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Best Books of the Year
Estimates in the die Id of 'diction on d^J on-diction
By Henry Montor
'tini
A J^OO many books are written. Too many
1 books are published. For those who patron
ize chauvinism even in literature, there must
some measure of satisfaction in feeling that
Jews did not contribute disproportionately to the
superfluous and irritating volumes that were is-
ied during the year. It ought, rather, to be said
• for sustained quality and intellectual depth,
literary efforts of Jews maintain a standard
r above that of the rest of the writing population.
In surveying the literary output of the season
covering September, 1931, to September, 1932, it
mid he kept in mind that only books published
in English on this side of the ocean have been
taken into consideration. This, of course, makes
the survey both unfair and inadequate. In Ger
man) today there are scores of Jewish writers who
are challenging the leadership of Jacob Wasser-
mann. In Hungary, the majority of the note-
worth) contemporary novelists are Jews. Even in
France, where Jewish blood runs thin, there are
others besides Jean Richard-Bloch and Andre
Maurois who are enriching the literature of the
nation. Denmark, Holland, Austria and
Italy harbor Jews who take front rank
in the writing craft. Furthermore,
Soviet Russia offers an immense field
<>t creative effort in which Jews play
a dominant part. Perhaps in no other
country in the world has experimental
literature received such distinct impetus
at the hands of Jews. But all this
rich store is barred to us. We must,
therefore, content ourselves with the
output of Anglo-Saxon countries.
Selecting books is akin to choosing
vegetables. The kind one prefers de
pends on individual taste, on appear
ance, on habit. To arrogate to one’s
wlf the privilege of naming “the ten
best books of the year” would be like
determining autocratically that all the
world must eat spinach, or beets, or onions. But since the task
H T assl £ ne ^. roe, I must confess from the outset that I
‘ fT e to . f,t j e because it was convenient, but have been
unable to justify it. In the field of fiction, 1 have been hard
put to choose ‘ I he ten best,” because 1 do not believe that
ten volumes were published during the year which deserve the
adjective best. In the field of non-fiction
to choose the ten best, because the
attractive that I was compelled to elo
no apologies for
as obscure and illogi
cal as my motives for
preferring asparagus
to eggplant.
Though the year
saw the issuance of
numerous non-fiction
volumes of outstand
ing merit there can
be no question—in my
mind—of the tower
ing and overshadow
ing importance of
“Expression in Amer-
non-fiction, I have been unable
range was so wide and so
. . - » mgate the list. I shall enter
lo ‘ l P ( d°gies for my selections, in many cases leaving my reasons
is obscure and illogi-
even
STEFAN ZWEIG
“Mastrrs of Mental Healing”
LEON TROTSKY
“History of the Russian Revolution
ART HER SCTINITZI.ER
“Flight Into Darkness”
ica,” the richest gift that
Ludwig Lewisohn has made
to literary and historical
criticism. Written with
austere dignity, it has pow
er, penetration, wisdom and
even humor. It leads the
list of “ten best” non-fic
tion, though the list runs to
almost double that number.
Perhaps the second in im
portance, in social signifi
cance rather than in crafts
manship, is “Jews on Ap
proval,” by Maurice Sam
uel. The book is hardly
FELIX SALTEN
The City Jungle”
the Jewish counterpart of “Washington Merry-
Go-Round.” It lacks discrimination; it is free
of the uniformly savage irony that was required.
But it has started a process of communal cleansing
which no force can now resist. The smugness,
the hypocrisy, the self-importance of Jewish life
received a terrific blow from “Jews on Approval.
It is not the last word by any means. But it
was the first, which makes it doubly significant.
Other non-fiction volumes of more than tran
sient interest (not necessarily in the order of their
worth) which belong in that over-crowded list of
“ten best” are: “History of the Russian Revolu
tion,” by Leon Trotsky; “Living My Life,” by
Emma Goldman; “Maxim Gorky and his Rus
sia ” bv Alexander Kaun; ‘'The Messiah of Ismir,
by Joseph Kastein; “Wellington,” by Philip Gue-
dalla; “Lvautey,” bv Andre Maurois; “Masters
of Mental Healing.” by Stefan Zweig; “Jean
Jacques Rousseau,” by Matthew Josephson;
“Mozart,” by Marcia Davenport; “Gifts of Life,
by Emil Ludwig; “American Hispana,” by Waldo
Frank; “The Rediscovery of Jones,”
by Waldo Frank; “Your Mexican
Holiday,” by Anita Drenner and
“Men and Machines in Russia,” by
Louis Fischer. That makes exactly
sixteen. The problem of deciding
which six should drop out became too
exhausting, mi that I now pass it on to
others.
T his list, which comprises so many
biographies, is particularly impressive
because of the variety of its themes.
Russia, the subject of innumerable es
says during the year, finds adequate
treatment. Alexander Kaun, in his
study of (iorky, has given us the Rus
sia of pre-Revolution days. He has
written not only a sympathetic study
of a man but an illuminating analysis of a country.
Trotsky has provided us with an intimate, au
thentic knowledge of the causes and beginnings of
the downfall of Czarist Russia. Louis Fischer
completes the picture with his thorough convincing
description of the Soviet industrial, social and lit
erary mechanism. From these three volumes one
can piece together a consecutive, if sketchy, chroni
cle of Russia in transition.
Joseph Kastein has made Jewish history fasci
nating with his “T he Messiah of Ismir,” a biog
raphy of Sabbatai Zevi which defies the picayunish-
ness of academicians. Kastein’s “History of the
Jews,” recently published in Germany, is an Eng
lish translation that will be eagerly awaited here.
(i tied alia does one of his typically voluminous
character sketches in his work on the Duke of
Wellington. T he subject is far less fascinating
than Guedalla would have us believe, but the
English-Jewish biographer has done his work com
petently, though occasionally drearily. Lack of
dynamic personality in the subject is also the chief
fault of Maurois “Lyautey.” 1 he Trench Mar
shal was an efficient colonial administrator, but
he never showed qualities to distinguish him from
ten other generals. But since Lyautey is notorious
ly a fetish of Maurois, his tribute can be forgiven.
Stefan Zweig again demonstrates his uncanny
powers of condensation in his characterizations of
Mesmer, Mary Baker Eddy and Freud in .Mas
ters of Mentai Healing.” Zweig is not so much
interested in precision of chronological fact as in
accuracy of psychological insight. He does in his
rather limited monographs what others have failed
to achieve in extended volumes. Emil Ludwig
wins back, through the medium of his autobiog
raphy, “Gifts of Life,” the esteem that he has lost
through several of his (Please turn to page 26)
SOUTHERN ISRAELITE *
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