By Michael Wex

As the main spoken language of Jews for more than a thousand years, Yiddish had had plenty to lament and conceal. Yiddish phrases, idioms, and expressions painted a mind-set that enabled the Jews of Europe to survive unrelenting persecution: they never stopped kvetching, eventually learning to smile through it and express satisfaction in the form of complaint.

With material that has never appeared in English before, Michael Wex writes a fascinating history of the kvetch-full tongue, presenting a moving and inspiring portrait of a people, and a language, in exile.

Including essays, author picks, and an interview with author Michael Wex, this New York Times bestseller paperback edition has even more kvetching!

Paperback.
Harper Perennial.