Overview

At the age of seventy-two, Anna Miransky begins to read her father's poetry and fables in her first and forgotten language, Yiddish. She is changed by what she finds. In his writing, her father, the poet and fabulist Peretz Miransky, a Holocaust survivor and member of the celebrated literary group Yung Vilne, reveals aspects of his inner life about which he had never spoken when he was alive. His daughter discovers new details about family members, his literary colleagues, and his relationship with her mother and stepmother. Most importantly, she discovers Peretz Miransky's lifelong poetic themes and mission to keep Yiddish and the fable form alive and flourishing. Many of Miransky's poems and fables are translated into English to illustrate Anna's discoveries. Throughout the book Anna Miransky examines her complicated relationship with her father through the lenses of language barriers and generational trauma. As she delves deeper into his life, she comes to fully embrace her father, her first language, and her culture.

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9798385218233

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Reviews

"""Peretz Miransky, the great fabulist of post-war Yiddish literature, comes alive in a daughter's memoir of regret and forgiveness, language and silence. From the streets of Vilna, where Miransky's genius first blossomed within a cohort of young Yiddish writers, to his lifelong commitment to his craft and culture, the soul of a poet emerges. In Anna Miransky's writing, what was lost is suddenly found, allowing us to understand why 'everything is Yiddish.'"" --Justin Cammy, professor of Jewish studies and world literatures, Smith College ""From the very first page I was captivated by this uniquely creative and beautifully written book. Neither her memories nor her background as a psychotherapist were sufficient to help Anna Miransky in her quest to understand her father. Only by studying the Yiddish language and reading his poetry could she begin to discover who her father really was."" --Vivian Felsen, 2018 finalist for the Governor General Literary Award for French-to-English translation"

Author Information

Anna Miransky has over forty years of experience as a psychotherapist in both clinical and private practice settings working with survivors of trauma. She edited Peretz Miransky, Selected Poems and Fables (2000). She is also a published and performed musician, songwriter, and lyricist.

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