Sholom (Sholem) Aleichem (Shalom Rabinovich) wrote more than 40 volumes in Yiddish, plus numerous stories, plays, and essays in Hebrew and Russian. Here is a selection of his most important and influential works, grouped by genre/form with original Yiddish titles, English translations, and approximate first publication dates.
Novels and Novel-Length Cycles
- Menakhem-Mendl (1892–1913, serialized and later collected) – Epistolary novel about a lovable but hapless speculator and dreamer.
- Tevye der milkhiker (Tevye the Dairyman, 1894–1916) – The iconic cycle of monologues that became the basis for Fiddler on the Roof.
- Motl, Peysi dem khazns yingl (Motl, the Cantor’s Son, 1907–1916, unfinished) – A humorous children’s novel told from the perspective of a nine-year-old immigrant boy.
- Blondzhende shtern (Wandering Stars, 1909–1911) – A tragicomic novel about Yiddish theater actors touring the world.
- In shtot un in der kleyne shtot (In the Big City and in the Small Town, 1909–1910) – Often considered a novel about the contrast between Jewish life in the big city (Warsaw) and the shtetl.
- Der blutiger shpas (The Bloody Hoax, 1908–1913, written 1901–1902) – A satirical novel (co-authored with Yitzhok Leyb Peretz in concept) about a Jewish and a Russian student who switch identities.
Major Short-Story Collections and Cycles
- Stempenyu (1888) – His first major novella, about a klezmer violinist.
- Yosele Solovey (1889) – Novella about a child prodigy cantor.
- Monologn series (1880s–1910s) – Dramatic monologues, the form he perfected (includes Tevye, Menakhem-Mendl, and many others).
- Kasrilevker progres (The Town of the Little People / Kasrilevke stories, 1901–1916) – Humorous and bittersweet tales about the fictional impoverished shtetl of Kasrilevke.
- Railroad Stories (Eyznban-geshikhtes, 1902–1910) – Stories told by traveling salesmen on trains, a landmark of Yiddish modernist narrative.
- Funem yarid (From the Fair, 1913–1916) – Autobiographical novel (published posthumously in full).
Plays (Written for the Yiddish Stage)
- Tsezeyt un tseshpreyt (Scattered and Dispersed, 1888) – Early comedy.
- Der geto (The Divorce, 1892) – One of the first serious Yiddish dramas.
- Dos groyse gevins (The Jackpot / The Big Lottery, 1900) – Comedy that became a staple of Yiddish theater.
- Agentn (Agents, 1905) – Satirical comedy.
- Shver tsu zayn a yid (Hard to Be a Jew, 1914, adapted from his own story) – Performed thousands of times.
- 200,000 (1901, later rewritten as Dos groyse gevins) – Comedy about sudden wealth.
Children’s Literature
Many Motl stories were originally written for children, as well as numerous holiday tales and fables published in children’s magazines.
Major Anthologies and Selected Editions (Published During His Lifetime)
- Di yudishe folks-bibliotek (1888–1889) – His groundbreaking literary almanac.
- Ale verk fun Sholem Aleichem (Complete Works, 1908–1914 Warsaw edition, 15 volumes) – The first attempt at a collected edition.
- Geklibene verk (Selected Works, 1910–1913) – Jubilee editions issued for his 25th and 30th writing anniversaries.
Posthumous and Later Collections
- Dos Sholem-Aleichem bukh (1926, edited by Y.D. Berkovitz) – First major posthumous collection.
- The 28-volume Ale briv (All the Letters) and the modern Yiddish Fulshṭendike verk (Complete Works) in 15 volumes (Vilna, 1917–1925) remain the standard scholarly editions.
His most universally recognized masterpieces today are:
- Tevye the Dairyman
- Menakhem-Mendl
- Motl, the Cantor’s Son
- The Railroad Stories
- Kasrilevke cycle
These works form the core of Yiddish literature and continue to be translated, performed, and adapted worldwide.