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Mercy of a Rude Stream #2
A Diving Rock on the Hudson
A harrowing family drama narrates the tragic story of Ira Stigman, who carries a grave secret that is finally revealed when he is an old man, freeing him from the chains of his past, but not from his Faustian bargain. National ad/promo.
418 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 30, 2009
Yipes. As a writer, there is no limit to what Roth is capable of. As a biographical entity, there is similarly no limit. Beautiful, unflinching, pushing the limits of emotional accuracy in language. I was *shocked*.
September 19, 2019
Borrowing from my review of vol 1:
“I found compelling the old man’s [Roth’s] quest to reformulate his past, to understand the significance of his memories, to conjure with his skills something of substance and aesthetic merit, to understand his life. Roth is able to render vividly scenes and exchanges with friends, family, and school and work mates, and there are skillful evocations of pre- and post-WWI NYC settings. These are posted in a beguiling sequence, but at each posting there is demurral, doubt, and extenuation about what he is at the moment doing to render the past. I can imagine many readers finding fault with the postmodern authorial interventionism, wondering why Roth doesn’t simply get on with telling the story straight…
“My pleasure in the book is that Roth is both recollecting and creating, and he is sharing the process with his readers. The interpolative writer “Roth”—alongside his sidekick Ecclesias—is itself a persona, but this writerly persona attains my confidence almost effortlessly, and I trust that he is not only the person creating (re-creating) the life of Ira Stigman, but that he is also the character of Ira Stigman. I believe (in) Roth’s efforts to explain his efforts, and I came to view during my reading that his exposing himself via different personae inhabiting different eras is akin to my own muddled thinking about what it is to know myself.”
Speaking of volume 2 exclusively, I was taken aback in wonderment at the addition of a sister. Had I missed something? I read on to discover that Roth had re-instated his own sister’s existence, adding it to his story in order to more accurately explain his self-loathing, to render it as the sense of shame and abomination that arose from his ongoing, years-long carnal relation with his younger sister. If anything is going to warp an adolescent’s sense of what a “normal” romantic relationship is going to be, it’s incest. But this confusion is only part of Ira’s growing awareness of all the ways he doesn’t fit in with his family, relatives, community, and society in general. Roth portrays Ira as a Jew without mercenary aspiration, but also without any sort of religious or spiritual ties.
The intimations of something bigger are twofold: one of this world—the ease and effortlessness of the natural American, exemplified by his two primary non-Jewish friends (Billy in high school, Larry at college); one of the mind/spirit—the way events, thoughts, and words can accrete to create a new thing, a gestalt. This latter intimation is both artistic and spiritual, and it is one of the reasons that I look forward to reading volumes 3 and 4.
“I found compelling the old man’s [Roth’s] quest to reformulate his past, to understand the significance of his memories, to conjure with his skills something of substance and aesthetic merit, to understand his life. Roth is able to render vividly scenes and exchanges with friends, family, and school and work mates, and there are skillful evocations of pre- and post-WWI NYC settings. These are posted in a beguiling sequence, but at each posting there is demurral, doubt, and extenuation about what he is at the moment doing to render the past. I can imagine many readers finding fault with the postmodern authorial interventionism, wondering why Roth doesn’t simply get on with telling the story straight…
“My pleasure in the book is that Roth is both recollecting and creating, and he is sharing the process with his readers. The interpolative writer “Roth”—alongside his sidekick Ecclesias—is itself a persona, but this writerly persona attains my confidence almost effortlessly, and I trust that he is not only the person creating (re-creating) the life of Ira Stigman, but that he is also the character of Ira Stigman. I believe (in) Roth’s efforts to explain his efforts, and I came to view during my reading that his exposing himself via different personae inhabiting different eras is akin to my own muddled thinking about what it is to know myself.”
Speaking of volume 2 exclusively, I was taken aback in wonderment at the addition of a sister. Had I missed something? I read on to discover that Roth had re-instated his own sister’s existence, adding it to his story in order to more accurately explain his self-loathing, to render it as the sense of shame and abomination that arose from his ongoing, years-long carnal relation with his younger sister. If anything is going to warp an adolescent’s sense of what a “normal” romantic relationship is going to be, it’s incest. But this confusion is only part of Ira’s growing awareness of all the ways he doesn’t fit in with his family, relatives, community, and society in general. Roth portrays Ira as a Jew without mercenary aspiration, but also without any sort of religious or spiritual ties.
The intimations of something bigger are twofold: one of this world—the ease and effortlessness of the natural American, exemplified by his two primary non-Jewish friends (Billy in high school, Larry at college); one of the mind/spirit—the way events, thoughts, and words can accrete to create a new thing, a gestalt. This latter intimation is both artistic and spiritual, and it is one of the reasons that I look forward to reading volumes 3 and 4.
