ROSENZWEIG, GERSHON. Shirim, Meshalim V’Michtamim [poems, parables and epigrams]

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

S. Levine

New York

1893

FIRST EDITION. Presentation copy inscribed and signed by the author.

Goldman 412

Rosenzweig's poem "America" (pp.7-9) was the first Hebrew poem to critically explore both the postive and negative aspects of Jewish life in the New World. He "excelled as a poetic epigrammatist…with sparkling wit and keen humor" (M. Waxman, History of Jewish Literature (1933) Vol. IV, pp.1050-51). Kabakoff states, "few others demonstrated linguistic sharp-wittedness as Rosenzweig" (J. Kabakoff, Pioneers of American Hebrew Literature, Cleveland, 1966, p. 238). According to Davidson, “The cleverest and most prolific of all American parodists is Gershon Rosenzweig…He has a keen sense of humor and considerable powers of observation. He knows the life of his brethren and depicts it in true colors, exaggerating only when necessary to produce a stronger effect. He certainly is one of the cleverest punsters in Hebrew literature.” viz. History of Parody in Jewish Literature (1966) p. 108.