Jacob Isaac Segal
A Montreal Yiddish Poet and His Milieu
Pierre Anctil author Vivian Felsen translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:University of Ottawa Press
Published:3rd Oct '17
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Born in the Ukraine in 1896, and settling in Montreal in 1910, Segal became one of the first Yiddish writers in Canada. His poetry, infused with lyricism and mysticism, along with the numerous essays and articles he penned, embodied both a rich literary tradition and the modernism of his day. Pierre Anctil has written so much more than a biography. For the first time, Segal's poetic production is referenced, translated and rigorously analyzed, and includes over 100 pages of appendices, shedding light on the artistic, spiritual, cultural and historical importance of his oeuvre. By introducing the reader to the poet's work through previously unpublished translations, Anctil demonstrates that in many respects it reflects the history of the Jewish immigrants who arrived in North America from Russia, the Ukraine and Poland at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the tragic experiences of Jewish intellectual refugees of the interwar period. This admirably written, sweeping yet subtle, work will appeal both to scholars and to a broader audience. The original French version was awarded the prestigious 2014 Canada Prize in the Humanities by the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
A beautifully written and researched book abounding in grace, nuance and depth. volume 20 As Canada's most renownedYiddish poet and a celebratedfigure in Jewish letters, a full-length study of J.I. Segal is long overdue... This is the first monograph to appear that focuses specifically on Segal. ... A significantcontribution to our knowledge of Segal's life and writing... the extensive primarysource material offered by this encyclopedic work will be of greatvalue to those who seek to undertake a scholarly analysis that situates Segal within the wider context of Yiddish letters in Canada as well as internationally. -- Rebecca Margolis "Uncovering a Poet," Canadian Literature, Winter 2013, p. 131-132 "premiere etude systematique de ce poete celebre partout dans le monde yiddish au cours des annees 1930 (Vienne, Varsovie, New York, Buenos Aires), mais qui est demeure peu connu au Canada francais (et anglais). (...) le livre d'Anctil represente beaucoup plus qu'un ouvrage sur Segal puisque les lecteurs y puisent de l'information sur l'histoire et le milieu de provenance des Juifs, y compris la situation sociopolitique en Russie et dans les pays avoisinants. ... quelque cent pages d'annexes viennent completer l'imposant ouvrage, accompagne d'une bibliographie contenant, entre autres, les poemes de Segalcites dans les chapitres, des articles par et sur l'auteur ainsi que quelques correspondances." -- Yvonne Volki " Etudes critiques / Review Essays ", Histoire sociale / Social History, p. 557 "a beautifully written and researched book abounding in grace, nuance and depth" Canadian Jewish Studies, Volume 20, 2012 "According to Anctil Segal was the first poet in Quebec to embracemodern urbanity in his work. Consequently, he choses to focus on Segal's Montrealite, both the lens through which the poet's modernity is reflected and the repository of longing for the idealizedinnocence of the shietl. However, Segal also 'appropriates' Montreal by Yiddishizing it...This book is sure to resonate deeply with readers partly because the fragile memory of Segal, the reverred forgotten poet, is reminiscent of the fate of Yiddish culture itself...This intimate, compelling and scholarly collective portrait isessential for anyone interested in the inner life of the Jewish community, and in the immigrant experience in Montreal." -- Eve Lerner "Book Review | Compte rendu", CIS|EJC
- Short-listed for Governor General Literary Awards (GGBooks), Translation category 2018 (Canada)
- Short-listed for Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards, finalist for Multicultural 2017 (United States)
ISBN: 9780776625713
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 24mm
Weight: 583g
432 pages