Includes semi-autobiographical stories subtly layer the specifics of the Jewish experience with universal dilemmas of childhood, growing up, and old age.

The lasting charm of William Kaufman s stories lies in a delightful mix of personal incidents and observations set against an anchoring backdrop of cultural tradition. His new collection is filled with tales from his parent s homeland in the Ukraine, his own childhood reminiscences, and his adult travels. We watch the young author forced alongside "every Jewish boy on the block" to emulate Yehudi Menuhin on a ten dollar violin with a moldy bow, until the boy is spared by an innate lack of talent and his father s judgment on his concert: "Enough is enough is more than enough." Kaufman is...