 Twenty-One Stories
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This is an English-translated
compilation of stories by Agnon reaching from his classic 'Agunot'
(from which the twenty-year-old Shmuel Czaczkes chose his pseudonym)
to the beautiful 'First Kiss', written in his late seventies.
Agnon's stories are essentially Jewish stories, drawing from
the Torah and, most especially, the Talmudic heritage for their
style and inspirations. But they are not dry parables, I assure
you. They are spiritual, yes, but also mystical with an acknowledged
bent towards Kafka, particularly in the stories of the '30s
and '40s. For a Jew, these stories have made me feel more in
touch with my ethnic heritage as no other fiction has. For one
who is not a Jew, though, they are as enjoyable as any story
by Kafka, or Isaac Babel ... or Samuel Beckett for that matter.
Agnon is a writer to be very much enjoyed, by Jew and Gentile
alike, and his short fiction is a great introduction to this
great author.
/Marc-David Jacobs, 22, United States |
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