Don’t Mind Me

We all tell lies. But Jewish lies are a little bit different. Here’s an example: It doesn’t matter if you read this. The Jewish people speak many languages. There’s English, of course, and Hebrew, and let’s not forget Yiddish and Ladino. But the language Jews have mastered is saying one thing and meaning another. And after a while, everyone understands the real meaning of the “lie.” Esther Cohen has been listening all her life. She’s written down what she’s heard, and the result is this small book with a big punch: the first ever list of these subtle (sort of), sly (very), and hilarious Jewish “lies.” New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast is a master interpreter of lies herself–bringing this particular set to life in her inimitably quirky style. Don’t Mind Me is a unique compilation of all-too-familiar phrases guaranteed to make you smile. For anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of one of these lies, this is one book that rings absolutely true.