The Miraculous Milk Cow: More Tales My Great-Great-Grandfather Might Tell About Life in the Ghetto of Russia in the Time of the Czars - Softcover

Kantor, Herman I.; Larson, Eric

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1564740951 ISBN 13: 9781564740953

Publisher: Fithian Pr, 1994

Synopsis

A collection of sixteen tales depict Jewish life in the village of Orsha during the nineteenth century

About this title

From School Library Journal:

YA-Aided by a fertile imagination and a sure feeling for 19th-century Eastern European culture, Kantor has woven a rich tapestry of folklore depicting Jewish life in the village of Orsha, the actual home of a rabbi ancestor. Sixteen engaging stories mirror the people's daily struggle to maintain a religious/cultural identity in oppressive, anti-Semitic, czarist Russia. Some episodes deal with light themes, e.g., two bickering neighbors in conflict over a constantly escaping rooster need the rabbi to suggest a higher fence. In another vividly told tale, a spontaneous gypsy wedding leads to greater understanding between vastly different people. Other less-humorous accounts confront the misery often caused by customs such as arranged marriages. One misguided union results in an unpunished murder. Invented Yiddish and Russian names lend an authentic tone (and help to mitigate the occasional anchronism or lapse into colloquial English); primitive black-and-white illustrations enhance the text. The only real drawback of Kantor's commendable work is its dependence on a generous sprinkling of Hebraic and Yiddish terms. Also, understanding a few of the plots requires an adult level of sophistication. Succeeding in its attempt to preserve the cultural legacy of a rich tradition, however, The Miraculous Milk Cow is a good choice for both school and public libraries.-Sue A. Norkeliunas, Arlington Senior High School, LaGrangeville, NY

Copyright 1994 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fithian Pr
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 1564740951
• ISBN 13: 9781564740953
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 190