|
 |
|
|
|
Here is the full reference card for this book...
If you'd rather place an order by talking to one of our cheerful order desk clerks, please call 1-888-232-4444 (USA and Canada only) or 250-383-6864. From Europe, ring our UK order desk clerk at local rate number 0845 230 9601 (UK only) or 44 (0)1865 722 113.
Eternally Yours - Stories and Essays by Zeev Holzmann 222 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0553; ISBN 1-55369-740-5; US$21.00, C$25.00, EUR16.30, £12.00 Keywords: Hilarity - Sex - Love - God - Tragedy
Read more!
about the book
about the author
sample excerpts
catalogue info
About the Book
English is not Holzmann's mother tongue nor the language he uses in daily life. Then why did he write in English? "Hebrew is the language I speak." he says "But my Hebrew is too poor to write a book. Worse, I lack the background and knowledge of Hebrew literature and Jewish scriptures which are essential for writing a book in Hebrew."
As to German, the language I know best," he says "I tried it. But to my surprise I found that my German is too schwerfällig to express the light mood of my stories and the way I use to think."
Liz Robbins wrote to him from Victoria "The fact that English is not your first language adds a definite intrigue and beauty to your style so don't let anyone 'Americanize' your manuscript".
The essays and stories:
- Why am I Jewish?
- Dark Sunset over Germany
- How to get out of Ma?
- IQ
- Wedding in an Orange Grove
- The Hour that Never Was
- There is only One Mrs. Bauman
- See You at the Funeral
Holzmann met a multitude of characters in life who fill his stories. Here are some of them:
- CSM Menkins the Company Sergeant Major who cursed in Yiddish
- Dr. Logan. the bald headed Jecke who was Director General of the Ministry.
- "Clair, the schoolmate of his mother who flashed the deep cleft between her breasts and her naked upper thigh into his face."
- His two friends from the SS who came to visit him at night, when they discussed Germany and the Jews.
- Gretchen. the German woman who never ceased to curse Hitler.
- Lazlo Minkowith, the homosexual cook of the Officers Mess.
- Sister Mary Scott who sought revenge for Captain Sounder's slight.
- Colonel Helen Oak of Middle East GHQ in Cairo.
- Miri, the bridegroom's future sister in law, who wrote a book about men, whom she interviewed, tried out and documented.
- the Rav's daughter (wearing jeans) who stood in for the tenth man.
|
About the Author
Zeev Holzmann was born in Germany in the township of
Höchst a/M. In the 1930s, he emigrated to Palestine, where he worked as an agricultural labourer.
During the Second World War Holzmann served with the
British Army. After his release, he became secretary of a local labor council, and subsequently held a variety of offices in various institutions. In the late 1970s he retired as Deputy Director General from Israel's Social Security Institute.
|
Sample Excerpts
Zeev Holzmann was born to an assimilated Jewish family. His parents labored to prove to themselves and to others that they were Germans "as every other German". The resulting tribulations to the young Holzmann and the curious ways he choose to find an answer that satisfied his question Why am I Jewish? are the subject of the first essay.
From Dark Sunset over Germany:
The Wagners were pious Catholics and great admirers of the Führer. Mrs. Wagner attended church regularly and on Fron Leichnam, when the Catholic procession proceeded through the streets of the town, had all her windows decorated with flowers and pictures and statues of saints. Lately she had also tugged little swastika flags in between.
On the last day before I was to leave Germany the Wagners came to bid me farewell. Fritz, the Wagner's son brought me an expensive rucksack with many compartments and large springs on the rear so it rested comfortably on my back.
Eva, Mrs. Wagner's daughter, kissed me on both cheeks,
Mrs. Wagner too kissed me and wept. "Why must you go?" she asked amongst tears.
The blindness of the Germans became momentous.
They were succumbing to a creeping metamorphosis and schizophrenia from a decent, cultivated and kind people into a collective monster from which no one of them would ever be able to dissociate himself and say "It was not I"
Holzmann left Germany for Palestine 'in time' which, when we believe the story How to get out of Ma?, 'was unusual and embarassing'.
Margret Roesler, a lecturer from Lorrach in Germany writes "The link of various affairs with (elderly) women and their influence on the highly momentous decision to emigrate is excellent as well as plausible in this context."
As an immigrant from Germany , a 'Jecke', Holzmann suffered all the limitations and humilations by an innate population of previous imigration waves, which later immigrants, from Morocco and Russia believed to have been their own lot only. Some of it is told in the tragic-comic story of IQ.
From Wedding in an orange grove
Peps was not impressed with the idea of marrying, although she wasn't put off by it. From her point of view the way we had arranged our life was perfect and practical and fun. But now there was this problem. It was I who raised the issue. Very soon we hopefully would have a son. Or a daughter. I tried to look at things from my son's point of view. He would have his mother's name. The boys at school would sneer at him. Or they would not. Or he himself will not like having his mother's name and will say, "enough that you brought me into this ugly world without asking me. But, why for God's sake, have you done this to me?"
Why would he have to bring God into it? But he was right.
I said, "Peps, we will have to marry. And fast."
Peps looked at me in amazement. "Look, who says so!" she said.
From The Hour That Never Was:
As she drove up the canyon to Jerusalem, she began to recover from the upsetting events of the last twenty-four hours. They had disarranged her well-ordered life. That is why she had never married and would never marry. What for all the confusion, when people are bound to other people and get involved in contradicting desires and obligations. True, David was a nice person. The nicest, most considerate man she had met. But no commitments. Please, only no commitments. How good it was to be alone.
How funny that idea of the midnight line. She really had enjoyed it. And that hour that did not exist. And the crazy idea of an Englishman of the two datelines. Of course, he was right. But there was no midnight line and there was no hour. So many contradictions, after all the excitement.
How had Mr. Goldsmith said? An extra hour. An hour that never was. Shit! She had to sleep this off.
When she came out of the canyon the sun stood high overhead. The landscape was bathed in a blinding yellow-white brightness, and the houses of Jerusalem blended with the surrounding hills.
There is only One Mrs. Bauman is a string of hilarious events at the Suez Canal during World War Two. The author leaves it to the reader's guess how much of it is true and how much is phantasy...
Holzmann is aware of his advanced age. He faces his future with serenity and morbid humor in the last essay See you at the Funeral.
Catalogue Information
