Description:
A treasure trove of anecdotes that illuminate the lives, humor, and wisdom of Eastern European Jewish communities from the 18th and 19th centuries. A bestseller nearly a century ago in its original Yiddish and now brought to renewed life in translation by Jonathan Boyarin and Jonah Sampson Boyarin, these stories capture the essence of a world where tradition and ingenuity intertwined. From rabbis and scholars to everyday figures, the tales are alternately heartwarming, sharp, and deeply human, preserving the oral folklore of a vibrant culture at risk of being forgotten. This collection invites readers to laugh, reflect, and connect with the enduring spirit of Yiddishland's Jews.
Brief description: Jonathan Boyarin is the Diann G. and Thomas A. Mann Professor of Modern Jewish Studies at Cornell University. His most recent previous book is Yeshiva Days: Learning on the Lower East Side (Princeton).
Review Quotes:
"A collaboration of father and son, this fascinating collection of anecdotes, many hundreds of them, pays homage to notable forefathers. Funny, strange, and serious they are and beautifully translated from Yiddish for the first time. These anecdotes are testimony to the power of storytelling to conjure an entire world into being and rescue it from oblivion."
-Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, co-author, Image Before My Eyes: A Photographic History of Jewish Life in Poland, 1864-1939
"When extremely talented Yiddish translators offer a book to us in English, it is a cause for celebration. As the Story Goes is a gift, especially for those of us who are hungry for authenticity. Can one call a book delicious? This one surely is. Every page contains nourishing glimpses into a world that is no longer but whose ideas are eternal. Every reader of this gem of a book will be grateful for the opportunity to encounter the 'old country' through these profound and enriching stories and sayings."
-Arthur Kurzweil, author, The Persistence of Memory: My Father's Ukrainian Shtetl-A Holocaust Reckoning
"A delightful and penetrating part of Jewish cultural inheritance that I hadn't realized was so sorely missing. This book is an invitation to step right inside a vibrant 'Yiddishland' culture at once hilarious, painful, genuine, wise and dripping with ironic wit. Each story is a precious gem, whether the witty one-liner or intricate story within a story, touching on so many aspects of the political, social, religious, historical landscape of the times in the most matter-of-fact unassuming ways. I found myself laughing out loud and moved to tears."
-Rabbi Aviva Richman