Society and Communication in Jewish American Short Stories

"The storyteller and poet of our time, as in any other time, must be an entertainer of the spirit in the full sense of the word, not just a preacher of social or political ideals. There is no paradise for bored readers and no excuse for tedious literature that does not intrigue the reader, uplift him, give him the joy and the escape that true art always grants." (Isaac Bashevis Singer, taken from http://nobelprize.org/)This book is concerned with some of the least "boring literature" ever written. It looks at first, second, and third generation Jewish American immigrants and analyzes how they deal with American society. Do they communicate with it? Do they need it in order to feel safe? Do they ignore it? Or do they feel threatened by it? The stories authors are some of the most creative and witty writers of the 20th century. Singer is known for his unique characters, Malamud for his exact analysis of Jewish life in New York City, Paley was among the first to represent the female voice in Jewish American short stories, and Philip Roth remains one of the most brilliant and controversial authors to this day.... Mehr