Nineteen To the Dozen: Monologues and Bits and Bobs of Other Things

by Sholom Aleichem, Ken Frieden (Editor), Ted Gorelick (Translator)

The author of classic Yiddish novels and short stories, Sholem Aleichem—best known for having inspired the popular play, Fiddler on the Roof, evokes the voices of Yiddish speakers in these monologues written between 1901 and 1916. In each piece, a man or a woman comes forward to tell the story. The implied listeners—a rabbi, a doctor, or the author himself—says virtually nothing. Aleichem pretends to have transcribed these private performances for the reader's benefit.

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Russian-born American humorist Sholem Aleichem or Sholom Aleichem, originally Solomon Rabinowitz, in Yiddish originally wrote stories and plays, the basis for the musical Fiddler on the Roof .

He wrote under the pen name, Hebrew for "peace be upon you."

From 1883, he produced more than forty volumes as a central figure in literature before 1890.

His notable narratives accurately described shtetl life with the naturalness of speech of his characters. Early critics focused on the cheerfulness of the characters, interpreted as a way of coping with adversity. Later critics saw a tragic side. Because of the similar style of the author with the pen name of Mark Twain, people often referred to Aleichem as the Jewish version of Twain. Both authors wrote for adults and children and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States.

Reviews

[Shelley Alongi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always respect the translators of such books. This one has a great amount of humor and emphasis on local flavor, for lack of a better phrase. I love Yiddish writing. He just has a way of saying things that make me chuckle and say well that's a most unlikely analogy. Sometimes it's really interesting to note the currents of history that we see from a distance but were happening at the time, especially references to the bourgoise, if I can spell it. Aliechem died in 1916. The writing is dated but still relevant. I don't know that these words adequately describe the book. They are general observations that hold true to all his writing. This is a collection of short stories that examine the regular currents of the human condition. You won't be disappointed.