Paul goldbergs provocatively titled first novel, the yid, is set in the soviet union and begins in late february 1953, just as staggering change is about to occur. Neal gendler, the american jewish world the yid is as much history and philosophy as it is fiction. Paul goldberg audio books, best sellers, author bio. Yet his role in the ussrs yiddish literary history is tragic. How amazing it is to hear grace read her work in this archival recordingher literary voice i know but to hear her own voice is truly something quite special. Paul goldbergs audacious new novel trades in rumor and anecdote. The yid is rooted entirely in soviet history and literature among the many nice asides is one on the proper curriculum, the order in which to introduce someone to certain writers prescribe zoshchenko and babel, to develop a sense of the absurd and a sense of history, etc. With glints of kafka and the big lebowski, goldberg s artful satire about. Its an impressive setpiece goldberg has done his homeworkamid the story of the gangs antics we get a seedy and detailed portrait of life under stalinism, with its. Paul goldberg first heard a moscow myth about jews using blood for religious rituals when he was 10, in 1969. Paul goldberg s debut novel the yid was published in 2016 to widespread acclaim and named a finalist for both the sami rohr prize for jewish literature and the national jewish book awards goldberg prize for debut fiction. Goldberg has written a book that revolves about stalins final blow against the countrys remaining jews. Paul goldbergs name is most commonly associated with the yid, his debut novel which.
Paul goldberg, author of the yid, a black comedy about the last days of stalinist russia will speak at temple sinai at 7 p. Goldberg comes up with a team of yiddishspeaking jokestersuperheroes who are at the heart of his story, and who make it their mission to avenge countless acts of antisemitism, both real and anticipated. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the yid. By the time he emigrated to the us in 1973, he had collected the moscow stories that underpin his debut novel, the yid. The yid is paul goldbergs sophisticated, multiform, madcap romp through the alternative soviet universe of fantasy as reality set in february 1953 the yid is a rollicking delight. The yid by paul goldberg overdrive rakuten overdrive. The yid ebook door paul goldberg 9781250079046 rakuten. As hilarious as it is moving, as intellectual as it is violent, paul goldbergs the yid is a tragicomic masterpiece of historical fiction. Paul goldberg first heard a moscow version of the myth about jews using blood for religious rituals when he was ten, in 1969. Paul goldberg first learned of what most people call the blood libel when he was a boy in moscow. Goldberg has written a book that revolves about stalins final blow against the countrys remaining jewsmr. Paul goldberg s the yid is an antic joyride through a grim period in russian history.
Paul goldberg author paul goldbergs debut novel the yid was published in 2016 to widespread acclaim and named a finalist for both the sami rohr prize for jewish literature and the national jewish book awards goldberg prize for debut fiction. Feb 15, 2017 paul goldberg takes us through a narrative hall of mirrors, makes us wince and laugh, and he never loses his momentum. Paul goldberg paul goldbergs debut novel the yid was published in 2016 to widespread acclaim and named a finalist for both the sami rohr prize for jewish literature and the national jewish book awards goldberg prize for debut fiction. How amazing it is to hear grace read her work in this archival recordingher literary voice i know but. And wandering through the narrative, like a crazy soviet ragtime, are such historical figures as paul robeson, solomon mikhoels, and marc chagall. The star of paul goldbergs irreverent historical novel is an aging actor with an unusual set of skills and a notion to knock off a. Goldberg tells the stories of six friendsfour of them jewishwho cook up a plan to kill stalin at the same time that stalin is developing plans to expel with some other kinds of elimination as well all jews from russia. In a print version, one might skip past the linguistic fluff. Jan 21, 2016 paul goldbergs provocatively titled first novel, the yid, is set in the soviet union and begins in late february 1953, just as staggering change is about to occur. He points to this one specific doorway in moscow and says, here in 1944 they arrested this jewish woman for. The yid by paul goldberg meet your next favorite book. Paul goldbergs debut novel, the yid, is one of those innovative narratives that defies easy categorization.
