Hebrew Literature

Goldberg, Leah

Biography | Texts | Interviews

Leah Goldberg (1911- 1970, b. Kovno, Lithuania) spent much of her childhood in Russia. She began to write Hebrew verse as a schoolgirl. After receiving her PhD in Semitic Languages at the University of Bonn, she immigrated to Palestine in 1935. A member of the Shlonsky group of modern poets, Goldberg began publishing her work in the literary journals associated with the forum. She was a very successful children's author and was also a theater critic, translator (Tolstoy's War and Peace), editor of the Al Hamishmar newspaper literary supplement and a children's book editor. In 1952 she was invited to establish the Hebrew University's Department of Comparative Literature, which she chaired until her death. She was awarded the Israel Prize posthumously.

Books Published in Hebrew

Smoke Rings (poetry), Iachdav, 1935 [Taba'ot Ashan]
Letters from an Imaginary Journey, Davar, 1937 [Michtavim Mi-Nesiah Medumah]
Green-Eyed Spike (poetry), Dfus Hanakdan, 1940 [Shibolet Yerukat Ha-Ayin]
Songs in the Villages (poetry), Dfus Hanakdan, 1942 [Shir Ba-Kefarim]
From My Old Home (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1942 [Mi-Beiti Ha-Yashan]
And He is the Light (novel), Sifriat Poalim, 1946 [Ve-Hu Ha-Or]
Of Bloom (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1948 [Al Ha-Prihah]
Samson 's Love (poetry), Mikra-Studio, 1952 [Ahavat Shimshon]
Encounter with a Poet (non-fiction), Sifriat Poalim, 1952 [Pegisha Im Meshorer]
Morning Lightning (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1955 [Barak Ba-Boker]
The Lady of the Castle (play), Sifriat Poalim, 1956 [Ba'alat Ha-Armon]
Sooner or Later (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1959 [Mukdam Ve-Meuhar]
A Little Shack, Sifriat Poalim, 1959 [Tzrif Katan]
This Night (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1964 [Im Ha-Laila Ha-Ze]
Collected Poems (poetry), Iachdav/Writers Association, 1970 [Yalkut Shirim]
The Rest of Life (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1971 [She'erit Ha-Hayim]
Letters and Diary, Massada, 1978 [Michtavim Ve-Ioman]
Plays, Sifriat Poalim, 1979 [Mahazot]
Collected Works, Sifriat Poalim, 1979 [Ketavim]
Selected Poems, The Zionist Confederation, 1980 [Leket Mi-Shirei Leah Goldberg]
Small (poetry), Sifriat Poalim/Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1981 [Zuta]
Poems, Sifriat Poalim, 1986 [Shirim]
You Will Walk in the Fields (poems and songs), Sifriat Poalim, 1989 [At Telchi Ba-Sadeh]
Selected Poems, Sifriat Poalim, 1989 [Mivhar Shirim]
Stories, Sifriat Poalim, 1996 [Sipurim]
In My Beloved Country (poetry), Sifriat Poalim, 1997 [Be-Eretz Ahavati]

Children's Books

A Visitor from Kinneret, 1939 [Ha-Orahat Mi-Kineret]
City and Countryside, 1939 [Ha-Ir Ve-Ha-Kfar]
Dan and Dinah Walk in Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv Municipality, 1940 [Dan Ve-Dina Metaylim Be-Tel Aviv]
The Zoo, Dvir, 1941 [Gan Ha-Hayot]
My Friends from Arnon Street, Sifriat Poalim, 1943 [Yedidai Mi-Rechov Arnon]
What Do The Does Do? Sifriat Poalim, 1944 [Mah Osot Ha-Ayalot]
The Merry Zoo, Twersky, 1947 [Ha-Bivar He-Aliz]
The Song of a Young World, Sifrei Tzabar, 1950 [Kach Yashir Olam Tzair]
In the Land of China (poetry), Mikra, 1951 [Be-Eretz Sin]
Nissim and Nifla'ot, Sifriat Poalim, 1954 [Nissim Ve-Niflaot]
Little Sheba Queen, Sifrei Tzabar, 1956 [Malkat Sheva Ha-Ktanah]
Where is Pluto?, Sifriat Poalim, 1957 [Ayeh Pluto]
A Flat to Let, Sifriat Hapoalim, 1959 [Dirah Leaskir]
The Story of a Painter, Sifriat Poalim, 1965 [Ma'ase Be-Tzayar]
Adventures in the Desert, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1966 [Harpatkah Ba-Midbar]
The Absent-Minded Guy from Kefar Azar, Am Oved, 1968 [Ha-Mefuzar Mi-Kfar Azar]
The Elephant has a Cold, Bronfman, 1975 [La-Pilah Yesh Nazelet]
Mr. Fibber, the Storyteller, Sifriat Poalim, 1977 [Mar Gazmai Ha-Badai]
And All are Friends, Sifriat Poalim, 1978 [Ve-Culam Haverim]
Shamgar the Carpenter, Sifriat Poalim, 1979 [Shamgar Ha-Nagar]
The Story of Three Nuts, Sifriat Poalim, 1980 [Ma'ase Be-Shlosha Egozim]
Danny and the Parrot, The Zionist Confederation, 1980 [Danny Ve-Ha-Tuki]
Come Clouds, Sifriat Poalim, 1982 [Bou Ananim ]
Uri, Sifriat Poalim, 1983 [Uri]
Mor the Donkey, Sifriat Poalim, 1987 [Mor He-Hamor]
Mr. Kashkash Tells Stories, Sifriat Poalim, 1987 [Mi-Sipurei Mar Kashkash]
Teddy Bear Shoeshine, Sifriat Poalim, 1987 [Dov Duboni Ben Dubim Metzahtzeah Na'alaim]
A Golden Leaf, Sifriat Poalim, 1988 [Aleh Shel Zahav]
Reflections on my Window, Sifriat Poalim, 1989 [Ma Nishkaf Be-Haloni]
Dreams of a King, Sifriat Poalim, 1994 [Halomotav Shel Melech]
Who is at the Pavilion?, Sifriat Poalim, 1997 [Mi Ba-Bitan?]

Books in Translation

Lady of the Castle
French: Tel Aviv, The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature, 1983
English: Tel Aviv, The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature, 1974
Light on the Rim of a Cloud
English: San Franscisco, Didymus, 1972
The Cobbler
English: Tel Aviv, WIZO, 1950
Selected Poems
English: London and San Francisco, Menard and Panjandrum, 1976
Polish: London, Oficyna Poetow i Malarzy, 1971
Russian: Tel Aviv, Sifriat Poalim, 1989
Spanish: Granada, Universidad de Granada, 1994 (2 Vo.)
My Friends from Arnon Street
Catalan: Barcelona, Abadia de Montserrat, 1979
This Night
Spanish: Granada, Universidad de Granada, 1994
Of Bloom
English: New York, Garland, 1992
A Flat to Let
English: Los Angeles, Ward and Ritchie Press, 1972
English: New Delhi, NBT, 2000 (16 Indian languages: forthcoming)
Korean: Seoul, Joongang M & B, 1999
Little Queen of Sheba
English: New York, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1959
Nissim and Nifla'ot
Russian: Jerusalem, Biblioteka Aliya, 1993

Copyright © The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature.
Reprinted by kind permission of The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature. First published on the website of The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature: www.ithl.org.il

Texts

Reading Practice:

The Pine Tree