Old Love

More about the book

Isaac Bashevis Singer, awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, was recognized for his “impassioned narrative art” rooted in Polish-Jewish culture, illuminating the universal human condition. His latest work, a collection of stories, continues a distinguished series that includes notable titles like *Gimpel the Fool* and *The Spinoza of Market Street*. Singer reflects on the theme of love among the old and middle-aged, emphasizing that literature often overlooks their emotions. He asserts that the art of loving matures with age and experience, a sentiment echoed in the eighteen stories presented here. In “The Psychic Journey,” a New York writer’s encounter with a clairvoyant leads to unexpected consequences during their trip to Israel. “Elka and Meir” explores the lives of burial society workers who face the Angel of Death. “One Night in Brazil” features a failed writer who funds his own publishing firm, while “The Manuscript” tells of an ex-actress making dangerous wartime trips with her lover’s novel. Other stories include “The Bus,” “A Cage for Satan,” “Brother Beetle,” “Tanhum,” and more. Irving Howe praises Singer as a genius for his original use of traditional Jewish materials and his modernist perspective, highlighting his rhythmic and verbal brilliance.