Schmuck

by Ross Klavan (editor)

1969. In advertising, there are mad men. On radio, there are funny men.Tune In…In 1960s New York, radio is king, and Elkin and Fox are the hottest morning team in town. Jerry Elkin is the funny half—a genius at dialects and double-talk, zingers and zany characters. Sinatra flies him to Vegas on his private plane, and Rocky Graziano drinks with him (and punches him). But Jerry’s life? That’s no laughing matter. Secretly, he seethes at his straight-man partner, Ted Fox, a handsome rake who’d rather shtup a secretary in the studio than entertain TV offers, a guy who makes Jerry feel less a star and more a schmuck.Turn On…And that’s before Jerry ever hears the name Sari Rosenbloom. The stunning eighteen-year-old is a mystical American dream, irresistible to men—and her most obsessed admirer is Jake, Jerry’s son. With the 1960s world spinning out of control, Jake is fighting for a girl who can have anyone she wants—from the world famous artist who has sketched her nude to bon vivant Ted Fox, who’s singing her name on air.Drop Out…And that’s before Jerry gets a gander at Sari’s father. Max Rosenbloom works in “salvage”—in other words, he burns down factories, sells poisoned pajamas to Chinese children and sometimes buries his enemies in cement. If Jake doesn’t stop going after his princess daughter, Max might make Jerry’s son, Jerry’s career and Jerry’s whole post-war world disappear right off the dial….Schmuck. A raucous, wild novel of love, war, rioting and radio that’s as funny as a heart attack and as serious as hell.Praise for Schmuck “...an exuberant novel...Klavan also does a superb job of conjuring up the cityscape of a bygone Manhattan with its newsstands and watering holes. Like the best comic novels, though, ‘Schmuck’ isn’t all fun and games...”—Maureen Corrigan, on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross “A madcap morning-radio team hanging with Sinatra, intimate father-and-son conversations over drinks at the Friars Club, and a young, blond, blue-eyed ‘mystery woman’ from another realm swiveling everyone’s  Come on, Ross Klavan was raised on this canvas. It’s in his DNA. No wonder I felt in such expert hands.”—David Pollock, author of Bob and Ray, Keener than Most Persons“In this extremely entertaining romp through New York in 1969, a fast-talking radio host and a garment-industry crook collide—and much amusement ensues. Klavan’s light touch and sharply drawn characters echo Carl Hiaasen, and are also very much his own.” —Emily Bazelon, author of Sticks and Stones“A schmuck can be an unconscious dope or an intentionally malignant prick. Klavan keenly and hilariously describes the lives of a network of schmucks growing up and fighting with one another in a tumultuous period of change, 1969. I laughed out loud and also wept reading this fast-paced novel of a Jewish Holden Caulfield.” —W. M. Bernstein, author of A Basic Theory of Neuropsychoanalysis and The Realization of Concepts“Schmuck is delightful reading from beginning to end, but be forewarned. There is often seriousness beneath a tale whose Yiddish title means roughly ‘a dope.’ It deals with social status and family, the lingering effects of World War II on those who fought in it, and love or what passes for it.

Genres: Fiction

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 21, 2014

Reviews

[William Prystauk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the beginning, Klavan’s innovative and poetic use of descriptive language, his in-depth and vibrant characters, and his expert craftsmanship of storytelling, puts the reader right in the heart of “Schmuck”. With a riveting pace, we’re alongside Jerry Elkin as he begins his journey in San Francisco at the end of World War II to his life during the anti-war environs of late sixties New York. Not since Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s epic Noble Prize winning “One Hundred Years of Solitude” have readers been presented with such an intelligent and well developed narrative where each page is a unique story unto itself. With wit, wisdom, and guile, Klavan sculpts language in such a way readers will find themselves wowed by the immediacy and precision of his explosive prose.

Yet “Schmuck” is also the story of Jerry’s son Jake, and the Rosenbloom family, as well as Ted Fox, Larry Passoff, and others. Klavan leads us through the tale like an expert tour guide, shining a spotlight on the inner workings of his characters without ever falling into cliché or an overworn and mundane formula. The entire story, from its compelling start to its thought provoking finish, will keep readers guessing. Even with the final ten pages, one would be hard pressed to determine how the novel ends thanks to Klavan’s fresh and original style.

If you have been searching for a dynamic novel with verve, Klavan’s “Schmuck” is a treat for the senses that will come alive in your hands, and remain vibrant in your mind for days on end.

[Sharyn Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A five star review. I felt smacked back to the 60's--in a world of characters that I actually remember--and maybe am even related to. Fat Max Rosenbloom--the belly of my people, Jerry Elkin (I can hear him speak), the fabulous, floating Sari--this book really is a wild and hilarious, but dark ride. I'm not usually laughing out loud at books--SCHMUCK is the second book that did that to me. Yet, no one gets to the darker parts of human nature better than Klavan. I'm thinking back to his earlier film, "Tigerland" that plumbs the underbrush of military training. I have been a Ross Klavan fan for a long time and could not wait for this book to come out. The language is tight, every word is chosen, and the pace is non-stop. This is not just a good book--it's a great one. Thank you , Ross Klavan for these unforgettable characters.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

As any good writer and educated reader will know, Klavan is a master at weaving a common theme throughout these seemingly unrelated elements. Schmuck takes the reader through what seems today like an archaic time. Nevertheless, Klavan's expertise of the language and New York culture puts the reader beside each character as he navigates his way through the lives of both young and old, rich and middle class. Some may ask, "What's so special about Sari?" The better question is implied through the muddled middle-aged male mind of the late 20th century. She's a work of art that the reader sees only from an outside perspective. The very core of this work, in actuality, isn't about her--it's about these struggling men who drink, smoke, talk to loud, and compete--an action older than language itself.

Gently woven in is the relatable "boy meets girl" story that also competes with time, life circumstance, and the evil pull of money, power and influence, which are often one-in-the-same. It is often said that a writer can become a screenwriter, but it's often hard to make the opposite transition. Klavan is a master at both, guiding the reader along on a moving walkway of varying speeds as the story lines effortlessly braid themselves together to paint a picture of love, confusion, crime and, well, life.

It's a "good read" you won't regret.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has its moments, but there is little conflict and the characters were uninteresting.