LEO ROSTEN, AUTHOR OF `JOYS OF YIDDISH,' DIES AT AGE 88

Leo Rosten, whose books introduced mainstream America to the subtleties of shlemiels, shmaltz and chutzpah in "The Joys of Yiddish," has died. He was 88.

Rosten, who died Wednesday at his home in Manhattan, wrote dozens of works, including the humorous Hyman Kaplan stories, in a six-decade career. But he was best known for his 1968 guide to Yiddish expressions and their influence on the American vernacular."The Joys of Yiddish" was a best seller when it was published and since has become the standard reference work on the language.