A generation ago there was no way a book like 'Yiddish Yoga' could have found a publisher, which is just one more reason to appreciate it now.
Subtitled 'Ruthie's Adventures in Love, Loss and the Lotus Position,' this charming little novel by Lisa Grunberger (published in October by Newmarket Press, hardcover, $15) takes an entertaining look at some big issues.
Those seeking a way of easing into some of the more serious aspects of the High Holy Day season could do far worse than absorbing the wisdom of Grandma Ruthie.
The book opens as Ruthie, a 72 year old New Yorker and recent widow, decides to cash in on a gift from her granddaughter, a year's worth of yoga lessons.
'I know you are strong, Bubby,' Stephanie writes,' but I think yoga will help you grieve. This is not a cult, I promise! I do it every day since Mark and I broke up, and have never felt better.'
It's a testament to author/illustrator Grunberger that she has managed to make Ruthie a character without making her a caricature. Grunberger plays it straight in the titles of the vignettes that comprise the book; the vignettes are pure 'Shtetl meets Ashram.'
Ruthie writes with asperity about the poses, the vocabulary and the outward appearance of her classmates, but she is equally candid about pointing out her own foibles.
By Amy Waldman
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
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