The Safe Deposit and Other Stories about Grandparents, Old Lovers, and Crazy Old Men

In an afterword, Olitzky (editor of The Journal of Aging and Judaism ) claims that these 18 stories, which represent his idiosyncratic choices, show diverse but authentic responses to old age by various Jewish writers.we don't back up this criticism or offer contrary evidence... is `claims' the right word? Yes, let's stet The collection is very much a mixed bag. Standouts are Grace Paley's classic ``Dreamer in a Dead Language,'' Dan Jacobson's ``The Zulu and the Zeide,'' and ``The Crazy Old Man'' by Hugh Nissenson. On the other hand,this phrase used Line of Fall, above, ok? Can't think how else to phrase it... the title story is one of I. B. Singer's lesser efforts; Bruno Lessing is represented by a dated morality tale; Anzia Yezierka's caged-bird symbolism is now trite; and the characters in Edna Ferber's story live in an old people's home that seems to resemble a luxurious hotel. The handling of certain issues--Jewish-black relations, piety, the hostility of the young to the older generation--and the inclusion of such gifted lesser-knowns as Ruth Miller and Bette Howland, partly redeem this mishmashdid you mean mishmash? This is the reviewer's term; i don't know which is the preferred spelling of contents (a number of them anecdotes or memoirs). (Dec.)