This and That: Random Thoughts and Recollections

by Bel Kaufman

A collection of witty and incisive articles by one of the twentieth century’s most remarkable literary voices
Here and there, now and then, an article by Bel Kaufman, bestselling author of Up the Down Staircase , would appear in a newspaper or magazine. In these magazine articles, Kaufman wrote about subjects of the day and shared interesting or amusing experiences, always with keen observations from her long life. She reminisced about her early childhood in Odessa, addressed an open letter to Baby Boomers on the subject of aging, and pondered the loss of civility in modern culture. Now, for the first time, Kaufman selects her favorite essays from several decades—dating back to 1967—and places them side-by-side in this funny, irreverent, and wonderfully entertaining collection.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Bel Kaufman (b. 1911) was a bestselling writer, dedicated teacher, and lecturer best known for her novel Up the Down Staircase (1965), a classic portrayal of life in the New York public school system. Kaufman was born in Berlin, the daughter of Russian parents and granddaughter of celebrated Yiddish writer Sholom Aleichem. Her family moved to Odessa when she was three, and Russian is her native language. The family also lived in Moscow before immigrating to New York City when Kaufman was twelve. There, she graduated magna cum laude from Hunter College and with high honors from Columbia University. Kaufman then worked as a high school teacher in the city for three decades. The success of Up the Down Staircase launched her second career as a sought-after speaker for events around the country. Kaufman is also the author of Love, Etc. (1979), a powerful, haunting, and poignant novel rendering life as fiction.

Reviews

[david · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you man enough to read this book by a budding feminist during the late 1900’s?

Kaufman, born in Germany, spent a part of her youth in Russia, and ended up here in the U.S. She is known for a bestselling book, probably in the 1970’s, “Up the Down Staircase.” She is also the granddaughter of a favorite satirist of mine, Shalom Aleichem.

Above all else, she is an intelligent, witty, delightful storyteller. She spent most of her adult life publishing little commentaries on life as she saw it. This amalgamation is what ‘This and That’ contains.

Besides writing, she was a constant teacher in schools throughout Manhattan. Many of the tales involve teaching and what it is like to be a teacher and her perception of children and education.

A couple of her excellent essays are entitled “Dear Baby Boomers,” through the eyes of a now eighty-year-old woman, ‘Manners,’ and ‘With Dignity and a Smile.’ Sweet and quaint, no?

I enjoyed the book. I have an appreciation and a deference for her. Three and a half to four stars from this rough and tough dude/reader.
I got some serious beer drinking, beard scratching and wood-cutting to do now.


Then, a small salad, perhaps with quinoa and an olive or two. A dash of feta.

And organic, decaffeinated tea.

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book by an amazing woman.

I don't remember exactly when I first read Bel Kaufman's brilliant novel UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE, but I remember being "gob-smacked" (as my British friends say) by it. She took a subject that few people want to think about and pulled her readers into a world that she knew intimately. She took ordinary, unimportant people and made them extraordinary and unforgettable.

This book is a collection of essays that lets us get to know the unique woman behind the classic book that so many of us love. She talks about her childhood in a well-to-do (but still vulnerable) family of Russian Jews. The legacy of her grandfather's humor and wisdom gave her the background to see the world in a special way. His impact made her understand the importance of communicating ideas. Her experiences as a twelve-year-old immigrant who came to America knowing not one word of English shaped her future. The educational system offered little, but a kind teacher encouraged and supported her. Later, she would do the same for several generations of at-risk New York City students.

She talks about her marriages and her children. Her stories of being a busy, bewildered young mother (is there any other kind?) dealing with two precocious children are priceless. Her comments on the changes in education, in family life, and in our cultural mindset are witty and perceptive. She's a woman who cares deeply about people and whose firm opinions are based on experience as well as learning.

Today when our country seems so sadly divided, it's tempting to give up and believe that our problems must overwhelm us sooner or later. But Bel Kaufman lived over 100 years and she saw good come out of evil many times. She KNEW that each of us has the power to change the lives of others for the better. And she passionately believed that we could and should make the effort. Her thoughts are energizing and up-lifting because they are an affirmation of the human spirit. If you loved STAIRCASE, you should read this book.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many years ago, I read a book called Up the Down Staircase. It was considered a classic "teaching" book - if you were at all interested in being a teacher, it was expected that you would read this book. Teaching was not my ambition, but reading good books has always been part of my life, so I read it. As I recall, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Fast forward close to forty years and I finally get to Book Expo America. I am talking to the representative for Open Media, who has republished Up the Down Staircase. Imagine my surprise when she tells me that Bel Kaufman is still living and is 102. The rep then offers me this book.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this. The essays are delightful. Some are a bit dated, but some are still right on target. The best part, for me, is that I learn some info about Kaufman that is fascinating.

This is a short, well-written collection of essays. I urge you to read them if you have read Up the Down Staircase. Otherwise, I suspect you have to be over 50 or a resident of New York City to enjoy them.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an atmospheric book of essays by the author of Up the Down Staircase, a novel about an idealistic young teacher that made headlines in the 1950s. Here Kaufman writes about her exotic Russian childhood, the Russian Revolution, motherhood and the importance of education. Although she came from a family with some money, life was difficult for many. Some of these people ate bread made from the shells of peas, because there was no flour.
She also includes essays about her wonderful grandfather, Shalom Aleichem, who wrote the stories on which Fiddler on the Roof is based. The essay that I found the most moving was about how delighted Kaufman was to become a mother, and the difference between the mothers of her day and many mothers today.

She laments the changes in morals and manners through the generations, and she has well-considered advice about how to bring civility back.