“Unterzakhn” Graphic Novel Portrays Lower East Side, Circa 1910
We love graphic novels, and were especially thrilled to learn of a recent release that focuses on the early twentieth century Lower East Side. Time to re-tool our reading list!
This image has been archived or removed.
Unterzakhn is the latest long-form comic book from author-illustrator Leela Corman, whose previous publishing credits include Queens Day and Subway Series. The story, titled in Yiddish meaning “Underthings,” plots the chronicle of immigrant twin sisters Esther and Fanya in 1910. Knopf/Doubleday press materials peg the narrative as a coming-of-age tale on the Lower East Side “where life’s lessons are learned quickly and often cruelly.” For instance, Esther works for burlesque theater and whorehouse operator, Fanya for an obstetrician who performs illegal abortions.
This image has been archived or removed.
Photo Credit: Knopf/Doubleday
Corman is currently on tour promoting the book, and will conclude plugging festivities at the MoCCA Festival this weekend.
As part of the PR campaign, the official website also published some awesome Yiddish flashcards. We’ve borrowed a couple for your enjoyment:
This image has been archived or removed.
This image has been archived or removed.
Recent Stories
Hinds Talk the ‘Prettiest Curse’ and Love for NYC [Interview]
Spanish indie rock outfit Hinds drops their much anticipated third album today, The Prettiest Curse. Prior to the pandemic, I chatted with lead singer and guitarist Carlotta Cosails. An unabashed fan, my goal was to avoid becoming awkward fangirl, Mel, from Flight of the Conchords. A nearly impossible feat, as Hinds’ first two albums, Leave […]
The Reason You Don’t See Trash Cans on the Lower East Side
You may have noticed the lack of trash cans on street corners around the Lower East Side this week. Vanished seemingly overnight. As a precaution this week, the city quietly removed receptacles from neighborhoods overwhelmingly hit by unrest and looting following the killing of George Floyd. It’s estimated that roughly 2,000 were temporarily towed citywide, […]
Pink Protest Signage Screams Poor Taste at the Museum of Ice Cream
When New York City begins its reopening on Monday, SoHo will be boarded up as if for a hurricane, and the streets emptier than when the COVID-19 shutdown began. Signage of the luxury retailers has also been erased by the appearance of bare plywood, Black Lives Matter graffiti, or both. But the Museum of Ice […]
A Scene, Unseen: LES Music Venues, Musicians Stay Visible Despite Closures
By the time this article is published, 11 weeks of self-isolation will have passed. It’s been 11 weeks since many of us have gone to work, since grocery stores have felt safe, and since handshakes have felt friendly. And those are only the most banal, everyday changes. When it comes to the moments we share […]
Lower East Side Businesses Boarded up their Storefronts Amidst Citywide Looting
When the pandemic hit, it was mainly the luxury stores in SoHo that began boarding up the windows for fear of looting. It’s now a reality in the atmosphere following the controversial death of George Floyd, an African American man who died in Minneapolis police custody. For days, looters took to the streets, oftentimes piggybacking off […]
