Hofer's Hasidic Warsaw is both a fascinating read and a rich historical source. Jonathan Boyarin brings to us a captivating example of Yiddish literature in his masterful English translation and a rich historical source on a little-known aspect of the religious life of Eastern European Jews. Beware! Once you start reading, you might be unable to pause before the last page!

Marcin Wodzinski, Professor of Jewish studies at the University of Wroclaw, Poland

Boyarin's translation-zesty, entertaining, and eloquent in equal measures-introduces English readers to a remarkable tale by the noted author Yechiel Hofer. This text, a must-read for anyone interested in the religious cultures of Jewish eastern Europe, invites us to step out of the present and into the thriving, complicated worlds of early twentieth-century Hasidism.

Ariel Evan Mayse, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University