Podhoretz Made It: Attained
Success Told in His New Book
Norman Podhoretz really made are those with the late Elliott
it 1 There's the upshot of the Cohen who preceded him as Com-
confessional, "Making It," pub- mentary editor. Podhoretz makes
lished by Random House, in which an evaluation:
he offers an account of his life's
"If Commentary had not been
aspirations, his experiences and a Jewish magazine, it is doubtful
his rise to his
itself at all, but if the some of its
present post as
Jewishness had not at the same
editor of Corn-
time been largely an acculturated
mentary, pub-
one ... or if its style had smelled
lished by the
too strongly of immigrant origins
American Jewish
or been less facsimile-WASP than
Committee.
it actually succeeded in becom-
What was thet,,1„
ing, it would certainly never
aspiration? The 2:41
have gained the wide spread ac-
reader will find '
ceptance it gradually did as a
it revealed
magazine of general interest. My
promptly in the
own policies as editor of Com-
first paragraph
mentary simply pushed the logic
of the preface to Podhoretz
of Cohen's strategy further than
this interesting autobiographical he himself had done it: the 'new
statement. That paragraph reads: Commentary' bespoke, and re-
"Let me introduce myself. I am flected, a more advanced stage of
a man who at the precocious age , acculturated than the old, and was
of 35 experienced an astonishing accordingly more general than
Jewish in emphasis, but it re-
revelation: it is better to be
success than a failure. Having mained explicitly Jewish in part
been penetrated by this great of its contents and identifiably
truth concerning the nature of Jewish in the intellectual style
things, my mind was now open (that of the family) with which it
for the first time to a series of treated even subjects of a wholly
corollary perceptions, each one as general nature."
There is a reference of inter-
dizzying in its impact as the
Original Revelation itself. Money.' est to Partisan Review which
was founded mostly by Jewish
I now sow (no one, of course, had
intellectuals. When Podhoretz
ever seen it before), was impor-
mentioned the latter fact to
tant: it was better to be rich
than to be poor. Power, I now saw 1 Cohen, "a mischievous glint
(moving on to higher subtleties), I came into his eye: 'The main
difference between Partisan
was desirable: it was better to
give orders than to take them. : Review and Commentary,' he
said, 'is that we admit to being
Fame, I now saw (how courageous
a Jewish magazine and they
of me not to flinch), was un-
don't'."
qualifiedly delicious: it was better
The
criticism of the American
to be recognized than to be
Friday, January 5, 1968-15
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
'
Jewish Committee for subsidizing
anonymous."
So, the reader learns about Commentary in its universal status
his difficulties, his struggles, his is not overlooked in Podhoretz'
subjection to orders, until he discussions of his multiple ex-
emerges in his present role neriences.
He makes interesting comments
which gives him the power of
on accents, objections to it, the
editorship.
fact that third-generation Amer-
'Making it" is a tour of literary icans often emerge with accents.
quarters. an experience with the
Scores of incidents are recorded
leaders in the creative world of in "Making 't." Autobiographi-
writers, an uphill struggle until cally, confessionally. it is a
the top of the ladder is reached. fascinating story of an aspirant to
While the people of eminence literary success who "made it."
in the literary field are of great
importance in this story, it is
the account of Podhoretz' experi- `Gems of Jewish Wisdom'
A publication entitled "Gems of
ences in high school, the interest
that was taken in him by his Jewish Wisdom" has been issued
by
Far Rockaway (N.Y.) Jew-
teacher, Mrs. K., that is of major ish the
Community Council, it was an-
significance. She had a great
nounced
by Rubin R. Dobin, Coun-
aspiration for him: Harvard. He
made Columbia. She saw great cil chairman. It is a pocket-sized
brochure
folder and it contains
promise in him: he fulfilled it but
selections from Jewish lore de-
the path was difference.
Mrs. K.. her characteristics. signed to focus attention of the
her home life, her Jewish hus- important traditions of. Judaism.
band, the prejudice of both. Culled from the Talmud, Midrash,
the manner of her effort to Commentaries, and other Jewish
be socially correct—these de- sources. "Gems of Jewish Wis-
scriptions result in gems in dom" draws interest to the ethi-
writing and autobiographical cal values of Jewish life. In addi-
tion, the publication lists all Jew-
confession.
This is introductory to many in- ish holidays and the current cal-
teresting experiences, among which endar.
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