"...Kirshenblatt's memory is priceless"

Florence Waszkelewicz Clowes, Polish American Journal 96,12 (2007):20.

At the encouragement of his daughter, Mayer Kirshenblatt began drawing memories of his hometown in Poland, in 1990, when he was seventy-four years old. His memories of the early years as a child in the town are reflected in his Grandma Moses-style drawings, as are his writings of a time and place long gone.

Apt (Opatow in Polish), east of Kielce, was basically a Jewish town, but both Polish and Yiddish people lived there, both languages were spoken and both religions celebrated. This book details much of daily life, from barrel making, icehouses, bookbinding and toy dradles. Special rituals of birth and death, clothing and manners are included in the wonderful full-color paintings. Many lost occupations of the residents and their interaction with the entire town are described. Force-feeding the geese, goose-feather plucking, illustrations on how to make a brush, a whistle, or a pair of shoes are just some of the fascinating parts.

Kirshenblatt's memory is priceless; he provides dimensions, distances, types of wood or fabric used and many minuscule details in his memories of his childhood in the 1920s and 1930s. While reading the book, one is drawn into a world of ancient traditions and working class life in this small town. The pictures alone are fascinating. A truly remarkable book.