Elliot’s Reading Week of 6-20-21: An Ozick story and Appelfeld's first translated novel

 Elliot’s Reading Week of 6-20-21

I hate to say this but the New Yorker fiction this week, a longish short story by the nonagenarian writer Cynthia Ozick seems to be something of a pity piece. The story - initially about a small group of classmates studying library sciences agrees to meet for an annual (?) reunion, then becomes about the life of one of the women in the group as she takes her first library job and is courted and won over, after initial reluctance, by a library patron - is a mess structurally and topically. None of the characters seem real, and the plot just wanders around ending up nowhere. But, enough. It’s amazing that CO is still writing in her 90s. I admit, I’ve never been a huge fan of her Jamesian work, but I’m still impressed by her dedication - I am a long way from my 90s, but I know that I have no more novels of even stories in me, so good for her. But she’s had rough treatment lately: Her new novel received a significantly negative review in the NYTBR, which the author concluded with almost an apology but noted that she’s a “pro” and can take criticism. Apparently, no - as the review ran a # of how-dare-you letters, including one for CO herself. Hey, if you are a pro - then just take it! Wondering here, for the record, if the NYer publication is just a way to say: We’re on your side. (I’ve had my share of bad reviews - and rejections - and am no pro when it comes to taking solace.)

Aharon Appelfeld’s first novel translated into English, Badenheim 1939 (1978), tells of the Austrian summer resort/spa of the same name, same year - a strange novel in which none of the characters is clearly defined, each is a type (musician, hotel owner, bakery worker, prostitute, et al.), a cartoon, a stick figure - quite intentionally. The narrative opens w/ the various characters arriving at the spa for their summer vacation, though we quickly realize that things are not as they were in previous summers; the planned entertainments (concerts, mostly) never quite get off the ground. Shortly into the novel, those gathered in Badenheim are told that they must register w/ the Sanitation Division; it soon becomes clear that only the Jewish people (most of the characters in this instance), must register. Some people are wary about this, but others counsel patience and say that this registration is all for the good. Eventually the residents receive word that they’ll all be moving to Poland - and, again, some are dubious while others try to reassure their neighbors: Poland is beautiful, cultured, literary, a great place to live! Of course we can see what’s happening and we get, I suppose, a glimpse into the indifference and delusion of those who cannot even imagine what the future holds in store. What led me to this novel was my (re)reading of Philip Roth’s Operation Shylock, in which his journey to Israel was built upon his commitment to interview AA over a series of recorded sessions; Roth includes some of his Q&A w/ AA and thus makes him part of the story of Operation Shylock - and now, on reading Badenheim 1939, do I see that AA and his novel probably were an (or the) inspiration for Roth’s novel, which posits a Roth impostor who promotes scheme to encourage the Eastern European Jews to exodus from Israel and return to their Eastern Europe denizens, such as Poland, where they supposedly would be welcomed w/ open arms: AA’s novel shows us why no Jew in Israel would consider that scheme for a moment and, what’s worse, the fate that might await those returning from Diaspora.