Sholom Aleichem Books

Sholom Aleichem became a central figure in Yiddish literature, renowned for the naturalness of his characters' speech and the accuracy of his descriptions of shtetl life. His narratives skillfully captured authentic moments of Jewish life, with early critics often highlighting the cheerfulness of his characters as a means of coping with adversity. Later critics, however, discerned a deeper, tragic undertone within his writing. Often referred to as the "Jewish Mark Twain" due to stylistic similarities and the use of pen names, his work resonated with both adult and child audiences.

My First Love Affair and Other Stories
384 pages
14 hours of reading
The 20 selections in this volume, lovingly translated by Curt Leviant with all the warmth and spirit of the original Yiddish, encomapss some of Sholom Aleichem’s finest tales, among them “Progress in Kasrilevke,” “Summer Romances,” “Birth,” “There’s No Dead,” “Someone to Envy,” “Three Widows,” “Homesick,” “On America,” “A Home Away from Home,” “To the Hot Springs,” and the title story.Filled with richly atmospheric details and accurate, affectionate characterizations, this collection is sure to delight devotees of this incomparable master of satire and wit.
The Song of Songs
112 pages
4 hours of reading
A tender Jewish tale follows the story of a young boy named Shimek who finds himself falling in love with Buzie, the daughter of his deceased brother, and due to shyness can only express his feelings through quoting the Bible. 15,000 first printing.
Kasrylewka
288 pages
11 hours of reading
Inside Kasrilevke is full of the special magic of Sholom Aleichem: the clear view, the kind of knowing that would break the spirit if it were not reported with a wry smile and a loving heart. It is written in the form of a guidebook to the author's small, legendary home town, revisited after years in the great world. The growing town has streetcars ("Where do we start?" "Today"). It has hotels ("But if it isn't just so, don't blame me"). It has restaurants, bars, a theater ("The one and only Adler from America"). But before these monstrous modernities befell the author, they had befallen the townspeople themselves, whose survival had come to depend on an indignant acceptance of indignity from fellow man and, let it be whispered, from God Himself. Ben Shahn's delightful drawings are not mere illustrations of incidents and a way of life; the people of the town are realized and project themselves off the page.

My First Love Affair and Other Stories

The Song of Songs

Kasrylewka