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Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular & the New Land Kindle & comiXology

by Harvey Pekar (Editor), Paul Buhle (Editor), Neal Gabler (Introduction), Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
A “fascinating and enlightening” collection of comics and writings that explore the Yiddish language and the Jewish experience (The Miami Herald).

We hear words like nosh, schlep, and schmutz, but how did they come to pepper American English? In Yiddishkeit, Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle trace the far-reaching influences of Yiddish from medieval Europe to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side. This comics anthology contains original stories by such notable writers and artists as Barry Deutsch, Peter Kuper, Spain Rodriguez, and Sharon Rudahl. Through illustrations, comics art, and a full-length play, four major themes are explored: culture, performance, assimilation, and the revival of the language.

“The book is about what Neal Gabler in his introduction labels ‘Jewish sensibility.’…he writes: ‘You really can’t define Yiddishkeit neatly in words or pictures. You sort of have to feel it by wading into it.’ The book does this with gusto.” —TheNew York Times

“As colorful, bawdy, and charming as the culture it seeks to represent.” —Print magazine

“Brimming with the charm and flavor of its subject…a genuinely compelling, scholarly comics experience.” —Publishers Weekly

“A book that truly informs about Jewish culture and, in the process, challenges readers to pick apart their own vocabulary.” —Chicago Tribune

“A postvernacular tour de force.” —The Forward

“With a loving eye Pekar and Buhle extract moments and personalities from Yiddish history.” —Hadassah

“Gorgeous comix-style portraits of Yiddish writers.”––Tablet 

“Yiddishkeit has managed to survive, if just barely…because [it] is an essential part of both the Jewish and the human experience.” —Neal Gabler, author of An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood, from his introduction

“A scrumptious smorgasbord of comics, essays, and illustrations…concentrated tastes, with historical context, of Yiddish theater, literature, characters and culture.” —Heeb magazine
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  1. Part of Series
    Yiddishkeit
  2. Print length
    240 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    ABRAMS Comic Arts
  5. Publication date
    April 15, 2012
  6. Grade level
    Preschool and up
  7. File size
    522.3 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Not Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Buhle, retired from Brown University, has written and edited 42 books, including the award-winning Art of Harvey Kurtzman, Jews and American Comics, and the three-volume Jews and American Popular Culture. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Harvey Pekar (1939–2010) is best known for his autobiographical comic book series American Splendor and Our Cancer Year, which was made into an Academy Award–nominated film starring Paul Giamatti in 2003.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B089DWCKVT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ABRAMS Comic Arts; Bilingual edition (April 15, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 15, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 522.3 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Neil Kleid

    Neil Kleid

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Xeric-Award winning graphic novelist Neil Kleid authored the acclaimed graphic novels NINETY CANDLES, BROWNSVILLE and THE BIG KAHN. With the late Alex Nino, he adapted Jack London’s novel THE CALL OF THE WILD into comics for Penguin Books; did the opposite for the seminal Marvel Comics' storyline SPIDER-MAN: KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT; co-authored(with Brian Michael Bendis) POWERS: THE SECRET HISTORY OF DEENA PILGRIM for MacMillan Books, an original prose novel based on the award-winning comic; and penned THE PHOENIX CHASE, an original X-Men novel for Aconyte Books / Marvel debuting May 2023. Neil also co-authored the Young Adult food adventure graphic novel SAVOR for Dark Horse Comics, and THE PANIC, a New York subway thriller with Andrea Mutti, was released from Dark Horse Comics in partnership with Comixology Originals. He lives with wife, kids, dog and a grill in New Jersey by way of Detroit.

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/neilkleid

    IG: https://instagram.com/neilkleid

    See more on the author's page
  2. David Lasky

    David Lasky

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Seattle artist David Lasky co-authored the graphic novel "Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song," which won comics’ Eisner Award in 2013. He continues to work on various comics and graphic novel projects while teaching comics both online and in person.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's content fascinating and enlightening, with one review noting it's packed with information and humor. The artwork receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting how the artwork and text complement each other exactly.

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9 customers mention "Content"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content fabulous and interesting, describing it as enlightening and amazing, with one customer noting it is packed with information and humor.

"...Which I never knew. This book is FULL of so much insightful info. I just had to own it. I know I'll be reading and re-reading it...." Read more

"...in conventional text, in the form of plays, stories and glossaries of Yiddish vernacular. Required reading for any thinking person, young or old...." Read more

"...The artwork and the text are exactingly complementary. Yiddishkeit is a state of mind; a sense of being...." Read more

"Probably the best introduction to "mamaloshen" (Yiddish) life and particularly the rich literature of novels, short stories,..." Read more

3 customers mention "Art quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the art quality of the book, with one noting that the artwork and text are exactly complementary.

"Very good." Read more

"This work is obviously a labor of love. The artwork and the text are exactingly complementary. Yiddishkeit is a state of mind; a sense of being...." Read more

"very nice, but in comic way" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Trixie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulously informative, entertaining, enlightening book!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Found this at Santa Monica Library. Thought it would be a fun journey. Instead, I found myself discovering so much about my heritage. Which I never knew. This book is FULL of so much insightful info. I just had to own it. I know I'll be reading and re-reading it.

    Yiddish culture is woven into American life in so many ways. I'm sure that's true for many in Europe as well. I had no idea!!

    Seller sent promptly. Great price and condition. Good stuff!
    Helpful
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  • Daniel Gezari
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Yiddishkeit is a kind of Rosetta Stone to the essentially lost secular culture of the European and later New York Jews. Surprisingly, it's mostly a "graphic novel" (cartoon format), but it's not a novel. It's a historical guide to the greatest writers, thinkers and social activists of the non-religious Yiddish-speaking world of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Also included many very entertaining sections in conventional text, in the form of plays, stories and glossaries of Yiddish vernacular. Required reading for any thinking person, young or old. This is a very important book. Highly recommended.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Steve Sterner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Very good.
    Helpful
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  • E Green
    4.0 out of 5 stars Yiddishkeit Lives
    Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This work is obviously a labor of love. The artwork and the text are exactingly complementary. Yiddishkeit is a state of mind; a sense of being. This book goes to great lengths to show how Yiddishkeit diffused into American culture. More than a delight for the eyes or mind, this work brings back that most precious of our mental constructs, memories.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • David F. Marshall
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Story-Board Introduction to Yiddish Life and Letters
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Probably the best introduction to "mamaloshen" (Yiddish)
    life and particularly the rich literature of novels, short stories,
    and drama. A necessity for anyone who is interested in one
    of the major literatures written in Europe and more specifically
    in America in the last century. Absolutely fascinating!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Evelyn Weissman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Yiddishkeit
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I love this book! It was a trip down memory lane for me as well as a visual adventure.
    Well written, well illustrated and packed with information and humor.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • bernard5293
    5.0 out of 5 stars a dank!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Seen from Europe, it's perhaps only in USA than Yiddish is still a living language: this book offers a brillant evidence, with comic strips as modern media, how transplant succeeeded!
    Helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Fabulous interesting content!
    One person found this helpful
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