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A Small Town is a World
A Small Town is a World The "Rabbi Stories" of David Kossoff SIGNED COPY
- GenresHumor
192 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1980
About the author
David Kossoff
31 books6 followersKossoff was born in London, the youngest of three children, to poor Russian Jewish immigrant parents. In its obituary of David Kossoff, The Scotsman wrote how he was "a man of deep convictions and proud of his Jewish origins".
Kossoff started working in light entertainment on British television in the years following World War II. His best known television roles were the hen-pecked husband Alf Larkin in The Larkins, first broadcast in 1958, and a Jewish furniture maker in A Little Big Business.
He was also well known for his story-telling skills, particularly with regard to reinterpreting the Bible. His best known book, also a television series, is The Book of Witnesses (1971), in which he turned the Gospels into a series of monologues. He also retold dozens of Old Testament and Apocrypha stories in Bible Stories (1968).
Following the death in 1976 of his son Paul, guitarist with the band Free, Kossoff established the Paul Kossoff Foundation which aimed to present the realities of drug addiction to children. Kossoff spent the remainder of his life campaigning against drugs. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he toured with a one-man stage performance about the death of his son and its effect on the family.
He died in 2005 of liver cancer at age 85. He was cremated and interred at the Golders Green Crematorium.
Obituaries:
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obi...
http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/kos...
Kossoff started working in light entertainment on British television in the years following World War II. His best known television roles were the hen-pecked husband Alf Larkin in The Larkins, first broadcast in 1958, and a Jewish furniture maker in A Little Big Business.
He was also well known for his story-telling skills, particularly with regard to reinterpreting the Bible. His best known book, also a television series, is The Book of Witnesses (1971), in which he turned the Gospels into a series of monologues. He also retold dozens of Old Testament and Apocrypha stories in Bible Stories (1968).
Following the death in 1976 of his son Paul, guitarist with the band Free, Kossoff established the Paul Kossoff Foundation which aimed to present the realities of drug addiction to children. Kossoff spent the remainder of his life campaigning against drugs. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he toured with a one-man stage performance about the death of his son and its effect on the family.
He died in 2005 of liver cancer at age 85. He was cremated and interred at the Golders Green Crematorium.
Obituaries:
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obi...
http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/kos...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 10, 2017
An entertaining collection of stories by the multi-talented David Kossoff, and also illustrated with his line drawings. The author has set these folk tales in his fictional Polish town of "Klaneshtetl". They are humorous and touching; often unexpected but with a wise "message".
David Kossoff was well known additionally as an actor, and was a popular raconteur of Bible stories for children on television in the 1960's. It says a lot for his appeal that there are two reviews printed on this book. One is by the "Jewish Echo" and the other by the "Church of England Newspaper". It is doubtful whether many such writers would appeal to both institutions. But one does not really need to be affiliated to any religion to appreciate these poignant stories.
Another of his books is "You have a minute, Lord?"
David Kossoff was well known additionally as an actor, and was a popular raconteur of Bible stories for children on television in the 1960's. It says a lot for his appeal that there are two reviews printed on this book. One is by the "Jewish Echo" and the other by the "Church of England Newspaper". It is doubtful whether many such writers would appeal to both institutions. But one does not really need to be affiliated to any religion to appreciate these poignant stories.
Another of his books is "You have a minute, Lord?"
March 2, 2017
Delightful!
February 14, 2025
I met David in the late 70s when he visited Halesowen to talk about his life as an actor, his son, and his new book. At the time, he was a celebrated storyteller, having recently appeared on Parkinson, the talk show. My parents adored him and insisted their reluctant teenager (me!) tag along.
David had suffered a devastating loss a few years earlier. His son, Paul Kossoff, was a renowned guitarist with the band Free, but tragically, he died of a drug overdose. After Paul’s death, David became a passionate advocate for raising awareness of drug harm—a brave and vital mission, especially in an era when recreational drug use was widespread and its dangers poorly understood.
What I remember most is how David spoke. Not with authority, but with a quiet kindness and a gentle strength that commanded attention. His hands moved as he spoke, filling the spaces between his words, and his silences carried as much weight as his sentences. He shared his pain, his wisdom, and his desire for a better world with such openness that it struck me deeply. His story of loss and his determination to make a difference left a mark on me—I’ve feared drugs ever since, always saying no. He wasn’t acting that night; he was simply himself. Looking back, I wish I’d appreciated more the greatness I was witnessing.
