Scatterbrained, but a Star
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Crossposted from Haaretz
A large pigeon roosts on the roof of a house in the picture that opens the new edition of “Ha-Mefuzar Mi-Kfar Azar” (“The Absent-Minded Guy from Kefar Azar,” Am Oved, 1968), by Leah Goldberg. Goldberg’s book, based on a work by Russian Jewish writer Samuil Marsha, originally appeared with illustrations that she did. Now it is being reissued with drawings by Natalie Waksman Shenker.
The new edition of “The Absent-Minded Guy” is a lot more than a tribute to the work of the late Goldberg, whose 100th birthday will be celebrated this month. The scatterbrained protagonist is reborn in this book, and the illustrator, Waksman Shenker has provided a refreshing and inspiring version of him and the entire work.
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