Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All of Its Moods (P.S.)

asked by motivations on November 23, 2006 6:13 PM

A delightful excursion through the Yiddish language, the culture it defines and serves, and the fine art of complaint

Throughout history, Jews around the world have had plenty of reasons to lament. And for a thousand years, they've had the perfect language for it. Rich in color, expressiveness, and complexity, Yiddish has proven incredibly useful and durable. Its wonderful phrases and idioms impeccably reflect the mind-set that has enabled the Jews of Europe to survive a millennium of unrelenting persecution . . . and enables them to kvetch about it!

Michael Wex-professor, scholar, translator, novelist, and performer-takes a serious yet unceasingly fun and funny look at this remarkable kvetch-full tongue that has both shaped and has been shaped by those who speak it. Featuring chapters on curse words, food, sex, and even death, he allows his lively wit and scholarship to roam freely from Sholem Aleichem to Chaucer to Elvis.

Perhaps only a khokhem be-layle (a fool, literally a "sage at night," when there's no one around to see) would care to pass up this endearing and enriching treasure trove of linguistics, sociology, history, and folklore-an intriguing appreciation of a unique and enduring language and an equally fascinating culture.

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Reviews

Born to Kvetch is, at one time, informative, enlightening, synical, humorous, and irreligious. I learned so much about the Yiddish language, Jewish mores and their beginnings, Jewish and Yiddish history and interpersonal relations. At times I was in tears of laughter or a tear of sadness; amazed or embarrassed and often shocked by Michael Wex's irreverence.

Loved it all.

reviewed by shakeonit on November 27, 2006 1:11 PM

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Michael Wex has written a book that is both scholarly and hilarious! He has succeeded in describing the complex origins of the Yiddish language with the humor of a stand-up comedian. This book is not for those unfamiliar with Jewish-Yiddish culture. The humor will be lost for you. However, for those who grew up in such an environment, you will find yourself laughing outloud. Some of his descriptions regarding the development of Yiddish are a bit confusing, but for the most part, this book is an enjoyable read and an accurate portrayal of Yiddish culture.

reviewed by porsche on November 27, 2006 1:18 PM

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Filled with insight, wisdom & humor. A great companion book to "The Joys of Yiddish"

reviewed by jerseymike on November 29, 2006 2:11 PM

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First, this is a funny book, despite the kvetchers who complain it isn't. But, it isn't *just* a funny book, it's a quite serious one.

The sociology of Ashkenazy life mean that it has to be serious. Even there, some things were explained seriously; even the euphemisms can be more serious.

The humor, also, is never written in a Yiddish joke book style, but rather to tell how and why the humor of a particular phrase evolved.

My one big complaint/observation is that the glossary/dictionary could have been larger.

reviewed by bigben on November 29, 2006 4:54 PM

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add a new book!