The Old Country

by Sholom Aleichem, Julius Butwin (Translator), Frances Butwin (Translator)

Stories

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Judaica, Jewish, Literature, Judaism

434 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1946

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

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the author of the stories that inspired Fiddler on the Roof! There's a lot of charm here, so much humor and pathos in relating the vicissitudes of life (self-inflicted or not).

[Dallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable selection of stories from the author who inspired "Fiddler on the Roof." The stories read as though told verbally, using a conversational style. It was amazing to see how completely the characters accepted the pervasive anti-semitism surrounding their shtetl existence as though it were simply inevitable, incorporating it even into their humor.

The selection left me wanting to read more of Sholem Aleichem's works, and wishing that I had a way to experience the conversational style in the original yiddish.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The humanity brought forth in this beautiful time piece, polished by Butwin and Butwin, is much appreciated over 100 years later. The author critiqued the cultures that persecuted the Jewish villagers but also the village culture that tended to easily ostracize and harshly judge anyone that didn’t obediently “take their place” in the hierarchy (see “A Daughter’s Grave” and the story about the shammes with the son that left to study medicine). Aleichem’s portraits are multi-layered, each aspect revealed through dialogue, actions, and costuming. Truly, he was a master observer of humankind.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of this. It’s highly uneven from a modern sensibility. All the women are nagging shrews. Many of the stories have a thread of self-hating stereotyping (all Jews are obsessed with money, for example), which was just unbearable. The Tevye stories were probably my favorite, and I was charmed that the language from some of the stories was used verbatim in Fiddler On the Roof. :)

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of these stories are included in the omnibus publication of Butwin & Butwin's translation efforts, which I have reviewed here....

The Favorite Stories of Sholom Aleichem, trans Butwin & Butwin, 1990
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Risa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these are hard to read, and some are completely bewitching. I'm glad I read them, anyway.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing little stories of holidays and celebrations for Jewish holidays. So happy to have discovered translations of Sholom Aleichem. Little glossary in the back proves helpful.

[lifeisjustablurblog]

Read ‘The town of the little people’

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the humor in these didn’t necessarily hold up for me but it does capture a very specific kind of story that was very interesting to me.

[Jgknobler · Rating 3 out of 5]

From my late parents' bookshelf. I found myself reading with an eye toward figuring out whether this is indeed the life my grandparents lead. Perhaps somewhat, but I believe my maternal set had already drifted away from some of the traditional religious practices before leaving Russia in the early 1900's. At any rate, many of these are stories about "schlemiels," hapless, unlucky men hoping to improve their lives in some small but generally unattainable way. None of the stories has a female protagonist. The food sounds great!

[Edwin Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy to read, mostly less than 20 page short stories. All a window into the life of Jews of eastern Europe who have been persecuted off and on for centuries because they stubbornly held to most all their beliefs and religious customs from the days of Moses, to exile in Babylon and throughout the world since Roman times and the rise of Christianity.

All told with humor that in hindsight is so sad when we now know almost no Jews live this way anymore since the Holocaust wiped out over 90% of the whole population.

[Abby Cember · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know what it means to be an Ashkenazi or Russian Jew (and how we possibly made it), read this collection. I'm so glad I pulled this volume randomly out of the shelves of my grandparents' library! I read a story every morning for a couple of weeks to lift my spirits and be able face the day.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were a rich man...dai-da-dai-da-da-di-da...

[Boris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sholem Aleichem is at his best describing life in the Pale. It's more a collection of stories than a novel. Each story stands on its own.

[Jordan St. Stier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Book, sometimes dull, sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, sometimes thought-provoking, worth the read.