As a reporter, goldberg has written two books about the soviet human rights movement, and has coauthored with otis brawley the book how we do harm, an expose of the u. Shimonovich levinson, a marginal yiddish actor from a closed yiddish state. As hilarious as it is moving, as intellectual as it is violent, paul goldberg s the yid is a tragicomic masterpiece of historical fiction. A novel by paul goldberg description a debut novel of daring originality, the yid guarantees that you will never think of stalinist russia, shakespeare, theater, yiddish, or history the same way again. A novel by paul goldberg yiddish book center store. How paul robeson learned yiddish and fought fascism the. A debut novel of daring originality, the yid guarantees that you will never think of stalinist russia, shakespeare, theater, yiddish, or history the same way again moscow, february 1953. It is a historical novel set in russia in february of 1953. Feb 02, 2016 the yid is paul goldbergs sophisticated, multiform, madcap romp through the alternative soviet universe of fantasy as reality set in february 1953 the yid is a rollicking delight. In the opening chapter of the yid, paul goldbergs debut novel, state security agents dressed in anemiagreen coats come to arrest the titular yid, solomon levinson, a retired actor. Lees the yid a novel door paul goldberg verkrijgbaar bij rakuten kobo.
Paul goldberg indulges in revisionism new novel the yid. Had there been a yiddishspeaking audience present, it would have. Goldbergs knowledge of viciously antisemitic urban legends comes into play, and the book raises the myth of a jewish girl arrested in moscow. The yid paul goldberg politics and prose bookstore. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible.
Goldbergs characters regularly lapse into russian or yiddish, then he offers up the translation of everyday speech for no literary purpose. Jay parini, author of the last station paul goldberg s the yid is an antic joyride through a grim period in russian history. Paul was born in new york city in 1934 and grew up in brooklyn and later israel. Feb 02, 2016 paul goldberg was born in moscow in 1959 and emigrated to the u. Katzenelenbogen finds himself broke and out of a job.
He is the author of two books on the soviet human rights movement, the final act and the thaw generation with ludmilla alexeyeva, and coauthor with otis brawley of a book about the american healthcare system, how we do harm. Yiddishspeaking superheroes take on stalin in tarantino. Paul goldbergs debut novel the yid was published in 2016 to widespread acclaim and named a finalist for both the sami rohr prize for jewish literature and the national jewish book awards goldberg prize for debut fiction. Paul azaroff, hebrew and judaic studies teacher and native of new york city, was interviewed by isaac daniel moore on february 11, 2015 in boca raton, florida. Paul goldberg deftly blends murder with mirth in his new novel the yid, while describing the adventures of a wild and crazy gang in the virulently antisemitic soviet union of the 1950s. As a reporter, goldberg has written two books about the soviet human rights movement, and has coauthored with otis brawley the book how we do.
Paul robeson spoke yiddish, as well as russian, french and chinese. In the opening chapter of the yid, paul goldbergs debut novel, state security. Yiddish is sprinkled throughout the book, and, in choosing the title, goldberg reclaims the. The yid, paul goldbergs first novel, taunts stalin. By the time he emigrated to the us in 1973, he had. Yiddish book center store 1021 west street amherst, ma 01002 42564900 ext. The yid ebook by paul goldberg 9781250079046 rakuten kobo. Paul goldbergs dizzying plunge into the kingdom of. Paul is blogging here all week as a visiting scribe here on the prose n people. Feb 18, 2016 paul goldberg crafts a beguiling story in the historically revisionist novel the yid. Jay parini, author of the last station paul goldbergs the yid is an antic joyride through a grim period in russian history. The opening chapter of the yid brings to mind the darkly satirical atmosphere of mikhail bulgakovs the master and margarita, enhanced by goldbergs ironic commentary on soviet history and the yiddish theater. Paul goldberg never forgot when he first heard about blood libel. Feb 21, 2016 in the opening chapter of the yid, paul goldbergs debut novel, state security agents dressed in anemiagreen coats come to arrest the titular yid, solomon levinson, a retired actor.
