Synopsis
Tells the life story of the writer, from his early life in Poland to his success as an author of adult and children's books
Reviews
Grade 5-7-An intimate portrait of the master storyteller. Although the tone is rather childish at the beginning, it rises to the proper age-level soon afterwards and does convey the essence of the man. Perl describes his early years in Poland and the influences of writers such as Sholom Aleichem and of the Hassidic tradition on his development. She shows how his stories were inspired by the superstitions that hovered over Eastern European culture-the evil eye, the angels, and the demons. The author successfully conveys Singer's curiosity about life and people, his great powers of observation and imagination, and, by including many quotes, his sense of humor; but she also describes his moments of extreme shyness, uncertainty, and depression. Paul Kresh's biography (Lodestar, 1984) dwells more on Singer's depression and near suicides and uses them to explain his sympathy with the shlemiel (a luckless, hapless, anti-hero), but lacks the fluent literary style of Perl's book. Her window on Singer's world includes interesting insights on the plight of talented women in a male-dominated world, illustrated by the bitter experiences of his talented sister. The bibliography includes articles, books, and a list of Singer's books that have been translated into English.
Marcia Posner, Federation of New York and the Jewish Book Council, New York City
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Singer's despair over the dying Yiddish language resonates through this brief biography. Though occasional passages may be confusing, Perl more often brings Singer into sharp focus: at three, ``Isaac wears the round velvet cap and long satin coat considered proper for the son of a Hasid...Isaac's skin is milk- white, his eyes are a dreamy blue, while his hair is a fiery red, grown into curling, silken earlocks that dangle alongside his cheeks...'' Delicately, the author presents Singer's insecurities, his religious questioning, and his out-of-wedlock relationship with the young Communist Runya, which led to the birth of his only child; she traces his childhood in early 20th century Poland and passage to America just prior to WW II, his marriage, and his blossoming writing career, shedding insight on the enormous influence on the impressionable artist of not only family and environment but also Jewish custom, tradition, and history. Ruff's loosely sketched illustrations work with the text to convey a sense of time, place, and the unpretentious humanity of the award-winning subject. Chronology; bibliography; listing of Singer's works. Index not seen. (Biography. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Gr. 5-7. The opening of this biography has a condescending tone ("What a funny-sounding name for this street . . ."), but otherwise, this is a direct, sensitive account of a great writer: his life, first in Poland and then as an immigrant in the U.S.; his stories, both for adults and children; and his celebration of the Yiddish language and culture. Perl captures a strong sense of Singer's personality, especially his self-deprecating, whimsical humor. There was nothing portentous or preachy about him, whether he was discussing his Nobel Prize for literature, dramatizing life in the shtetl, or retelling a folktale about the fools of Chelm. Perl shows that much of his writing was a blend of memoir and fiction. She quotes in full his memorable comments on children and reading, including his insistence on the pleasure of story ("Children don't read to find their identity. . . . When a book is boring, they yawn openly"). There's a chronology, a good bibliography, but no footnotes. Ruff's fine illustrations show Singer, his family, and his place in the Yiddish world. Hazel Rochman
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