A maven (also mavin) is a trusted expert in a particular field, who seeks to pass knowledge on to others. The word maven comes from Hebrew, meaning one who. Book reviews with reader reflections and top quotes The Yiddish Policemen's Union (P.S.) and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more Guest Reviewer: David Stein. Full Title: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union: A Novel Author: Michael Chabon Publisher: Harper Perennial (2008) Number of Pages: 411 Online shopping from a great selection at Books Store. Books Advanced Search New Releases Best Sellers The New York Times® Best Sellers Children's Books. Setting. The Yiddish Policemen's Union is set in an alternative history version of the present day. The premise is that, contrary to real history, the United States. When I think of The Yiddish Policemen's Union, I can picture a complacent Chabon frequently patting his own back while writing this book. If he can come up with three. Yiddish Phrases. Yiddish is such a rich and descriptive language. Many words and phrases have made it into the mass culture but others are not as well known. Features selected links to reviews of fiction, author web sites, and book excerpts. Strange Horizons is a free weekly online magazine devoted to publishing high-quality speculative fiction, poetry, art, and related nonfiction.