The Day My Mother Changed Her Name: And Other Stories

by William D. Kaufman

Book Overview

William Kaufman grew up on his mother's kugel and his father's boyhood stories. The son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and the Ukraine and one of five children, he learned how to translate his colorful childhood into tales of his own, regaling audiences of family, friends, and eventually his retirement community with periodic public readings. Now, at the age of 93, Kaufman makes his stories, filled with a sharp wit and telling detail, available...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815609329
• ISBN13: 9780815609322
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

snippets of life over the last 90 years

I loved this book, only regretting that he hasn't written down more stories from other parts of his life--since this one is mostly focused on his childhood and a bit on old age. Perhaps another book will appear soon.

The Day My Mother Changed Her Name

This book is made up of short stories, partially true, which the author remembers from his childhood and later days. It is wonderful! He is a very amusing writer without being comical. He is 93 years young now and still writing with a sense of humor that will leave you smiling. My husband just finished it and he has a big smile on his face as he talks about it. I would highly recommend it.

Poignant, Irreverent, and Hilarious Tales Spanning a Century

My grandfather and William Kaufman were convalescing together as hospital roommates about six years ago. I visited every day and got to know Bill quite well; I've been close friends with him ever since. He lives on Long Island and gives readings of his stories every few months. I've had the extreme pleasure and edification of attending these events over the years. His mellifluous voice has been honeyed by decades of good living and his quick wit and insight into human psychology are astounding. His poignant, irreverent, and funny stories reanimate life from the early and mid-20th Century and present perspectives on morality, religion, and aging unprecedented in their eloquence. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know!