Born to Kvetch

Starred review from July 11, 2005
Fortunately, despite its title and cover photo, this is not a kitschy book about a folksy language spoken by quaint, elderly Jews. It is, rather, an earthy romp through the lingua franca of Jews, which has roots reaching back to the Hebrew Bible and which continues to thrive in 21st-century America. Canadian professor, translator and performer Wex has an academic's breadth of knowledge, and while he doesn't ignore your bubbe
's tsimmes
, he gives equal time to the semantic nuances of putz
, schmuck, shlong
and shvants
. Wex organizes his material around broad, idiosyncratic categories, but like the authors of the Talmud (the source for a large number of Yiddish idioms), he strays irrepressibly beyond the confines of any given topic. His lively wit roams freely, and Rabbi Akiva and Sholem Aleichem collide happily with Chaucer, Elvis and Robert Petrie. Academics, and others, will be disappointed at the lack of source notes, and a few errors have crept in (the fifth day of Sukkot is not Hoshana Rabba, for instance). Overall, however, this treasure trove of linguistics, sociology, history and folklore offers a fascinating look at how, through the centuries, a unique and enduring language has reflected an equally unique and enduring culture. Agent, Gareth Esersky
.

May 1, 2006
Most people's view of Yiddish is likely one of innocuous humor, whining and over-the-top curses. This extremely engaging portrait of a language reveals the droller, sharper and even more hilarious side of Yiddishkite. Like any truly excellent biographer, Wex delves deeply into aspects of Yiddish hidden in plain sight, exposing a richness and history all but lost today. Insults and kvetches
(complaints) are the only way an oppressed exile can cope: an art form of cutting down the very essence of the thing that is being insulted all the while hiding the true level of insult from anyone not steeped in the culture. The audio format adds life as intonation and pronunciation are clear but the loss of a glossary is a small misfortune. (Although the addition of track listings on the CDs is a plus.) The Canadian author's bizarre, somewhat hypnotic reading style—with its randomly elongated vowels—is a cross between Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man
character and a classic Yiddish whine. It will either continually amuse or drive listeners up the wall. Far more engrossing than linguistics should be, this audio will educate, entertain and enrich the perceptions of its listeners. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's hardcover (Reviews, July 11, 2005).

August 15, 2005
Frank, tough-minded, and profoundly honest, Wex ("Shlepping the Exile") -who grew up an Orthodox, Yiddish-speaking Jew -examines the Yiddish language from an insider's point of view. He describes the development of Yiddish throughout its history, explains the nature of the separation of Jews from gentiles as reflected in the ritual laws of kosher, and illustrates the harsh reality of European Jewish life, which is mirrored in the Yiddish language itself. Paradox, poverty, irony, and superstition (the secret heart of Yiddish) are described by example and through comparison to present-day popular culture. Other topics include the development of Yiddish words, expressions, and idioms; the nature of Jewish exile; kvetching (or complaining); and the life and religion of the Jewish people from birth to death, as evident in the Yiddish tongue. All the wonderful elements of Yiddish language and culture are humorously presented here. Highly recommended for Jewish studies collections. -Gene Shaw, NYPL

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.