#621 Free Fruit for Young Widows- Nathan Englander

#621 Free Fruit for Young Widows- Nathan Englander

This was a tough one for me, as it should be, as it was designed to be. But I’m not sure of it’s for the right reason. An Israeli man remembers his war years to his son. He has been telling him for years about the time his good friend killed four Egyptian soldiers in cold blood. 

“They were people. They were human beings who had sat down at the wrong table for lunch. They were dead people who had not had to die.”

And for years, his son didn’t understand why his father forgave him for his cruelty. Then he gives him “context” by telling him another story about his friend surviving the Nazi prison camps. After returning home to his house now being lived in by his former house-keeper and her family, he kills them in their sleep (after over-hearing their plan to kill him). I will never explain the story completely enough to do it justice, but the story was told to the son to show him the horrors of the time, and also to show him why he has forgiven his friend.

Justifying murder is a little morally dicey to me, even with the “context” given. There is a large and significant difference between understanding a transgression and justifying one. I’m not sure we should be so casual with that distinction (I’m speaking more about the killing of the Egyptian soldiers years later than his actions upon returning home). These are tough topics to discuss, I am glad Englander talks about them in such an unguarded manner.

Notable Passage: “You must risk your friend’s life, your family’s, your own, you must be willing to die—even to save the life of your enemy—if ever, of two deeds, the humane one may be done.” 

Rating: 9-9-9-10 Total= 37

#593 The Reader- Nathan Englander

#593 The Reader- Nathan Englander

This is a love letter to bookstores, or a lament for the loss of the bookstore culture. As the brick and mortar bookshops are closing one by one, Author makes his last reading tour. Notice he is not referred to as “The Author” which would be a title, but as “Author” which means it’s his name, his personal identity. 

Author is a one-book-a-decade type of writer, so he hasn’t seen this new world, and like cicada coming out of the ground after years of hibernation, he is never sure what to expect. His last books were well received and his book tours were packed. This time, things have changed.

“This is what every book had asked of him, that he forgo all distraction and every comfort, that he simply put his head down and work. But some decades are more delicate than others. And from this one, he’d lifted his eyes up and discovered that he was old.”

There are few people showing up to his readings. By the sixth night there appears to be nobody at all. But as he leaves the store, there is one man sitting, waiting, kindly insisting that Author fulfills his social contract to read, even if it’s only him listening. At first it is a fulfilling experience.

“Really, how much richer could a writing life be than finding, even for one night, one true reader?”

All of the remaining dates on his reading tour follow the same pattern. Nobody but this one man eagerly waiting for him to read. He reads, this is what he does after all, but if starts to feel like he’s reading his own eulogy:

“This book…it’s not a novel, it’s a tombstone. Why not just hammer it in the ground above my head? My name’s already on the front.”

At times I felt this was a very touching story, at other times I found it very self-indulgent.  Writers love writing about writing. The meta look into the life of a writer can be very personal, but can also be self-centered. If we take this in any way to be autobiographical (which is hard not to when reading about a writer) than it’s a little insulting to hear a writer complain about not getting enough attention…especially when you are at that very moment giving him attention. 

But again…that is a small fraction of my feelings on this piece. Overall, it was a good read, and Englander as always uses an impeccably clean craft that makes anything he writes enjoyable.

Rating: 9-7-8-9 Total= 33

#558 Camp Sundown- Nathan Englander

#558 Camp Sundown- Nathan Englander

This story starts out innocent enough. We are at a Jewish summer retreat. Young people come for summer camp and old people come to play bridge and relax in a nice serine environment. Josh is the new director, having been there as an assistant the previous six years. Josh sees a synchronicity between the young and the old:

“Every summer the old people grow smaller as the children grow big. Josh as decided that there is only so mush height in the world and the inches must change hands."

The summer is winding down and Josh starts losing the rein of control. The veteran old people have worn down his patience and he has become uncharacteristically angry and demonstrative.

“They are old. They talk a lot. They push buttons. They have lost the sense, or the will, to self-edit. They enjoy the privileges of old age.”

The dialogue is funny and the story seems benign. Then it turns dark and deadly serious. One of the older woman, a Holocaust survivor, swears she recognizes another old man as one of the Nazi guards at the camp where she was imprisoned. Josh is befuddled and deals with the situation poorly. The camp members take things into their own hands. The outcome of which will be something that will stick with Josh for a lifetime. Like elephants, turtles, and survivors, he will not forget easily.

This story deals with some pretty heavy topics, and as always Englander handles them deftly. I will leave it to the readers to draw their own thoughts on them.

Rating: 9-9-9-8 Total= 35