A debut novel of daring originality, the yid guarantees that you will never think of stalinist russia, shakespeare, theater, yiddish, or history the same way againmoscow, february 1953. His articles have appeared in the new york times, the wall street journal, the washington post, and. Browse paul goldbergs bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. In november 2002 grace paley attended the yiddish book centers great jewish books conference as a writerinresidence. Paul goldberg is an american author that writes novels inspired by his personal experiences as a child in moscow and the stories he reads in the newspapers. Paul goldbergs debut novel takes place over several long russian winter days. Goldberg tells the stories of six friendsfour of them jewishwho cook up a plan to kill stalin at the same time that stalin is developing plans to expel with some. With glints of kafka and the big lebowski, goldbergs artful satire about. Author of the yid to speak in newport news daily press.
The yid, by paul goldberg paul goldbergs audacious new novel trades in rumor and anecdote, conjuring a time of antisemitism and violence in 1950s moscow. Paul goldbergs name is most commonly associated with the yid, his debut novel which was published in 2016. Part kafka, part the big lebowski, goldbergs artful satire about antisemitism is also wholly his own, and proves yet again why jews own gallows humor. How paul robeson learned yiddish and fought fascism the forward. In 1969, when he was 10 years old, goldberg was walking with a friends father in his native moscow. If you arent averse to blood, and if you love russia and shakespeare in yiddish, paul goldberg s swashbuckling epic is for you. A debut novel of daring originality, the yid guarantees that you will never think of stalinist russia, shakespeare, theater, yiddish, or history the same way again.
Mar 18, 2016 yiddishspeaking superheroes take on stalin in tarantinoinspired romp. He begins the interview discussing his family background. With his debut novel the yid, paul goldberg joins the same storytelling tradition that also produced scholem aleichem, philip roth, cynthia ozick, and michael chabon. The yid, by paul goldberg paul goldberg s audacious new novel trades in rumor and anecdote, conjuring a time of antisemitism and violence in 1950s moscow. As the age of trump dawns, fictional washington post reporter william m.
Goldberg is the author of the yid picador, 2016, a book in which a bunch of elderly jews led by a retired clown named solomon levinson try to assassinate stalin on the eve of a massive pogrom. Goldberg comes up with a team of yiddishspeaking jokestersuperheroes who are at the heart of his story, and who make it their mission to avenge countless acts of antisemitism, both real and anticipatedhe has drawn heavily on the lives of friends and relatives in. Paul goldbergs chateau is timed to the trump era the forward. Buy this book goldbergs lively first novel imagines soviet history. An awardwinning investigative reporter, he is the editor and publisher of the cancer letter, a weekly publication focused on the business and politics of cancer. Paul goldberg takes us through a narrative hall of mirrors, makes us wince and laugh, and he never loses his momentum. Three government goons arrive in the middle of the night to arrest solomon. Neal gendler, the american jewish world the yid is as much history and philosophy as it. Paul goldberg was born in moscow in 1959 and emigrated to the u. Paul goldberg s provocatively titled first novel, the yid, is set in the soviet union and begins in late february 1953, just as staggering change is about to occur.
Chunks of the text are written in script rather than prose format, and when theres prose its as much history and philosophy as it is fiction. Paul goldberg crafts a beguiling story in the historically revisionist novel the yid. Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. Giles frydman photo picador in various corners of academia, revisionist history is a minefield, an. Paul goldbergs the yid is an antic joyride through a grim period in russian history. Paul goldbergs the yid is a tragicomic masterpiece of historical. It was recommended on twitter by gary shteyngart, so i knew i was in for a ride. On another, its a celebration of jewish humor, theater and language. Paul goldberg, author of the yid, discusses blood libel. The yid, paul goldbergs first novel, taunts stalin the. Oct 25, 2016 paul goldberg, author of the yid, a black comedy about the last days of stalinist russia will speak at temple sinai at 7 p. On another, its a celebration of jewish humor, theater and language yiddish is sprinkled throughout the book, and, in choosing the title, goldberg reclaims the. A week before stalins death, his final pogrom, one that would forever rid the motherland of the vermin, is in full swing.