Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676) stirred up the Jewish world of the mid-seventeenth century by claiming to be the messiah, then stunned it by suddenly converting to Islam. His story, and that of the movement he created, is a landmark event in early modern Jewish history and a dramatic example of what can happen when mystic dreams and messianic hopes combine in an explosive mixture. Now available in paperback, this book allows English readers to experience these events through the words of those who lived through them, in lucid and compelling translations by a leading authority in the field. Of the...