Abe and Mawruss by Montague Glass, Fiction, Classics (Hardcover)

Montague Glass was an early-twentieth-century American humorist and attorney who specialized in humorous stories based on New York City's garment trade. As the garment industry in New York at this time was primarily run by Jewish immigrants, much of Glass's humor derived from their nature and characters. The first stories were published as "Potash and Perlmutter" in 1910, and the adventures continued in 1911 with "Abe and Mawruss" -- Potash and Permutter, respectively. Glass also adapted his tales into Broadway plays that were popularly-received, and which enjoyed several revivals. A Jewish immigrant born in Manchester, England in 1877, Glass's father was a fabric manufacturer, which gave him knowledge of the garment industry. Glass's portrayals of Abe and Mawruss ("Morris") were intended to soften the negative stereotypes of Jewish immigrants in the United States, by offering their adventures and personalities with great humor. Even at the time, some Jewish readers objected to the stereotypes portrayed in the books, but the Jewish slang and culture Glass portrayed has entered our cultural memories. You would want to read a funny book? You should read this "Abe and Mawruss "