Customer Reviews

Isaac Bashevis Singer: Collected Stories V. 1 Gimpel the Fool to The Letter Writer (Library of America, 149) (Vol 1)

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

 

 

There is something magical about Singer's writing. It is so simple, so effortless, and yet so profound. I devoured all three volumes of the Library of America Singer short stories, and have gone on to several of the novels, as well as the children's stories. I am sure I will be going back to the short stories again and again, for the rest of my life.

The stories are great, of course. They are real stories, with plots. But since when do Library of America editions have typos? They bugged me so much that I sold it to a second-hand bookstore. It appears that Microsoft spell-check was run instead of hiring a proof-reader.

Singer always saw himself as a storyteller. And the truth is that there are stories of his, 'Gimpel the Fool' 'The Little Shoemakers' 'The Spinoza of Market Street' 'which I believe are among the best stories ever written.
Not every story is a treasure, and I admit that there are modes of Singer's writing (When he gets too dybbuked up) that do not appeal to me, but overall what humor, what , what truth , what beauty, what pain, what suffering, , what energy , what life there are in this great great work.

Every word is a jewel. Astonishing that one author can be so relentlessly energetic in his story telling. Singers knowledge, imagery and imagination is astounding. His stories dance and swirl. Not a sentence drags or is wasted. I rejoice in every moment of reading Singers literary creations - they are all vitally alive and engrossing - makes me feel that I am actually involved with what I am reading. I can't wait for the next word - better than any mystery novel. Wish I could give six stars or more. Asaf - Israel