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The Irish may have saved civilization, but it was Yiddish that saved the Jews. That’s right—the bastard step-child of Jewish tradition, a loathed and unwittingly adopted language that was shunned by the same group of people it mirrored, was actually their saving grace. It’s a piece-by-piece invention, created as the Jews wandered from country to country shlepping around their traditions and families. THE STORY OF YIDDISH: How a Mish-mosh of Languages Saved the Jews [William Morrow; April 8, 2008; $25.95] by critically-acclaimed author Neal Karlen follows their wanderings, mapping out the non-linear history of Jewish tradition, thought, and practice.

THE STORY OF YIDDISH starts at the beginning, when Yiddish was just a minor dialect in 11th century France and Italy, and proceeds to the time before World War II when 13 million people spoke the language, and then on to it’s surprising Renaissance during the 21st century. Each chapter delves into a distinct historical period, sharing Karlen’s keen and witty insight into the dramatic and sometimes bizarre circumstances that shaped this vernacular. But THE STORY OF YIDDISH is more than just a timeline. Interspersed throughout the text is perspective on Yiddish poems, Jewish law, and some more unexpected elements of the language’s evolution, including: Lenny Bruce’s Talmudic-style commentary on the language; references and explanations of Kabbalah (a different version than the red-bracelet wearing one Madonna and Britney Spears profess to follow); and a virtually unknown movement called “Queer Yiddishkeit” led by young gay Jews trying to reinvigorate the language by living their lives completely in Yiddish. In THE STORY OF YIDDISH you’ll also learn:

• Just why the very same language that some scholars have dedicated their lives to studying caused others to shy away in embarrassment when speaking
• The meaning of Yiddishkeit…and what is has to do with Bob Dylan, Bill Murray, and Sarah Ferguson
• The importance of cadence and intonation in the Yiddish language. As Karlen writes, “Yiddish is a tongue ironic and knowing about death, birth, and life—yet verges on hysteria in dealing with day-to-day existence.”
• What the future holds for the Yiddish language

Whether you’re Jewish or just enjoy the semantics of language, Karlen’s dry humor and delightfully-readable prose shows that Yiddish is truly the people’s dialect. If you’ve ever schlepped your laptop to work, eaten a bagel and schmear, or cursed some schmuck for cutting you off on the freeway it’s part of your history, too. THE STORY OF YIDDISH is timed perfectly for any Passover holiday coverage and is also offers a unique look into pop culture (Oy Vey!).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Neal Karlen was raised in a Yiddish-speaking family—his parents would speak in Yiddish to keep him and his siblings from understanding what they were saying—and now speaks Yiddish fluently. He recently studied with a Chassidic rabbi and is the author of the lauded books SLOUCHING TOWARD FARGO and SHANDA: The Making and Breaking of a Self-Loathing Jew. His writing can also be found in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Elle, Playboy, Life, and many other publications.