American Views Abroad

 
Ephraim Kishon died Jan 29th. Most Americans will not have heard of him. Kishon was a brilliant Israeli humorist and satirist who, though his works have also been available in English, was most well appreciated in Germany. I was especially sorry to hear what happened as I read his satires as a means of learning German. They're always enjoyable. Many of them are classics. A good starting point is perhaps his work "The Seasick Whale: An Israeli Abroad" in which Kishon, a brilliant observer, perhaps on the level of Mark Twain, described with a loving touch of irony the various nationalities he met during his travels through Europe and America. I read it in 1988, during three week travels through West Europe on an Interrail ticket and youth hostel pass.

One short piece of his has him visiting Hamburg. Everyone he's introduced to enthusiastically offers to take him on a tour of St. Pauli, although he's really not interested. But the visit of a stranger to Hamburg is the only occasion when they can get permission from their wives to go near that part of town.

A search at amazon.com shows that none of his books, apparently, are currently in print in English. A scandal!

Here is a short report from an Israeli newspaper

A page in German gives comprehensive information about Kishon: www.kishon.info

An English fan site with online texts: www.ephraimkishon.de/neuenglisch.htm

About Ephraim Kishon the filmmaker: www.brandeis.edu/jewishfilm/Catalogue/kishon.htm

Bibliography: www.ithl.org.il/author_info.asp?id=145

- posted by Fred @ 6:17 AM