Customer Reviews

How to Be a Mentsh (and Not a Shmuck)

5 star:		(6)
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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Michael Wex's new book "How to be a Mentsh (& not a Shmuck) couldn't be more timely. Not only is it the perfect read for those doing the spiritual house cleaning that goes with the imminent Jewish New Year, it also lets one appreciate the poetic justice of an item like this (culled from a CNN news story):

"By early Thursday, genuine tweets about Wilson were interspersed with ads for male erectile dysfunction: "Joe Wilson Cialis $1.9 Viagra $1.1 (Web site address)"

In the book, we learn that the word "shmuck" is a highly nuanced synonym for the membrum virilis, so its comically appropriate that the medicine for a dysfunctional shmuck should accrue to someone who acted like a shmuck.

In fact, that's what this book does- like all really good books, it gives you a new lens with which to view the world. It installs in your consciousness a virtual Mentsh-O-Meter (or shmuckometer) and you may find yourself, like I have, observing the needle waver from Shmuck to Mentsh with every character you meet, whether in fiction, the news, or in your life. And, most significantly, it has a way of interposing itself on your own actions and decisions.

All in all, a fun read, with the encyclopedic insight and wit that Wex brought to his previous works.

The best book on the subject since Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people." This book is a must read on so many levels. First, for social misfits who can't seem to figure out why folks avoid them, and breath mints turn out not to be the answer: Read this. You'll learn why. Dilemmas of the daily kind are solved with historical and cultural details. And for linguists, this book will tell you where your favorite words come from, but not only that, you'll learn why. The book masquerades as a coffee table novelty (read bathroom mainstay), but is in fact a treatise on how to be human in a world of mush heads. It balances beautifully the intellectual with the fun. And if you start with this, you won't want to miss Born to Kvetch. For Jews and Gentiles alike. Nope, I'm not paid to write this. These books are simply great.

Rather than be a post-ironic riff on a dippy "self help" book, the kind that seem to clog the shelves these day, this tome actually contains news you can use. It may go a long way in explaining every day Jewish morals and ethics to non-Jews without ever sounding too esoteric or pedantic. And it's just as funny and enlightening as his other work, but this time rings a much more substantive note. Wex's scholarship on the issue of how to present yourself as a fully formed person rivals, or surpasses, that of many so called "Bible" scholars that have commented on similar subjects as well. Gets my highest recommendation.

This book has actually already had an influence on my life. First of all, I love the cover. The retro colors and design are amazing and fit the contents of the book, which has actually helped me already to solve some issues I've had with some frenemies of mine. The book takes you through a journey of "how to be" in the world. Like, how to live among other people. But its NOT a self-help book at all. Its actually a hilarious read from start to finish. Its the kind of book you can give your teenager's teachers to use in class, because it combines humor with etymology with Jewish history. I was amazed at how much I loved it. Well, not totally amazed. I read Born to Kvetch too after hearing Terry Gross interview Michael Wex on NPR and loved that and gave it to lots of my friends as a gift. This book is a wonderful sequel to that, the connecting points being Jews, language and lots of fun. I am also really impressed with Mr/ Wex's knowledge of history and Jewish ethics. I will buy a bunch of these as gifts this year, for sure.

In the 18th century, Freiherr Adolph Franz Friedrich Ludwig Knigge wrote a sociological and social-psychological book on "Interaction with Men" which is actually better than its reputation. In German, "Knigge" has become a standard phrase for these kind of works. For me, I will substitute "Knigge" with "Wex." "How to Be a Mentsh (& Not a Shmuck)" is not just a work by a gifted enlightener like Knigge has been; it's the work of a scholar who sums up the essence of his knowledge to analyse human interaction -- and it is the work of an exceptional entertainer. Grounded in the talmud and the commentaries, the book is a great ride through many fields on the way to understand what happens when one human being encounters another. It is very well written, funny and an intellectual challenge at the same time. And it's not a guide (although it can be read as one). From what I've read by the author since the mid-nineties, there's only one challenge left for him; the hardest: Michael Wex should write a book for kids. Five stars and my highest recommendations.

This is one of the most influential books I've read in many years. I've already sent copies to friends and family and it is always a source of discussion when we're together.

Have not read it yet, but look forward to a good read.
The purchasing process was uneventful.

I purchased this book with the idea of giving it to a young person as worthy advise, but after reading part way through, I saw that it was totally inapropriate. My opinion is that it is not worth the paper it is written on.