In the Land of Happy Tears

Narrator George Guidall's deep voice sets the context through a long, interesting introduction that describes the rich history of early-twentieth-century Yiddish authors, along with a description of how the Yiddish language wove its way into American culture. The stories that follow are divided by theme--bravery, rebellion, justice, and wonder--and are replete with strong moral endings. They are sometimes enigmatic, sometimes scholarly, and sometimes sophisticated. The voices of Guidall, Berkrot, Rosenblat, Feuerstein, Sands, and Roberts are well matched to the tales, and their pitch and pacing brings another layer of cultural luster to the narration. Woven through the stories is lively music evoking the shtetls of Eastern Europe. For family listening, dipping in and out of the stories might work best. S.G. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine