Shevrin, Aliza (Aleichem, Shalom)

Around the Table: Family Stories of Sholom Aleichem

ISBN: 9780684192376
New York, NY: Macmillan, 1991. First Edition. Hardcover. “Here lies a plain and simple Jew, who wrote in plain and simple prose;/Wrote humor for the common folk to help them forget their woes./He scoffed at life and mocked the world, at all its foibles he poked fun./The world went on its merry way and left him stricken and undone./And while his grateful readers laughed, forgetting troubles of their own,/Midst their applause — God knows, he wept in secret and alone.”—Sholem Aleichem’s gravestone epitaph, written by Sholem Aleichem (translated from the Yiddish). Perhaps the most well-known and well-loved Yiddish writer of all time, Solomon Rabinowitz (March 2, 1859–May 13, 1916) better known by his pen-name Shalom Aleichem, was a writer who wrote with a deep understanding of humanity, compassion and empathy, and implemented a style of shrewd humor and sharp prose. “Around The Table” is a collection compiled and translated by Aliza Shevrin; writer, leading translator of Aleichem’s work, social worker with a specialty in neglected and abused children, and Ann Arbor resident. This work is a selection of writings around one of Aleichem’s favorite topics, the family. Suffused with humor, bittersweet melancholy, celebration, tradition, quarreling and laughing, “Around The Table” is a work that is as moving as it is intimate and welcoming. Aleichem’s style lends itself an air of coziness, like drinking warm tea on a cold winter’s day, or seeing a loved one after years apart. This collection is the perfect volume for those who enjoy seeing humanity in all its myriad forms, while still maintaining an air of wit and warmth; reminiscent of Ray Bradbury’s “Dandelion Wine”, Aleichem’s work cuts to the core of nostalgia and compassion, leaving the reader to reminisce about similar memories from their own lives. [ISBN: 978-0684192376]. Hardcover in unclipped dust-jacket; first edition as stated at copyright page, first printing, as indicated by number sequence thereon. Book is in very fine, nearly-pristine condition with minuscule wear to fine edges; dust-jacket is in very fine condition with minor smudging to front and back covers, and light wear to fine edges. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #5513]

Price: $25.00