The Golem: A New Translation of the Classic Play and Selected Short Stories [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Joachim Neugroschel (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 2006

In this collection of fictional writings, the Golem of Jewish folklore is both hero and villain.

The Golem, a creature made of clay and brought to life by Rabbi Leyb of Prague in the sixteenth century, has provided an enticing subject for fiction writers since the legend began. In some works, Rabbi Leyb gives birth to the Golem to help the Jews with the overbearing burden of their work. In others, the Golem is the protector of the Jews, keeping watch during the nights before Passover to make sure that a Gentile does not plant evidence for a blood libel in a Jewish home. But the powerful Golem can also lose control and have to be destroyed. Joachim Neugroschel has brought together some of the best work featuring the Golem, including H. Leivick's masterful blank verse play; Yudl Rosenberg's "pamphlet" full of Golem tales; and stories by S. Bastomski, Dovid Frishman, and Y. L. Peretz, which he translates fluidly from the Yiddish.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joachim Neugroschel has translated some two hundred books including those by Nobel laureates Thomas Mann, Albert Schweitzer, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Hermann Hesse, and 2004 laureate Elfriede Jelinek. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (August 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393050882
• ISBN-13: 978-0393050882
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,065,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elfriede Jelinek was born in Austria in 1946 and grew up in Vienna where she attended the famous Music Conservatory. The leading Austrian writer of her generation, she has been awarded the Heinrich B?ll Prize for her contribution to German literature. The film by Michael Haneke of The Piano Teacher won the three main prizes at Cannes in 2001. In 2004, Elfriede Jelinek was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nicely done, December 9, 2006

By 

D. J. Glassman (State College, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Golem: A New Translation of the Classic Play and Selected Short Stories (Hardcover)

Neugroschel's book assembles most major Yiddish legends of the golem, with the primary ones being from Yudl Rosenberg's tales and the famous play by H. Leivick. The translation is easily readible and compares well with other translations (although in this book, the Maharal's name is rendered "Leyb" instead of the usual "Lowe", which takes a minute to get used to). If you're interested at all in Jewish mysticism and legend, this is one of the best compilations.