Isaac Bashevis Singer's new collection of literary and personal essays, Old Truths and New Clichés, explores his artistic vision and intellectual legacy. The book includes nineteen essays, most of which are previously unpublished in English, covering topics such as the literary arts, Yiddish and Jewish life, mysticism, and philosophy. It illuminates Singer's unique achievement as the first Yiddish-language author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature and presents his ideas in a new way as universal reflections on the role of the artist in modern society. The unpublished essays featured in the book include "Old Truths and New Clichés," "The Kabbalah and Modern Times," and "A Trip to the Circus."

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 14 May 2024
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Old Truths and New Clichés: A New Collection of Literary and Personal Essays by Isaac Bashevis Singer

Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Nobel Prize-winning writer, has released a new collection of literary and personal essays titled "Old Truths and New Clichés." The book includes nineteen essays, most of which have never been published in English before. These essays explore various topics that were central to Singer's artistic vision throughout his remarkable and prolific literary career spanning over six decades. The book expands on themes explored in his best-known works, including the literary arts, Yiddish and Jewish life, and mysticism and philosophy. It sheds new light on the rich intellectual, aesthetic, religious, and biographical background of Singer's singular achievement as the first Yiddish-language author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Like a modern Montaigne, Singer studied human nature and created a body of work that contributed to a deeper understanding of the human spirit. Many of his philosophical thoughts were woven into his stories, but these essays, which Singer himself translated into English or oversaw the translation of, present his ideas in a new way as universal reflections on the role of the artist in modern society. The unpublished essays featured in this book include "Old Truths and New Clichés," "The Kabbalah and Modern Times," and "A Trip to the Circus."

Old Truths and New Clichés is a treasure trove of archival finds that will significantly impact how readers understand Singer and his work. Singer's critical essays have often been overlooked because he is primarily known as a storyteller. This book offers an important correction to the record by further establishing Singer as a formidable intellectual.

Weight: 302g
Dimension: 129 x 209 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691259239