The Schocken Book of Contemporary Jewish Fiction Edited by Ted Solotaroff and Nessa Rapoport
Schocken Books
Paper, $14.00.Reviewed by M. L. Abrams
Over the past quarter of a century, critics have identified themes that define modern Jewish Literature. For instance, the great literary critic and essayist Irving Howe argues that modern Jewish literature is uniquely influenced by Yiddish culture. For poet David Rosenberg, modern Jewish literature is shaped by the Hebrew Bible. Some critics have postulated that Jewish literature is inextricably linked to the Holocaust while others find the family and community as a governing theme. More than anything else, however, Jewish literature has stood out because of its humor--the Schocken Book of Contemporary Jewish Fiction builds on this fertile tradition.The Schocken anthology provides selections from the so-called big three of Jewish literature: Bernard Malamud, Saul Bellow and Philip Roth. In "The Silver Crown," Malamud writes a funny story of a doubting biology teacher who pays a rabbi to make a magical crown to heal his dying father. In Saul Bellow's riotous "Something to Remember Me By," the adolescent narrator details his adventures growing up in depression-era Chicago. Philip Roth also provides laughs in his story about one of the all-time great Jewish humorists, Franz Kafka.
The Schocken anthology also provides humorous selections from a wealth of lesser-known, though exceptionally talented, Jewish writers including Joanna Spiro, Robin Roger, Eppie Zore'a, Deirdre Levinson and Allegra Goodman. Goodman deserves special mention for her savagely funny story of a yuppie Orthodox family's efforts to raise their children. The anthology contains solid selections from frequent contributors to Jewish literature including Grace Paley, Cynthia Ozick, Max Apple and E.L. Doctorow.
No discussion of modern Jewish literature would be complete without a few words about Isaac Bashevis Singer. Unfortunately, Singer is less talked about in literary circles these days. In part, this absence stems from the difficulty in labeling the "Magician of 94th Street." Singer is a writer so versatile that his stories harmonize the seemingly contradictory forces of realism and fantasy; religion and sexuality; comedy and tragedy; and rationalism and mysticism. The impish Singer defined himself best as a "realistic writer from a Kabbalistic point of view." In "A Party in Miami Beach" Singer cleverly weaves himself into the story in a manner reminiscent of the father of modern Jewish literature and humor, Sholem Aleichem.
The Schocken Book of Contemporary Jewish Fiction contains stories from some of the most talented writers of our time. Moreover, the stories do something all but forgotten in today's culture of rage, angst and despair: they make us laugh.
All contents copyright © 1996, The Blue Moon Review, All Rights Reserved.