Short Stories, Art, Graphic Novel

 First published as a book in Yiddish in 1938, A Minyen Yidn is a collection of stories by Max B. Perlson, focused on a small shtetl called Duboy and Brooklyn, NY, in the early 20th century.

Featuring stories of arrogant schoolteachers, boastful travelers, stingy merchants, adoring pets, and all the disasters and triumphs that can happen to families and tight-knit communities, this comic is a loving tribute to Jewish culture before the coming of the war that would change things forever.

Translated into English by Hershl Hartman and adapted into comic form by the author’s daughter Trina Robbins (Pretty in Ink) the collection features art from: Anne Timmons, Caryn Leschen, Elizabeth Watasin, Eve Furchgott, Jen Vaughn, Joan Steacy, Ken Steacy, Sarah Glidden, Miriam Katin, Miriam Libicki, Robert Triptow, Shary Flenniken, Steve Leialoha, Terry Laban, Willy Mendes. 

This collection of books featuring Jewish main characters is decidedly non-comprehensive. As we come across books that are described as having Jewish main characters, we add them to this database. The creators of the Jewish Genre Reading Challenge have not read all (or even most) of the books in this database. We have gathered information from many sources and not all may be accurate. Inclusion of a book in our database does not imply endorsement or approval. There is always the possibility that antisemitism may be present in a book, either written into a character's experience or through malicious or ignorant caricature or stereotypical portrayal of Jewish characters and culture. Please take care of yourselves as you read.

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