Customer Reviews

America and I: Short Stories by American Jewish Women Writers

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This beautiful anthology of short stories includes authors born in Europe and born in America. Some authors were familiar, such as Tillie Olsen, Joanne Greenberg, Cynthia Ozick, and Grace Paley. Some became wonderful new introductions, such as Mary Antin, Edna Ferber, and Rebecca Goldstein. Some stories tell of life in Europe; some speak of adjusting to life in America, some speak of being a child of immigrants, and some speak of owning one's identity. One particularly moving story, "Malinka's Atonement," took place in a shetl in Europe and told of a poor girl's desire to be educated, her misrepresentation that a chicken was kosher, for which she believed she must "atone," and, ultimately, the respected rabbi's apology for seeing only the chicken and not the hungry child and his offer to take her as a student. Another story, "The Girl Who Went Right," tells of a young immigrant woman's efforts to get a job in a new, big city department store by "Americanizing" her Jewish name and how she soon reclaims both her name and her identity. Yet another story, a personal favorite, "I Stand Here Ironing," tells of a woman who contemplates her efforts to provide for her family and the impact it had on her oldest daughter, who she struggles to understand -- as she anticipates yet another conference with the school principal. And one, provocative and powerful story, "The Legacy of Raizel Kaidish: A Story," tells of a daugher's moral confrontation with her mother and her own name. The book honors the experiences of women in America and Europe. Joyce Antler has capably organized the stories into four parts, from Europe, through the immigrant experience, and into the 1980's. Since first reading America and I in the early 1990's, I have given the book to my friends, their daughters, my neices, and cousins as birthday, Bat Mitzvah, and Chanukah gifts. I have used some of the stories for discussion groups, and I recall some in anecdotes I tell my children or in insights I quietly contemplate. The book is a treasure.

The first reviewer obviously can not read or lacks the ability to comprehend deep stories. This book is full of wonderfully sad stories about suffering. They are a reflection of the evil we can inflict on our fellow people. The stories provide lessons of hope and strength inspired by some of the worst attrocities of history. Do not let the poor review sway you. I too had to read many of the stories for classes, but I read the ones not assigned on my own. The book is wonderful and diverse.

This is a very fine anthology of writings by Jewish women, set according to the time period and therefore with certain themes that emerge-- i.e. immigration, assimilation, etc. A great and eclectic group of authors, includes some great standards such as I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Oson and The Shawl by Cynthia Oczick as well as work by marvelous less well known writers such as Sheila Schwartz. A very fine and much needed collection.

Wow! What a collection of some of the best women writers in the 20th century! This is a creative, emotional, and thought-provoking anthology covering a span of 100 years. Each story creates a rich and vivid world... most of them will leave you reflecting for weeks, if not for the rest of your life. I mean it! The variation of the settings, narratives, characters is astounding. They each create a piece of the tapestry of what it means to be alive. I picked this up from Amazon and then bought more for gifts... it's perfect for anyone who has short bursts of reading time and most of the stories are real page turners. It's quality literature but accessible real-life reading.

It is rare to fine an anthology as bad as this. These stories are just terribble. I had to read this for school. If you have to do the same, under any circumstances, DO NOT. Get a friend to tell you what its about. Pay your sibling. Just don't read it!!