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The Southern Israelite
Ten Best Books by Jewish Author:>
A Review of the Literary Field of 5690
By HENRY MONTOR
The Jew is constantly becoming a less important factor in literature, flic number
of books written by Jews may increase, but they reflect a gradual loosening of the
relationship to Jewish life. The Jewish people, as a generic whole, may boast of
some of the foremost figures in the contemporary world of letters, but these writers
neither concern themselves with the background from which they have sprung nor
are their writings marked by a spirit which may he classified uniquely as Jewish.
This is as true in France as in America. Perhaps it is even more true in the former
country, where the tendencies toward assimilation have been operating over a longer
period of time.
Literature has indeed become the barometer for determining the various degrees
of Jewish emancipation. Not so many years have passed since Israel Zangwill
represented to the world at large the most distinguished Jewish literary figure. In
that time, however, both his approach to Jewish life and his concern with Jewish
problems have given way to a general and profound indifference on the part of
Jewish writers who have steeped themselves in the universal environment about them.
They have taken tip all progressive causes; they have been permeated with the
modern spirit in style—always drifting further and further from identification with
the Jewish community.
Undoubtedly an indifference to Jewish life is an effect and not a primary cause.
Jewish life in most countries has become sterile and shallow. The only time when
the soil for Jewish writing has seemed in the least fertile is when the pressure on
the Jew as such has been so great that it has forced him into a consideration of his
origin and his future. Perhaps the next few years may see a new birth of Jewish
literature in America, which will develop in the hothouse of an increasingly malignant
anti-Semitism.
These outer elements have had no deteriorating effect, however, on Jewish writers
as artists. Never before has the literary world been so filled with Jewish writers
who have added substance and tone to modern letters. Some critics maintain that
even though they have not dealt with the Jewish milieu these Jews have nevertheless
given evidence of what is vaguely described as the Jewish spirit. This spirit is held
to include a profound sympathy with human problems, a revolutionary courage in
dealing with social questions, a biting satire in unmasking mankind's foibles. But
Jews have no more exclusive claim to those qualities than any other group of writers.
Perhaps no Jewish writer of today compares with Thomas Mann in his genuine
understanding of man's frailties. Theodore Dreiser towers above his compeers in
sympathy for his fellow mortals. Tens of others could be added to these two to
prove that literature cannot be cuhbyholed by race.
The foregoing remarks may seem superfluous as an introduction to a list of the
ten best books written by Jews during the past year, but they serve as a background.
Some of the remarks arc even disproved by three of the books that have been selected.
But the general thesis remains true.
It must he pointed out that sonic of the books mentioned hereafter were originally
published earlier than last year. One of them appeared almost fifteen years ago.
But for the purposes of this review all hooks whose English editions appeared between
the last half of 1')2t) and the first half of 1030 were taken into consideration.
The following are my five choices for the best fiction of the year, placed in an
approximate rating: “Class of 1002,” by Ernst Glaeser; “ & Co.," by Jean-
Richard Bloch; "Hound of Florence-” by Felix Salten; "Jews Without Money," by
Michael Gold : and "The 42nd Parallel,"
by John Dos Passos.
The five non-fiction choices, in
their order, are: "My Life," by Leon
Trotsky; "Byron," by Andre Maurois;
"Uprooted," by Maurice Hindus;
"July T4,” by Emil Ludwig ; and "The
Life of Solomon," by Edmond Fleg.
Ernst Glaeser’s novel of war as it
affects the citizens behind the front is
one of the two greatest war books
that have been written, its only equal
being “All Quiet on the Western
Front.” Its simplicity, conciseness and
imaginative prose place it far ahead of
Arnold Zweig’s overpraised "Case of
Sergeant Grischa." Bloch's book is an
epic of an Alsatian Jewish family. Its
Jewish angle is negligible, for what
Bloch has really emphasized is the con
flict between the French environment
and the German patriotism of the
(Dne of the most important channels
through which Jews contribute to contemporary civilization
is that ot literature. Have Jews written any books during
the past year which may be characterized as important addi
tions to the world of letters. p Read this comprehensive article
by Mr. Montor and see whether you agree with his views on
Jews in present-day literature and with his selection of the
ten best books by Jews written during the year that now ends.
