Golem: A New Translation of the Classic Play and Selected Short Stories

By: Neugroschel, Joachim

The Golem, a creature made of clay and brought to life by Rabbi Leyb of Prague in the sixteenth century, has provided an enticing subject for fiction writers since the legend began. In some works, Rabbi Leyb gives birth to the Golem to help the Jews with the overbearing burden of their work. In others, the Golem is the protector of the Jews, keeping watch during the nights before Passover to make sure that a Gentile does not plant evidence for a blood libel in a Jewish home. But the powerful Golem can also lose control and have to be destroyed. Joachim Neugroschel has brought together some of the best work featuring the Golem, including H. Leivick's masterful blank verse play; Yudl Rosenberg's "pamphlet" full of Golem tales; and stories by S. Bastomski, Dovid Frishman, and Y. L. Peretz, which he translates fluidly from the Yiddish.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393050882
• ISBN13: 9780393050882
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Nicely done

Neugroschel's book assembles most major Yiddish legends of the golem, with the primary ones being from Yudl Rosenberg's tales and the famous play by H. Leivick. The translation is easily readible and compares well with other translations (although in this book, the Maharal's name is rendered "Leyb" instead of the usual "Lowe", which takes a minute to get used to). If you're interested at all in Jewish mysticism and legend, this is one of the best compilations.