Review (PDF)

In New York: A Selection (Jewish Poetry Series)

Series: Jewish Poetry Series

Paperback: 166 pages

Publisher: Jewish Publication Society of America (1982)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0827602103

ISBN-13: 978-0827602106

Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches

Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #2,008,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #436 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Regional & Cultural > European > German #769 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Regional & Cultural > European > German

Moyshe-Leyb Halpern (1886-1932) was one of the great modern Yiddish poets. Born in Galicia, he came to New York City in 1908,where he joined with other young poets to write and publish avant garde poetry. He published two volumes of poetry during his lifetime, _In nyu-york_ [In New York], in 1919, and _Di goldene pave_ [The Golden Peacock] in 1924. A third collection, titled with the poet's name, came out posthumously, in 1934. _In New York: A Selection_, translated, edited, and introduced by Kathryn Hellerstein, presents a selection of the poems from Halpern's first book, most of them in English translation for the first time. This book includes the Yiddish originals, as well as a useful introductory essay and bibliography. Ironic, witty, and lyrical, Halpern's poems in Hellerstein's excellent translations portray the disillusionment and hope of the immigrant generation. _In New York: A Selection__, the only volume of Halpern's poems published in English translation, is, indeed, a lost classic.

That pretty much sums it up. Not that Hellerstein had an easy task translating complex modernist poetry with rhymes. You'll miss a lot if you can't read the Yiddish. But even if you can only sound out the Yiddish, I highly recommend reading through this.

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