Born in 1900, raised under difficult circumstances, Edward Dahlberg went on to an impressive literary career. There are 20 titles listed on his Wiki page, novels, poetry, essays, maxims and memoirs. At six he was placed in a Catholic orphanage for a year, at eleven in a Jewish one for six years. He enlisted during WWI and lost sight in one eye. He studied at the University of California for a while, then earned a B.S. in Philosophy at Columbia. He taught at the college level for a few years. He lived in many foreign lands, including Paris during the '20's, where he befriended many of the famous ex-pats. He married seven times. I just finished
Because I Was Flesh, published in 1964, a memoir that reads like fiction in which I'm sure Dahlberg used creative license, which is fine in this instance because he did not add anything beyond day to day living. It's basically the story of his mother, Lizzie, passionate, hard-working. She married twice and had several suitors, all of whom cheated her out of hard-earned money. Still, she never stopped hoping. She and her son lived in a several states before landing in Kansas City, Mo., where she opened a barber shop, which she ran for many years. Her employees cheated her, and she returned the favor. Those of us spoiled by the relative ease of life in modern America often forget how hard it was for so long for the lower classes before safety nets were in place. It was a battle for survival, often ruthless, and Dahlberg captures it perfectly. Given his circumstances, it's apparent why his view of humanity might be grim and hopeless. It is compounded when his hormones emerge. He is blown away by their wantonness, a feeling with which many males will relate. He includes his experiences at the second orphanage but makes no mention of his war service or world events, including WWII. The focus is the relationship between mother and son, the frightening disconnect he feels not only with her but with all people. He does not mention love, although he is at times devoted to her. The narrative is filled with classical and biblical references, many obscure. The vocabulary is extensive. This is a work geared to a limited audience of thinkers. At times I wasn't sure what he was expressing. It is not an easy read but still worthwhile for those who respect an honest, downbeat exploration of the human condition. It spans 234 pages, and much of it is repetitive. Here are two brief excerpts of his existential angst, which he relates without judgmental hauteur: "... Though he did not understand that malice is the most entertaining pastime of the human race, he knew that people laughed at a crooked back or guffawed at a hearse passing by..." And: "... we die all day long and every hour; each minute we age somewhere in our bones..." Only three users at Amazon have rated the book, forging to a consensus of 4.7 on a scale of five. They are no doubt more educated than I. This philistine rates it three. Someone is trying to sell the same hardcover copy I read, which is in good condition save for the jacket, for $509.43. I guess the forty-three cents is crucial to the person's finances. I will offer it for a dollar or two at the floating book shop.
There was a bit of entertainment today while the shop was in operation. A city bus broke down shortly before eight AM, while I was standing at the corner waiting for a parking spot to be vacated. The power brakes failed and the system dumped the fluid at the curb, which was absorbed by towel-like sheets a supervisor put down. The bus was still there when I returned just past ten-thirty. The driver waited until past noon for the tow truck. It was another 45 minutes before the operator hauled the bus away. Here's a pic:
My thanks to the woman who bought two books in Russian, and to the gentleman who purchased Robert Penn Warren's masterwork,
All the King's Men, and Anthony Burgess' massive
Earthly Powers; and to Wolf, who selected two works of non-fiction; and to local porter Rob, who donated a fabulous selection: three works of fiction, bios, mysticism, poetry and self help.
No comments:
Post a Comment