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1/29
88 Detroit Jewish News
-
L
ante
1999
F OR "2
WITH OR WITHOUT SKIN
Solotaroff says that -he never could
on 86th Street off Riverside Drive,
have written this if his father were still
the most interesting and classy and
alive. "He would have been furious,
different place, as far from Elizabeth
he would have felt very exposed, as
as I felt I needed to get. It was only
indeed he is."
25 miles but worlds away," says
A week after his father's death, he
Com-
Solotaroff, who was an editor at
began writing. He says that there are
mentary in the early 1960s before he
times when he is "troubled" about
founded the influential New American
what he has done, but that he did try
Review.
to put it in a
The author's
context of
father's father,
"understand-
an intellectual
ing, love and
and an early
gratitude for
Zionist, died
what I did get
when he was 3,
from him."
but he says he
There's
"always felt a
more affection
shadow rela-
in his voice as
tionship to my
he speaks
grandfather.
about his
felt he would
father than one
have under-
finds in the
stood me more
book, so it
than my
does seem that
father.
in some way
As he was
he had to write
growing up in a
it in order to
largely gentile
come to terms
neighborhood,
with the rela-
the major Jew-
tionship —
ish influences
for
rachmones
and to be able to feel
were his grandfather, his mother's
the man.
brothers and a Hebrew school teacher
The former senior editor at Harper
who showed interest in him.
& Row who worked with such
He says that at times in his more
authors as Yehudah Amichai, Bobbie
recent life when he hasn't been partic-
Ann Mason, Allegra Goodman, Rus-
ularly interested in Judaism, "Judaism
sell Banks, Leonard Fein and many
was interested in me; every so often it
others over a 10-year tenure, started
reached out and grabbed me by the
this memoir six years ago.
neck and said, 'Pay attention.'"
"I knew I wanted to take on some- c-'\
This is an elegantly written mem-
thing larger than another book review
oir, evoking the era from the Depres-
or essay," he says. "The question was
sion through World War II. The
where to begin."
book, which has been highly praised
At first, he began with his tenure at
in reviews, shares some similarities
assuming that's what
Commentary,
with the writings of the poet laureate
people wanted to know about. But he
of post-immigrant New Jersey Jewish
realized that if he were going to make
life, Philip Roth.
sense of his life in a narrative, he'd
In fact, Roth and Solotaroff have
have to begin 25 years earlier.
known each other since they were
Now, he plans two additional vol-
graduate students together at the Uni-
umes, following the course of his life
versity of Chicago.
until his retirement from publishing.
Solotaroff, who published pieces by
Solotaroff also is the author of two
and
Roth in New American Review
books of criticism and cultural com-
has also written about his work, says
mentary and the editor of five
that in some ways Roth's Patrimony,
anthologies.
about his father, was a model in its
His first draft of this volume was
directness. Roth describes this book as
over 600 pages, and the experienced
not only a literary achievement but a
editor and self-described novice mem-
considerable moral achievement as
oirist had to heed the advice of his
well."
editor at Norton about cutting and
Truth Comes in Blows was perhaps
shaping the book, rewriting a much
the last book read by the late critic
more lean and dramatic version.
Alfred Kazin, who wrote an enthusias-
Above his computer, he's pasted a
tic blurb from his hospital bed in the
note: "It's a story, stupid." II
last week of his life last spring.
°%"Icer--.
ilet6
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