Author

Abraham Cahan

1860-1951

Abraham Cahan (1860-1951) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.

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Subjects

Jewish fiction Jews -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction Assimilation (Sociology) -- Fiction Clothing trade -- Fiction Historical fiction Immigrants -- Fiction Jewish men -- Fiction Jews -- Russia -- Fiction Jews -- Russia -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction Lower East Side (New York, N.Y.) -- Fiction Millionaires -- Fiction New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction Psychological fiction Russia -- History -- Alexander II, 1855-1881 -- Fiction United States -- Emigration and immigration -- Fiction War stories

Books by Abraham Cahan

The White Terror and The Red: A Novel of Revolutionary Russia

"The White Terror and The Red: A Novel of Revolutionary Russia" by Abraham Cahan is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The book explores the political and social turmoil during the revolutionary period in Russia, particularly focusing on the interactions between characters from various social classes, including nobility and political dissenters. Central to the narrative are characters like Prince Pavel Boulatoff, who navigates his loyalties against his awakening sense of justice amidst the oppressive regime. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Czar Alexander II during a summer retreat in Germany, where he attempts to experience life as an ordinary citizen. This setting contrasts with the troubled political landscape back home, where revolutionary ideas bubble beneath the surface. Young Pavel and his tutor, Alexandre Pievakin, engage in discussions that highlight the tension between loyalty to the Czar and sympathy for oppressed individuals like Pani Oginska, a Polish woman whose life has been disrupted by political upheaval. As Pavel grapples with his identity and beliefs, the reader is drawn into the dynamic debates and moral dilemmas that will shape his journey throughout this turbulent period in Russian history.

Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto

"Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto" by Abraham Cahan is a novella published in 1896. It follows Yekl, a Russian-Jewish immigrant who works in a sweatshop and eagerly embraces American culture. His new life unravels when his wife and son arrive from Russia, forcing him to confront the conflict between his Jewish roots and his American aspirations. Set in the vibrant world of New York's Jewish ghetto, the story explores the painful tensions of assimilation and identity among immigrants caught between two worlds.

The Rise of David Levinsky

"The Rise of David Levinsky" by Abraham Cahan is a novel published in 1917. It tells the story of a Russian Jewish immigrant's journey from abject poverty to wealth in America. Born in the Russian Empire, David loses his mother to violence and abandons his Talmudic studies to pursue a new life. He arrives in New York as a penniless greenhorn, slowly shedding his old-world ways while navigating love, labor, and the promises of his adopted homeland.

The Imported Bridegroom, and Other Stories of the New York Ghetto

"The Imported Bridegroom, and Other Stories of the New York Ghetto" by Abraham Cahan is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The narratives delve into the lives and struggles of Jewish immigrants in New York City, examining their cultural assimilation, identity, and the complexities of love and familial obligations. One of the central characters introduced in the opening story is Flora Stroon, a young woman yearning for a life beyond her ghetto upbringing, who faces the prospect of an arranged marriage that clashes with her aspirations. At the start of the book, we meet Flora, who is absorbed in reading Dickens while contemplating her desire to marry a refined American gentleman rather than the God-fearing business men favored by her father, Asriel Stroon. Asriel has recently become more pious and is determined to arrange Flora's marriage in line with his traditional values. This conflict between Flora's aspirations and her father's intentions is heightened when Asriel announces plans to travel to his hometown in Europe, stirring a mix of hope and apprehension in Flora. The opening chapter sets the stage for exploring the generational and cultural conflicts within a Jewish immigrant family, particularly as Flora's fate becomes entangled with that of Shaya, a young Talmudic scholar brought from the old country.