sv . -- •
-
in Ravelstein's new Parisian jacket.
Through Ravelstein, Bellow also
reveals much about Bloom's Jewish
identity. When illness overtakes him,
Ravelstein offers impromptu seminars
from his hospital bed. Chick says, "I
could see that he was following a trail
of Jewish ideas or Jewish essences. It
was unusual for him these days, in
any conversation, to mention even
Plato or Thucydides. He was full of
Scripture now."
Ever aware of the volume of hatred
in this century, Ravelstein concluded
"that it is impossible to get rid of
one's origins, it is impossible not to
remain a Jew."
It's a novel that moves back and forth
in time, between Chicago and Paris
and Boston, where Chick moves after
Ravelstein's death. Finally, Chick tells
both of their life stories.
Bloom in this way. "I
In the final part of the
On Nobel Prize-winning
don't like the feeling it
author Saul Bellow:
book, Chick battles for
brought with it and the "Bellow's writing makes
his own survival, after a
sense of neglected
this a compelling, darkly
near-death experience (as
responsibility and even comic novel — and
Bellow did, successfully).
recklessness on my part, Ravelstein an unforgettable After recovering, Chick is
because I didn't mean
character — whether one
finally able to end the
any harm to Allan. He
is aware of the real-life
many years of procrasti-
was so open about him- parallels or not."
nating about writing
self that you never
about Ravelstein —
thought of it as being harmful." He
whose presence never leaves him —
also said that he couldn't say for sure
and complete the project. "You don't
what caused Bloom's death.
easily give up a creature like Ravelstein
Bellow's writing makes this a com-
to death."
pelling, darkly comic novel — and
It's as though Chick, and Bellow,
Ravelstein an unforgettable character
would agree with the Baal Shem Tov's
— whether one is aware
of the real-life parallels
or not.
"Ravelstein, with his
bald powerful head, was
at ease with large state-
ments, big issues and
famous men, with
decades, eras, centuries.
He was, however, just as
familiar with entertain-
ers like Mel Brooks as
with the classics, and
could go from
Thucydides' huge
tragedy to Moses as played by
statement: "In remembrance lies the
Brooks."
secret of redemption."
Ravelstein — who selects the
Ravelstein, Bellow's 19th book, not
color of a new BMW as he is leaving
only describes Bloom, but other peo-
the intensive care unit in one of his
ple in Bellow's life, including his most
early hospital stays — and Chick
recent ex-wife and his present wife
seem to understand each other the
and other academic colleagues and
way that old friends do. They talk
friends. This fall, James Atlas' long-
intensely about everything, from pol-
awaited biography of Bellow is due
itics to the habits of their colleagues
out, and readers will learn more about
to the fine blend of silk and flannel
how the people he has written about
in this and other novels view the
Sandee Brawarsky is a New York-based
Nobel-Prize winning writer. 11
Ravelstein concluded
"that it is impossible
to get rid of one's
origins; it is impossible
not to remain a Jew."
freelance writer.
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error in it. The logo should have included the
hebrew word "Kosher." The word was typeset
incorrectly and we apologize for any inconvenience
this may have caused.
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