Sholom Aleichem (1859–1916)

On the surface I have little in common with a 19th-century Russian Jewish peasant, yet these stories resonated with me. Tevye’s faith and his knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and teachings help him endure the hardships he encounters. Tevye’s love for his daughters reminds me of my own father. It must have been daunting to take on the job of narrating the audio version of such a well-known character. Listeners can’t help but compare this performance to Topel’s portrayal of Tevye on stage and screen. Neville Jason’s delivery far exceeded my expectation. I don’t often do rereads, but this one is worth a revisit.… (more)

In Tevye the Dairyman and The Railroad Stories, Sholem Aleichem presents character studies that are both intense and light-hearted, as well as heartwarming. I have no background in Yiddish but the new translation by Hillel Halkin flows well.

Tevye is a traveling salesman, going on regular routes to sell his dairy products. His wife and seven daughters are poor of purse but rich in spirit. Throughout the short stories, which were written over the course of a few decades, Tevye's daughters suffer tragedies and misfortunes, and become married. Despite his "woe is me" attitude, Tevye uses ironic and sarcastic humor in his everyday interactions with his family, people he meets during his travels, and in his prayers.

The second collection of stories in the book, The Railroad Stories, are recollections from various poor people in a railcar telling about life in their particular shtetl. There are a few humorous stories, but it is overshadowed by Tevye's massive personality.… (more)