Montague Glass was an early-twentieth-century American humorist and attorney who specialized in humorous stories based on New York City's garment trade. As the garment industry in New York at this time was primarily run by Jewish immigrants, much of Glass's humor derived from their nature and characters. The first stories were published as Potash and Perlmutter in 1910, and the adventures continued in 1911 with Abe and Mawruss -- Potash and Permutter, respectively. Glass also adapted his tales into Broadway plays that were popularly-received, and which enjoyed several revivals. A Jewish immigrant born in Manchester, England in 1877, Glass's father was a fabric manufacturer, which gave him knowledge of the garment industry. Glass's portrayals of Abe and Mawruss ("Morris") were intended to soften the negative stereotypes of Jewish immigrants in the United States, by offering their adventures and personalities with great humor. Even at the time, some Jewish readers objected to the stereotypes portrayed in the books, but the Jewish slang and culture Glass portrayed has entered our cultural memories. You would want to read a funny book? You should read this Abe and Mawruss!

Author Biography

Montague Marsden Glass (1877 - 1934) was a British-American Jewish lawyer and writer of short stories, plays and film scripts. His greatest success came with the creation of his fictional duo Abe Potash and Mawrus Perlmutter, who appeared in three books, a play and several films. Glass was born in Manchester, England, but spent his childhood in Baguley, in Cheshire. Glass' father worked in the linen and cotton trade. The Glass family moved to New York in 1890, in pursuit of Glass' father's business interests. Glass married Mary Caroline Patterson in 1908. He attended The College of the City of New York and New York University Law School. After qualifying for the bar, Glass practiced law for several years while writing semi-professionally on the side. In 1909, Glass abandoned the practice of law to write full-time. Glass' transition from law to professional writing coincided with the emergence of the a pair of characters that would prove to be his most enduringly popular creations: Abe Potash and Mawrus Perlmutter.