PEREIRA MAINTAINS, by Antonio Tabucci
A man gives an account of his recent life and activities - to whom? Police investigators? We aren’t told; all we know is that what we are reading is what happened, or what “Pereira maintains” at any rate. But what did happen?
An editor of a literary journal leads a quiet enough life until a young writer accosts him and asks him to publish something, anything he has penned, for he needs the money bad. He submits a couple of obits, but they are totally unpublishable because of their political content. For Periera lives in a Portugal under the spell of the far-right, and dissent is frowned upon. But Pereira feels sorry for his down-at-heel would-be employee, and pays him an honorarium out of his own pocket. Meanwhile his peaceful life goes on. He chats to his dead wife often, even asking for her advice about various issues. Obviously this is something of a one-sided conversation... Eventually the writer goes into hiding, only a step ahead of his fascist persuers. What will Pereira do? Ask his late wife?
This book is what I call a ‘creeper’; that is to say, you read it quickly, move on but then finding yourself thinking about it again and again in the coming weeks. This is truly a little masterpiece of a novella, superbly written, with an intriguing and highly disturbing plot. Highest recommendation.
THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES, by Edmund de Waal
The hare in question is a netsuke, a small carved object from Japan designed to fit in the palm, made of hardwood, ivory or ebony and usually executed to the highest standards of craftsmanship. They became collector’s items in 19th century Europe as Japan opened up to the West, and the author’s great-great grandfather, Charles Ephrusi, a fabulously wealthy Jew living in Paris made a collection of 264 of them. And it is these, along with the wider story of the Ephrusi family, that makes up the substance of this fascinating book.
It all began in Odessa in the 18th century, when Ephrusis began to export grain from ‘the breadbasket of the world’ ie Ukraine, and made themselves the billionaires of their day. Later, one branch of the family established themselves in Vienna, the other in Paris. All went swimmingly for a long time; bigger and bigger mansions were built, and more and more lavish art collections were amassed. Then the Nazis arrived, and it was all taken from them - by force. You want to know the real meaning of anti-Semitism? That’s it. Fortunately, money talks, and most of the family escaped with their lives, though not all.
I loved this family biography, which at times almost resembled Proust, who was in fact a friend of Charles (see above). A unique window on another world.
Please See next blog for more books...
Monday, 31 December 2018
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment