Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor's Son (Penguin Classics)

Good books

I have been enjoying this book very much. If you are expecting it to follow the movie you will be disappointed because it doesn't. The movie is a bit better in my opinion probably because I was exposed to the movie years ago and still enjoy re-watching the movie. The written content is sad more than anything. Tevye has his ups and downs and he has a very tender heart. The down times in his life are intense to him. He struggles on and doesn't give up. I watched a documentary about the author and that is what made me decide to purchase the book. I'm not disappointed. A piece of history that was way before I was born. Makes me grateful that I did not have it as hard as those generations before me.

These are stories I heard as a very young child and then were read to me by my Mother and Grandmother. When I got older and could read, I did so from the very used copy in our book case. Now I can reread and remember my heritage.

The stories are great but the copy I received was missing a couple of pages at the end from 368 to the end.

Read it! Such a lovely work of art.

Sholem Aleichem was a very human writer

Loved the stories and the culture depicted

Shalom Aleichem's humor and craftsmanship is a gift to behold! He's a must-read for anyone and everyone interested in the history of Eastern European Jewry. I've read "Motl" probably 20 times and never tire of it.

This is the classic Yiddish tale by Ukrainian Aleichem (1859-1916) written between 1894 and 1910. I wasn't aware that this is the story from which the famous `Fiddler of the Roof' (and my favourite musical) came from.Teyve is a poor Jewish dairy farmer who tells Sholem, himself, his family tale in simple yet poignant language. He has 6 or 7 daughters by Golde and needs to marry them off - you probably know that in descending age they choose less and less acceptable partners rendering Teyve seemingly powerless to events and certainly as a pogrom approaches. The sad tale unfolds with the Jewish faith and Teyve's view on life and God taking centre stage. The tale is remarkably similar to the musical but significantly explains how he got his cows/farm and more importantly has a fourth daughter after Chava. The differences and similarities make this a really good read, but it is still excellent as a novel on its own merits for the stylish feeling of empathy you get for Tevye's lot.Quotes"So I went out and greeted them with a hearty sholem Aleichem. "Welcome", I said "What are you doing here, my dear neighbours? What good news do you bring?. The mayor, Ivan Poperilo, stepped forward and said without any preliminaries, "We have come here, Tevye, to beat you up""There is a God above. I am not saying my God or your God, I am speaking of the God of all of us, who sits above and sees all the wickedness that goes on down below"I loved the musical and love the book in equal measure.The book also includes the unfinished novel "Motl the Cantor's son". This was also written by Aleichem. It is actually the larger proportion of the book. It too is told in first person by Molt, a young boy of about 8. He loses his father early on and he takes us on his journey, with his ever tear full mother and married brother, to America.I don't think it particularly matters that the story does literally end mid chapter since there has been an awful lot of story before hand. The tale depicts the emigration of the poor Jewish family and their subsequent efforts to make a living.

It is not the film script. It is far more real and well worth the read. The grinding poverty and hopelessness of many Jews is well expressed, and Tevye's contrasting optimism makes him seem doubly alive to the reader, and the reader more sympathetic to him.This is a slice of history fictionalised, but clearly a history well expressed.

The story of Tevye reminds me so much of the film, and isn't as good, without the songs I've only just started Motl the Cantor's son, but it looks even better.

Boring

great story teller