David’s storytelling extended beyond the spoken word to his writing. A Small Town is a World is a collection of parables, set in a fictional Jewish town where the Rabbi is at the heart of everything. The stories are simple yet profound, offering timeless lessons on how to live a life of kindness and purpose. It’s a world where struggles are shared, life is less complicated, and community provides strength. That sense of safety and humanity resonated with me as much as David’s words that night.
It wasn’t “cool” to cry back then, so I didn’t, but I couldn’t speak for a while afterward. It was a moment of growth for me—one that helped shape the person I’ve become.
Was the book a bestseller? No. But for those who’ve read it, I believe its wisdom lingers.
David Kossoff’s story and his book remind me of the immense power of storytelling—whether spoken or written. Stories shape lives. They challenge us, inspire us, and sometimes, they save us.
David had suffered a devastating loss a few years earlier. His son, Paul Kossoff, was a renowned guitarist with the band Free, but tragically, he died of a drug overdose. After Paul’s death, David became a passionate advocate for raising awareness of drug harm—a brave and vital mission, especially in an era when recreational drug use was widespread and its dangers poorly understood.
What I remember most is how David spoke. Not with authority, but with a quiet kindness and a gentle strength that commanded attention. His hands moved as he spoke, filling the spaces between his words, and his silences carried as much weight as his sentences. He shared his pain, his wisdom, and his desire for a better world with such openness that it struck me deeply. His story of loss and his determination to make a difference left a mark on me—I’ve feared drugs ever since, always saying no. He wasn’t acting that night; he was simply himself. Looking back, I wish I’d appreciated more the greatness I was witnessing.
David’s storytelling extended beyond the spoken word to his writing. A Small Town is a World is a collection of parables, set in a fictional Jewish town where the Rabbi is at the heart of everything. The stories are simple yet profound, offering timeless lessons on how to live a life of kindness and purpose. It’s a world where struggles are shared, life is less complicated, and community provides strength. That sense of safety and humanity resonated with me as much as David’s words that night.
It wasn’t “cool” to cry back then, so I didn’t, but I couldn’t speak for a while afterward. It was a moment of growth for me—one that helped shape the person I’ve become.
Was the book a bestseller? No. But for those who’ve read it, I believe its wisdom lingers.
David Kossoff’s story and his book remind me of the immense power of storytelling—whether spoken or written. Stories shape lives. They challenge us, inspire us, and sometimes, they save us.
April 27, 2020
This is perhaps a strange thing to say about a book that I really enjoyed, but I would have preferred fewer stories! I would have edited out the best and then fleshed them out. As it stands, without exception, they *are* just 3, 4, 5 page vignettes - I was aching for more description. It's only by the time you get three-quarters through that you've built-up a sense of place and what the recurring characters are like and, even then, it's something of an outline that requires your brain to fill in what's not there. Me, I wanted to know what the candles in the place of worship were like, what the tramp was wearing, anything in the way of extraneous detail. I could have hung-on for the punchline.
I haven't read the other reviews yet, but I suspect this will inevitably be compared to the Don Camillo books. However there's no overarching conventional politics to be found here and no literal conversations with the divine. Here, where Don Camillo 'works' alone, Rabbi Mark's wife Sophie is equally in partnership, providing the brains behind the advice, the anecdote or the one-liner that makes all the difference. By the end you will realise the aptness of the title.
I haven't read the other reviews yet, but I suspect this will inevitably be compared to the Don Camillo books. However there's no overarching conventional politics to be found here and no literal conversations with the divine. Here, where Don Camillo 'works' alone, Rabbi Mark's wife Sophie is equally in partnership, providing the brains behind the advice, the anecdote or the one-liner that makes all the difference. By the end you will realise the aptness of the title.
February 21, 2023
A set of short stories set in the "Pale of Settlement" towards the end of the Russian Czarist era.
The stories are easy to read and amusing but more importantly they are designed to make you think. I think that to get full value out of the book no more than one story should be read in a day and you then think about that story. At that rate the book will last 49 days. For me I had too much desire to read the stores and I got through the book in a couple of days.
The stories are easy to read and amusing but more importantly they are designed to make you think. I think that to get full value out of the book no more than one story should be read in a day and you then think about that story. At that rate the book will last 49 days. For me I had too much desire to read the stores and I got through the book in a couple of days.
January 30, 2024
Delightful book. Stories that make you smile and some laugh.
March 24, 2010
this book is pretty fun and makes some points. really enjoyed it.
January 5, 2012
In truth, I should probably give this 3, not 4 stars. I like it, but I like it more because it was given to me by my grandfather.
January 27, 2016
An old favourite that doesn't age.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews