TONY® NOMINEE BEST PLAY • WINNER OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE

Say

gm FERRANTE

one else's breaking
determined to publish
prison rules, Ferrante
the 1,100-page novel.
was thrown into
But friends encouraged
solitary confinement.
him to write a memoir.
After a captain called
He wasn't interested
him an animal, he
in revisiting his mob
began to think for
days but agreed to write
A JOURNEY mom PRISON TO PROUST
the first time about
a sample chapter as
whether those words
his parole period was
were true and what
ending. Soon he had a
made him that way.
literary agent and book
With plenty of
contract.
time on his hands, he Ferrante, says his rabbi, "has
Ferrante, who'd had
started contemplating a rough exterior, but you
many girlfriends in his
the existence of God
old life, also was inter-
can sit down and talk about
and began reading — philosophy, literature, poetry ested in romance and
he thought that books and anything in Judaism."
was hoping to meet a
might have answers
Jewish woman. But he
to his questions. He
found it difficult to find
read the Gospels, the Koran, the Hindu
someone who wasn't going to judge him
Bhagavad Gita and the Torah — and
based on his past. While in a pizzeria
felt powerfully drawn to Judaism. He
with a friend, he struck up a conversa-
approached the prison rabbi who at
tion with a young woman. She told him
first thought Ferrante was interested
she was a librarian and was reading
only in the bagels but then understood
Ovid's History of Rome, which he also
his seriousness, and then would look
had read. He told her he was an aspir-
for Ferrante when he didn't show up in
ing writer.
synagogue.
She has since converted to Judaism, a
"Prison is designed to break the indi- decision she made on her own, he says.
vidual. It outright destroyed me, the old They keep a kosher home and observe
me. I was building someone better," he
the Sabbath and holidays.
writes.
When he was writing the memoir,
When Ferrante, who began wearing a they'd drive together to scenes of
kippah in jail, started to feel that there
crimes he committed, like a corner in
was a Creator, he believed that some
Queens where he hijacked a truck; and
higher power was punishing him for
he'd recall as much as he could. They
bad things he had done. And he was
also visited the Lewisburg prison in
grateful that he hadn't been killed or
Pennsylvania, where he had been incar-
given a life sentence, and that instead
cerated, and sat outside the walls.
he had been given tools to improve
"I was astounded by what I remem-
himself.
bered:' he says. "I was scared of myself
"I was totally alone he says. "There
— the person I am now got more ner-
was nobody to talk to. The guy next
vous thinking about what I did than I
to me was talking about whom he
got when I was doing it:'
whacked. But that was the key. Had
Ferrante still hopes to publish the
I had outside influence, it may have
novel — and to write others. He has
been detrimental to my belief system
been writing his own Torah commen-
developing. I was a rebellious guy. I had tary since his prison days and hopes
nobody telling me what to believe'
to publish that, citing Onkelos, a well-
He kept reading. Bibliographies lead
known commentator during talmudic
to book lists, and he'd ask his family
times, who converted to Judaism.
and friends to send certain titles. He
The author dons tefillin every day.
read Maimonides and Rashi and Torah
He doesn't attend synagogue, as none
commentaries from many perspec-
is walking distance from his home. He
tives. His eyes were opened by William
thinks he might enjoy living in a Jewish
Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third
community someday, but he also likes
Reich and Max Dimont's Jews, God and
— and is used to — solitude.
History.
Unlocked is very well written, at turns
And he discovered that he loved to
disturbing, funny and astonishing.
write. He began a novel set in the ante-
Ferrante's story not only resonates with
bellum South. His ambition to write
Passover's themes of freedom, but its
was fueled by the "same cockiness I had example of resilience, its vivid remind-
running a crew at 19 or 20 and think-
er that change is truly possible and its
ing I could rob an armored car and get
emphasis on the power of words, make
away with it:'
this a fine book for the Days of Awe as
When released from prison, he was
well. El

.
dn
IP•ight
•r'Gracie

The life, laughter
and love of
George Burns
and Gracie Allen

Written by three-time Ton, Award Winner

Rupert Holmes

September 9 - November 16
The Gem Theatre

Call: 313-963-9800

THE HISTORIC

CENTURY

THEATRES

www.gemtheatre.com

er Poultry.

Customize your own
Chicken order!

Free Delivery -k4p4,

" Customized Skinless Chicken,:
includes: Chicken breast skiniWs &
boneless. All Individually paeked.

'1'7T

;In',

kALSO OFFER FRESH DUCIlli

All done under the strict Supervision Of
The Vaad Harallonliof Greater Detroit,.

For all other products and prices please call:
Sun-Fri Office:248-565-8544 or Ce11:347-243-0538.
Email: kosherpoultry@gmail.com

1422310

August 14 • 2008

B 1 5