Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'
Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor's Son by Sholem Aleichem
1 review
kewlpinguino's review
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Firstly, I only read the Tevye portion—it was for a class, and this was the edition the school bookstore website said to get. Unfortunately, it turns out there's a different translation that comes bundled with the Railroad Stories instead that's much better. By the time I found that out, though, I was pretty much done with this version.
Setting aside the inferior translation, this was quite an interesting read. I'd been led to believe this was humorous, and at points it was, but the latter stories begin to get pretty dark and tackle serious subjects. Chronologically, the stories progress from focusing on life within the shtetl to dealing additionally persecution Jews faced. "Shprintze" finds a thematic balance, before things really culminate in "Get Thee Gone" (aka "Lekh-Lekho").
It's worth noting that if you don't know the historical background, these stories might be very confusing. If you're goyische or not educated in Jewish culture and history, you might need Google at your side to get what's happening, and I suspect the stories might generally be less interesting to you, at least on first reading. That said, for those who understand the context, these are a great exploration of turn-of-the-century Jewish life in Eastern Europe.
Setting aside the inferior translation, this was quite an interesting read. I'd been led to believe this was humorous, and at points it was, but the latter stories begin to get pretty dark and tackle serious subjects. Chronologically, the stories progress from focusing on life within the shtetl to dealing additionally persecution Jews faced. "Shprintze" finds a thematic balance, before things really culminate in "Get Thee Gone" (aka "Lekh-Lekho").
It's worth noting that if you don't know the historical background, these stories might be very confusing. If you're goyische or not educated in Jewish culture and history, you might need Google at your side to get what's happening, and I suspect the stories might generally be less interesting to you, at least on first reading. That said, for those who understand the context, these are a great exploration of turn-of-the-century Jewish life in Eastern Europe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism and Abandonment
More...