I’m sure most of you, even if you haven’t read Dickens, recognize the name Fagin as that of the notorious pickpocket from Oliver Twist. The character has long been controversial because of the depiction of his Jewishness. Allison Epstein’s Fagin the Thief seeks to humanize the man behind the stereotype by providing a backstory, motivation, and context beyond what is offered in the original novel. It’s a bold move to try to improve on a classic work of literature, especially one written by a master […]