For the 150th anniversary of the birth of the "Jewish Mark Twain,"a new translation of his most famous works Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor's Son are the most celebrated characters in all of Jewish fiction. Tevye is the lovable, Bible-quoting father of seven daughters, a modern Job whose wisdom, humor, and resilience inspired the lead character in Fiddler on the Roof . And Motl is the spirited and mischievous nine-year-old boy who accompanies his family on a journey from their Russian shtetl to New York, and whose comical, poignant, and clear-eyed observations capture with remarkable insight the struggles and hopes and triumphs of Jewish immigrants to America at the turn of the twentieth century. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Text: English (translation) Original Language: Yiddish

Of all the characters in modern Jewish fiction, the most beloved is Tevye, the compassionate, irrepressible, Bible-quoting dairyman from Anatevka, who has been immortalized in the writings of Sholem Aleichem and in acclaimed and award-winning theatrical and film adaptations. And no Yiddish writer was more beloved than Tevye’s creator, Sholem Rabinovich (1859–1916), the “Jewish Mark Twain,” who wrote under the pen name of Sholem Aleichem. Beautifully translated by Hillel Halkin, here is Sholem Aleichem’s heartwarming and poignant account of Tevye and his daughters, together with the “Railroad Stories,” twenty-one tales that examine human nature and modernity as they are perceived by men and women riding the trains from shtetl to shtetl.

"Of all the characters in modern Jewish fiction, the most beloved is Tevye, the buoyant, compassionate, philosophical, Bible-quoting dairyman whose life embodies the precarious existence of a Jew in Eastern Europe. Three of Tevye's daughters are well known from the musical and film Fiddler on the Roof. Here the story continues with the tales of his younger daughters, Schprintze and Beilke" --back cover.

The stories in "Jewish Children" likely capture the joys, struggles, and everyday experiences of Jewish children growing up in the shtetls (Jewish villages) of Eastern Europe. Aleichem's writing often combines humor, warmth, and poignant observations about family, community, and tradition. The collection may include tales of mischief, friendship, and coming-of-age moments, as well as reflections on the unique cultural and religious heritage of Jewish communities. Aleichem's characters are typically colorful and memorable, offering readers insights into the rich tapestry of Jewish life and culture. Through "Jewish Children," Sholem Aleichem likely invites readers to immerse themselves in the world of Jewish childhood, where laughter and tears, dreams and aspirations, mingle against the backdrop of a changing world. The collection serves as a tribute to the resilience, humor, and enduring spirit of Jewish children throughout history.

At the end of the 19th century, Jewish writers began writing in Yiddish and creating for the first time popular literature that brought alive the small dramas, struggles, and joys of ordinary life. Sholem Aleichem was one of the very few modern writers who spoke for an entire people. This collection of stories includes the title piece and seven other tales.