at the Hebrew University in Israel, graduated with a B.A. from New York University College of Arts and Sciences, and a J.D. with highest honors from New York University School of Law. Katsh co-authored The Limits of Corporate Power (Macmillan 1981) and wrote more than forty articles for legal journals during his career at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and Shearman & Sterling. He has been recognized in various Who’s Who publications and Best Lawyers in America. He retired from the practice of law in 2017 to work full-time on writing novels. He lives with his wife Robin Phillips, and their ebullient Labrador retriever, Bo, in Orient Point, NY.
Alo’el’s Dissent is a fictional masterpiece from Katsh, and its unfolding story reflects an elite lawyer’s precision of expression, attention to detail, and talent for storytelling. It begins with humanity’s creation and, in a beautiful prose style laced with humor and erudition, tells a fascinating tale of improbably connected events from primeval Mesopotamia, Solomon’s ancient temple in Jerusalem, the mysterious Cairo Genizah, the timeless cataracts on the Nile River, and of a climactic battle on Elephantine Island over a magical breastplate having the power to modify human nature. The book maps the odyssey of Daniel Ornstein who is born with freakish, unnatural birthmarks on each shoulder, in the exact shape of the iconic hand configuration used by the priests in Solomon’s temple when they gave the ancient blessing to the congregation. He is the only person who can find, safely touch and activate the high priest’s magical breastplate, thought to have been lost forever when the temple was destroyed.
After years of being confronted by mysterious dreams and visions, Daniel moves to Israel in search of answers. His quest is filled with paranormal happenings and hair-raising human adventures and dangers. His journey for answers ends with his raising profound new questions for the entire human race. Will the changes Daniel presents be welcomed or cursed? Is an innately benevolent and humane world possible?
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Media ContactCompany Name: Alo’el’s DissentContact Person: Salem Michael KatshEmail: Send EmailPhone: +16467121347City: OrientState: New YorkCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://www.salemkatsh.com/