Jewish Noir - by Kenneth Wishnia (Paperback)

About the Book

"A unique collection of all-new stories by award-winning authors. This anthology includes the work of numerous authors such as Marge Piercy, Harlan Ellison, S.J. Rozan, Nancy Richler, Moe Prager (Reed Farrel Coleman), Wendy Hornsby, Charles Ardai, and Kenneth Wishnia. The stories explore such issues as the Holocaust and its long-term effects on subsequent generations, anti-Semitism in the mid- and late-20th-century United States, and the dark side of the Diaspora (e.g., the decline of revolutionary fervor, the passing of generations, the Golden Ghetto, etc.). The stories in this collection include 'Trajectories,' Marge Piercy's story of the divergent paths taken by two young men from the slums of Cleveland and Detroit in a rapidly changing post-WW II society; 'Some You Lose,' Nancy Richler's empathetic exploration of the emotional and psychological challenges of trying to sum up a man's life in a eulogy; and 'Yahrzeit Candle,' Stephen Jay Schwartz's take on the subtle horrors of the inevitable passing of time. These works include many 'teachable moments' about the history of prejudice, the contradictions of ethnic identity, and assimilation into American society and culture"--Derived from text, page 4 of cove

Book Synopsis

Jewish Noir is a unique collection of new stories by Jewish and non-Jewish literary and genre writers, including numerous award-winning authors such as Marge Piercy, Harlan Ellison, S.J. Rozan, Nancy Richler, Moe Prager (Reed Farrel Coleman), Wendy Hornsby, Charles Ardai, and Kenneth Wishnia. The stories explore such issues as the Holocaust and its long-term effects on subsequent generations, anti-Semitism in the mid- and late-twentieth-century United States, and the dark side of the Diaspora (the decline of revolutionary fervor, the passing of generations, the Golden Ghetto, etc.). The stories in this collection also include many "teachable moments" about the history of prejudice, and the contradictions of ethnic identity and assimilation into American society.

Stories include:
"A Simkhe" (A Celebration), first published in Yiddish in the Forverts in 1912 by one of the great unsung writers of that era, Yente Serdatsky. This story depicts the disillusionment that sets in among a group of Russian Jewish immigrant radicals after several years in the United States. This is the story's first appearance in English.

"Trajectories," Marge Piercy's story of the divergent paths taken by two young men from the slums of Cleveland and Detroit in a rapidly changing post-World War II society.

"Some You Lose," Nancy Richler's empathetic exploration of the emotional and psychological challenges of trying to sum up a man's life in a eulogy.

"Her Daughter's Bat Mitzvah," Rabbi Adam Fisher's darkly comic profanity-filled monologue in the tradition of Sholem Aleichem, the writer best known as the source material for Fiddler on the Roof (minus the profanity, that is).

"Flowers of Shanghai," S.J. Rozan's compelling tale of hope and despair set in the European refugee community of Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II.

"Yahrzeit Candle," Stephen Jay Schwartz's take on the subtle horrors of the inevitable passing of time.

Review Quotes

"Stirring. Evocative. Penetrating."
--Elie Wiesel (on Stephen Jay Schwartz's "Yahrzeit Candle")

"Wishnia presents the world of Ashkenazi Jewry with a keen eye for detail. Wishnia never judges his characters, but creates three-dimensional people who live in a very dangerous world."
--The Jewish Press on The Fifth Servant

"[Wishnia writes for] a diverse audience of intelligent readers. I predict a bright future for Kenneth Wishnia, filled with loyal readers who enjoy a serious and entertaining story. I eagerly await his next venture into any period of Jewish history."
--Jewish Book World, on The Fifth Servant

"Wishnia's works are addictive, thought provoking page-turners."
--Impulsive Reviews

About the Author

Kenneth Wishnia is an associate professor of English at Suffolk Community College and the author of the Filomena Buscarsela Mystery series--the first of which was nominated for both the Edgar and the Anthony Awards, and made the Booklist "Best First Mystery" list--and The Fifth Servant. He lives on Long Island.