"Originally published in Buenos Aires in 1949 and translated for the first time from Yiddish by Jonathan Boyarin, this volume captures an important period in the evolution of the Hasidic movement, and is itself a missing link to Hasidic oral traditions.Unger's volume reflects a period when Eastern European Jewish immigrants enjoyed reading about Hasidic culture in Yiddish articles and books, even as they themselves were rapidly assimilating into American culture. Historians of literature, Polish culture, and Jewish studies will welcome this lively translation."-- " is a wonderful, rich, and highly imaginative depiction of one of the most controversial and misunderstood Hasidic dynasties in Poland. The author, Menashe Unger, who traversed from the Hasidic community to the scholarly world culls from hagiographic sources to construct a colorful, funny, and heartfelt portrait of the darker side of Hasidic life. Jonathan Boyarin's felicitous translation and notes bring to life Unger's Yiddish original with panache and candor. Glenn Dynner's historical introduction aptly sets the stage for the drama that follows. A significant contribution to the fleshiness of Hasidic life and a delightful read for both scholars and non-scholars alike.

"--Shaul Magid, Jay and Jeannie Schottenstein Professor of Jewish Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington "It is wonderful to see Menashe Unger's marvelous novel finally translated into English. Unger is a vivid writer who brings to life the intense and complex world of Polish Hasidism. The excellent introduction by Glenn Dynner and translation by Jonathan Boyarin make this a worthwhile read!"--Samuel D. Kassow, Charles H. Northam Professor of History at Trinity College "The vast majority of the works produced by Unger and his peers are completely unknown to readers interested in Hasidism or Eastern European Jewish history and culture in general. Jonathan Boyarin's translation of thus represents a milestone in English-language publishing on Hasidism. It opens a window into a period when Eastern European Jewish immigrants continued to enjoy reading about Hasidic culture in Yiddish articles and books, even as they themselves were rapidly assimilating into American culture. The book itself is a historically significant account of an important phase in the emergence of competing branches of Polish Hasidism and the rise--and fall--of various Hasidic leaders.

"--Nathaniel Deutsch, Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Author of the Jewish Dark Continent: Life and Death in the Russian Pale of Settlement.