His winners include Jews of Austria. France, Germany. Russia,
and the United States.—The Editor.
Simlers; th? intermarriage motif is extraneous and unconvincing. It j s ,
a towering achievement.
"The Hound of Florence” Felix Salten has again treated us to
analysis of human emotions, subtly approached through a genuine under landing ( ,i
animal psychology. There is only one man in the United States whose sty 1< resemble
that of Salten: Robert Nathan. Both achieve the maximum of effect with the
minimum of visible effort. "Jews Without Money" is a trifle boisterous and sen
sational, but it is a faithful, awe-inspiring rendition of the sights, smells and sounds
of the greatest ghetto in the world—that of New York City. Here are to be found
Jew’s without pretensions, Jews in the raw. Some of the specimens are not attractive
sights. But Gold has given us only that which he knows. Incidentally, "Jews With
out Money" might just as well be placed in the non-fiction list.
The first three of the fiction books are by a German, a French and an Austrian
Jew respectively. The last two arc by American Jews. In "The 42nd Parallel"
Dos Passos has given us an exhilarating cross-section of American life, from the
I. W. W.’s to the capitalists. Jew and Italian, stenographer and executive, radical
and reactionary—all these elements have been thrown together in order to produce
an appreciation of the melting pot that is America.
In the non-fiction list Trotsky’s autobiography takes first place because it i>
the life record of one of the outstanding Jews of modern times. He claims tm
relationship to Jewish life today, but he was born in a typical Jewish environment,
as he himself writes. More important still is the fact that the world at large counts
him as a Jew. On that account the narrative of his aims and achievements is an
important historical document. Verboseness prevents it from being the great ant"
biography that it might have been.
Andre Maurois—originally Emile Herzog—has written a finely tolerant biography
of Byron. It is not creative but interpretative. In “Uprooted” Maurice Hindus has
written the finest and least biased story of what is going on in Soviet Russia that
has appeared thus far. Hindus treats all phases of the situation and all groups
within the population. His diagnosis of the Jewish situation is the best proof oi ln>
thoroughly impartial attitude toward the scenes which he describes. Thoroughly
objective, Hindus need not be looked to for corroboration of the many legends which
enshroud the U. S. S. R. today.
Ever since Versailles the question of war guilt has attracted the attention ot both
scholars and writers. Of the latter Emil Ludwig has proved most cosmopolitan
His "July ’14” is an indictment of all the statesmen of Europe. Each of them
secures his proper niche of responsibility for launching the war. The b>"k brought
Ludwig condemnation in Germany and attacks in France. That ought to be ample
proof of its generally fair interpretations.
Edmond F'legis "The Life of Solomon" is not by any means as imaginative a> hi»
biography of Moses. But it has sufficient richness of style and wealth of laltnudu
reference to entitle it to a place in the five most important non-fiction books
the year.
In addition to the foregoing ten volumes there have been a number of others
interest. A great many of the books by Jews published during the year are not r»
worth mentioning, however. Scores like them appear every year and are destined t"
oblivion. Neither Jewry nor culture is the worse on account of it. It is interest!
to note that this is the first time in three years that Ludwig Lewisohn has not secur
a mention among the first ten Je\o4i
books. His "Stephen Escott " a
- neither fish, flesh nor fowl. I arts <’t
it revealed Lewisohn at his most
felicitous. But it was entirely t
doctrinaire without being convincing
For the sake of completeness I shall
list a number of other books by J ev
that were published during the pa t
year which may survive the dust
time—at least for a few more > car: "
The fiction group includes "Judge a«
Fool,” by Vladimir Jabotinsky:
Up Your Lovers," by Lorn- 1
"Wings of the Eagle." by <>'
Seldes; "A Hungry Young
Marian Spitzer;
Edwin Seavcr: "Coronet.
Komroff; "Money for
Josephine Herbst; "Diana
Ludwig; and "Anthony in
by Myron Brinig. (A 0 '
ady/
The Company, w
Manuel
vc." by
by Emil
Nude,
on 61)