Quarrelsome Family on `Grand Concourse': A-, Rather Weak Novel,
o m e outstanding
Eliot Wagner, a native De- produced
t.roiter who has lived in the !people, it boasts many scholars,
Bronx for 30 years, has elected it certainly does not take a back
rather unimpressive characters seat to any Jewish community.
for his novel "Grand Concourse," Yet, 'Wagner's characters are
published by Bobbs - Merrill Co., quarrelsome. One of them beats
l up his father. Others are always
Indianapolis.
The Bronx is a n important arguing in a bad mood.
Jewish population center. It has I Even the intermarriage angle
Greetings on the Holiday
THE CHIDWA RESTAURANT
Luncheons Monday Through Friday, 11 :30 till 2
Dinners Monday Through Friday, 5 till 8
Saturdays — Private Parties, Receptions, Teas
By Reservation Only
•
Sunday Dinners Served 1 to 7
1 1
P.M.
536 WOODWARD
TO. 8-3085
Passover Greetings
would not be against the story
if only the author had selected
elements for his story that
would give it dignity. He has
failed to do that. His story is
boring and one gets annoyed
constantly reading about broth-
ers and sisters, parents and chil-
dren, who get on each other's
nerves.
Wagner writes well. He should
search for more constructive
material and he'll then surely
have a more impressive story
to write in his next novel. Even
his Julie, around whom his
story revolves, is n o t so out-
standing. Ordinary characters
make an ordinary novel. That's
how "Grand Concourse" must
be rated.
CRYSTAL CHANDELIER CO.
–
Makers of Fine Crystal"
19434 LIVERNOiS
UN. 3-3300
Passover Greetings to All
ARROW DOOR CO.
Manufacturers of
BIRCH FLUSH DOORS
Custom Made - Interior and Exterior
`Ketti Shalom': Novel
That Totally Misses
Palestinian Points
We Del iver
8930 Brandt in Dearborn
TI. 6-4008
Holiday Greetings
"Ketti Shalom" is the Hop-
wood Prize novel by James Mur-
dock, published by Random
abuse (457 Madison, NY22). It
has been hailed as "powerful'
(58 Bar)
and as the story of a "strangely
gifted girl" who "unites her peo-
BEER - LIQUOR - WINE
ple in an hour of violence and
heartbreak."
It was inspired, the author
WO. 4-9095
58 Cadillac Square
tells us in a foreword, by "fac-
314 Fox Building
tual material," although it is a
work of fiction: by the unde-
clared war in Palestine between
Jews, Arabs and the British.
But it has a peculiar ap-
proach: the author undertakes
Passover Greetings
to describe a war of factions—a
struggle for control between re-
ligious Jews who sought control
and their opponents.
Insurance Consultant
Thus, he makes Rabbi Ahab in
150 Bagley
the story a cruel character who
Estate Analysis — Investments — insurance Service
is out to gain his point—votes
323 W. Lafayette in Free Press Bldg.
by newcomers for the religious
1E1
LO. 5 5515.:
element—at any and all costs
23439 FORD RD., DEARBORN, MICH.
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111i7
In the end there is a softening
1 TT111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
with Ketti playing an important
role as a modifier.
Unfortunately, the author,
Greetings on Passover
who writes well, is so unin-
Holiday Greetings
formed on actual conditions that
he has selected a weak point for
his theme. He had a chance to
24 Hour Service - All Makes
build a great story around a
Commercial and Residential
powerful subject—the struggle of
Jews for independence. But he
Maintenance and Inspection - Inclinator - Elevette
Serving the Construction Industry
missed the point because, so evi-
Sales and Service
dently, he does not know the
WO. 1-8770
situation.
WAlnut 1 9424
10542 E. Warren
204 Penobscot Bldg.
In Palestine it was a battle not
between individuals—since all
Jews were united in time of
crisis, even the Irgun aiming at
the same goal as Haganah—but
by Jewry for freedom and the
right to bring newcomers to the
land. Instead, Mr. Murdock, fail-
ing to check on facts, puts words
like "Judas" in the mouth of
Rabbi Ahab---terms strange to
Day or Night — All Hospitals Anywhere
orthodox Jewish leaders or to
Oxygen-Equipped
general Jewish usage. There are
many other elements to indicate
TE. 1-6080
3953 - 12th St.
that the novel is not a Jewish one
but is the product of a man who
111111111111111111111111111111111EM111111111111110
had good intentions without 5111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1111111111111111111 I
background based on knowledge
of a situation that arose in a
Holiday Good Cheer
Passover Greetings
fight for life and freedom.
The truth is that if Mr. Mur-
dock had changed the names to
any others, using India or a
Gulf Products — Road Service
Latin American country as a
OWNED AND OPERATED BY JOSEPH ROGOFF—NATHAN KOWAL
Accessories
Tire Repairing — Lubrication
background and characters to
Registered Pharmacists — Prescription Specialists
suit the environment, it would
A.M.
Open 7 A.M. to 1
make little difference. It could
13245 W. McN ICHOLS, Cor. Littlefield
13500 LIVERNOIS at Davison
be a story in any setting, not
necessarily Palestine. The chief
WEbster 5-9476
UN. 2-0750
reason for this shortcoming un-
der the present title is that the
11111119111191111111411011111111111111111111111111IlIMP.11111111111la.
idea—the information about the 11 11 11 11 11 111 11 1I II III II 11 11 11 111 11 11 11 11 111 11 11 11 111 II I1 11 111 1 1 1
struggle—is
totally
miss-
Jewish
ing in "Ketti Shalom." Too bad!
Holiday Best Wishes
Passover Greetings to Our
We had looked for a description
of the great romance that re-
sulted in the founding of Israel.
Friends and Customers
It is missing in the story.
There is a good tale, of Ketti's
affections for the British gen-
eral, of human relations, of mob
action. But such things happen
to all peoples, and Mr. Murdock
LO.
2-4460
8275 Dale, Dearborn
gave his novel :a Jewish title and
a Jewish motivation. He went ;1 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111.111111111111111 1111111111111111 WW 01111111111111111111111111111111M111111111111111r,i
no farther. Again we say• too
bad!
Sincerest Holiday Wishes
BUFFET PONTCHARTRAIN
AGINS AGENCY
Sincerest Holiday Wishes
MARY AVIS RESTAURANT
EARL J. CHRISTY
-
ACME ELEVATOR C.O.
BUREAU OF CREDITS, INC.
-
Holiday Greetings
Greetings and Best Wishes
Brennan Ambulance Service
On the New Year
BOR1N BROS., INC.
CHET'S AUTO SERVICE
CROWN PHARMACY
-•
Blue Flash Chemical
Company
Ed's Tinning & Roofing Co.
AUSTIN OIL CORPORATION
1
Fuel and Stove Oil for Your Comfort
_12950 Evergreen
Sincerest Holiday Wishes
Loyalty
Passover Greetings
VE. 8-5800
. - .
With loyal heart and mind sin-
cere
Pray that the Government
may thrive!
For men, if unrestrained by fear.
Would swallow other men alive.
—Talmud.
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, April,!, 1955
-
49
CENTRAL BULER &
MANUFACTURING COMPANY
5818 Rivard
TR. 2-2400