THE NEW JOYS OF YIDDISH

THE JOYS OF YIDDISH is hard to characterize. Not purely humor, not truly historical, the book is a tribute to and demonstration of the way this seemingly forgotten language invades everyday English language and culture. In this newly revised edition of Rosten's classic, an ensemble featuring actor Ron Rifkin and others brings to life the sprit of Yiddish, with examples of how this language's use of accent and nuance impacts American culture. While some readers speak too quickly, they should be forgiven. As Leo Rosten might say, "What else would you expect?" (Of course, depending upon which word you accent, this sentence, like the depth of Yiddish itself, may have widely differing meanings.) D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]