THE MAN WHO LOVED LAUGHTER: The Story of Sholom Aleichem

The name Sholom Aleichem, once only of secular interest, has been brought to more universal awareness, as the tales of this master story-teller have become increasingly popular. Like the settings of his stories, the world in which Sholom lived no longer exists. It was the world of the Russian Jewish ghetto, where life for young boys centered around the Cheder (school) and the word of the town Rabbi was next to the word of God. Although this dwells more fully on Sholom's boyhood, his family, his fun loving nature, the early signs of his talent, we are also given a portrait of his later urban years and of his ability to record the simple events and wondrous wisdoms of the people he knew. Here too is something of how his more familiar stories came to be. A substantial biography which should interest those who have enjoyed this man's work.