One of the most beloved and prolific writers of Yiddish literature, Sholom Aleichem (1859-1916) produced a wealth of wonderful stories that combine traditional Jewish oral humor with Western literary tradition. For years a living legend, he wrote enduring gems of fiction, eleven of which are included in this entertaining collection. The master storyteller brilliantly recaptures the joy and tribulations of Jewish life in such tales as "Geese," "At...

Tevye is a poor milkman in czarist Russia, where he provides for five unmarried daughters and a sharp-tongued wife. Faced with mounting financial strain and growing anti-Semitism, Tevye strives to maintain balance despite the precarious nature of his situation.