A Collection of Yiddish tales depicting Jewish life in the shtetls in Eastern Europe. Depicting Jewish life in the shtetl from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, this collection of tales traces a literary development from religious writings and Hassidic yarns to latter-day realism, fantasy, and satire. The crazy quilt of Jewish life emerges in the different tones and styles of the various stories. Humor and suffering, faith and rationalist parody, romantic love and sordid cruelty- a panorama of shtetl life unfolds before us, conjuring up all the colors of a bygone world. Included are short novels, stories, and tales, most of which have never been translated into English before. -- Publisher description