May 11, 2023
A Divining Rock on the Hudson" by Henry Roth
By: R. David Johnson MBA
Henry Roth's "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" presents a multi-layered narrative that intertwines three distinct time frames to bring forth the story of Ira, an alienated Jewish immigrant in America. The novel showcases Ira's life in the 1920s, his manuscript from 1979, and his present-day revisions, often engaging in spirited dialogues with his computer. As an outsider, Ira carries the weight of alienation both from a predominantly Christian America and his own immigrant Jewish identity, which adds a complex dimension to his character. Roth skillfully revisits Ira's tumultuous youth, employing dense and occasionally wandering prose that occasionally indulges in impassioned diatribes, such as his scathing criticism of Joyce's Leopold Bloom as an inauthentic representation of a Jew.
While "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" exhibits moments of brilliance, the novel's pacing is less consistent compared to its immediate predecessor. It initially starts slowly, almost hesitantly, before eventually finding its stride and blossoming into a captivating narrative. Throughout the book, readers encounter fleeting yet powerful moments that leave a lasting impact. These moments include a shocking anti-Semitic outburst from baseball legend John McGraw, a chilling near-rape incident in a basement storeroom, and a sharply observed scene at a poetry reading in Greenwich Village.
Although "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" possesses remarkable scenes, it falls slightly short of achieving greatness as a whole. Roth's ability to create vivid snapshots and explore complex themes contributes to the novel's strengths. However, the inconsistent pacing and occasional tendency for the prose to meander hinder its potential. Despite these shortcomings, the book remains an engaging read, particularly for those who appreciate thought-provoking examinations of the human condition, the immigrant experience, and the search for identity.
In conclusion, "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" is a multilayered narrative that adeptly delves into themes of alienation, identity, and the immigrant experience. Henry Roth skillfully portrays Ira as an outsider grappling with his place in a diverse and often hostile society. While the novel may not achieve the status of a great literary work, it offers poignant and captivating moments that make it worth exploring for readers interested in deep explorations of human struggles and the complexities of cultural assimilation.
By: R. David Johnson MBA
Henry Roth's "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" presents a multi-layered narrative that intertwines three distinct time frames to bring forth the story of Ira, an alienated Jewish immigrant in America. The novel showcases Ira's life in the 1920s, his manuscript from 1979, and his present-day revisions, often engaging in spirited dialogues with his computer. As an outsider, Ira carries the weight of alienation both from a predominantly Christian America and his own immigrant Jewish identity, which adds a complex dimension to his character. Roth skillfully revisits Ira's tumultuous youth, employing dense and occasionally wandering prose that occasionally indulges in impassioned diatribes, such as his scathing criticism of Joyce's Leopold Bloom as an inauthentic representation of a Jew.
While "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" exhibits moments of brilliance, the novel's pacing is less consistent compared to its immediate predecessor. It initially starts slowly, almost hesitantly, before eventually finding its stride and blossoming into a captivating narrative. Throughout the book, readers encounter fleeting yet powerful moments that leave a lasting impact. These moments include a shocking anti-Semitic outburst from baseball legend John McGraw, a chilling near-rape incident in a basement storeroom, and a sharply observed scene at a poetry reading in Greenwich Village.
Although "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" possesses remarkable scenes, it falls slightly short of achieving greatness as a whole. Roth's ability to create vivid snapshots and explore complex themes contributes to the novel's strengths. However, the inconsistent pacing and occasional tendency for the prose to meander hinder its potential. Despite these shortcomings, the book remains an engaging read, particularly for those who appreciate thought-provoking examinations of the human condition, the immigrant experience, and the search for identity.
In conclusion, "A Divining Rock on the Hudson" is a multilayered narrative that adeptly delves into themes of alienation, identity, and the immigrant experience. Henry Roth skillfully portrays Ira as an outsider grappling with his place in a diverse and often hostile society. While the novel may not achieve the status of a great literary work, it offers poignant and captivating moments that make it worth exploring for readers interested in deep explorations of human struggles and the complexities of cultural assimilation.
November 7, 2024
NEEDS MORE INCEST!*
*WHAT ONE COULD NEVER SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK. OMG.
SO MUCH INCEST. FANTASTIC!
Seriously, though, yes, it took that, incest, to break the writer's block, because then,
ROTH's VOICE FUCKING SOARS
This is not just a great novel (one of the best I've ever read) it is a great Jewish novel, it is a great immigrant novel, it is a great New York novel, it is a great coming-of-age novel, it is a great novel of the Twenties,
And it fucking takes off well when the INCEST HITS and HITS AND KEEPS ON HITTING
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ
*WHAT ONE COULD NEVER SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK. OMG.
SO MUCH INCEST. FANTASTIC!
Seriously, though, yes, it took that, incest, to break the writer's block, because then,
ROTH's VOICE FUCKING SOARS
This is not just a great novel (one of the best I've ever read) it is a great Jewish novel, it is a great immigrant novel, it is a great New York novel, it is a great coming-of-age novel, it is a great novel of the Twenties,
And it fucking takes off well when the INCEST HITS and HITS AND KEEPS ON HITTING
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ
December 23, 2017
I'm too sick to give this incredible book a proper review, but it's a must read, especially for writers for it's unique method used to tell the story. Here are the tags I gave it: literary fiction, coming-of-age, early 20th century, Hudson River, NYC, Jews, poverty, and incest.
October 29, 2022
A long and plodding book
Want to read
December 11, 2016Ich habe ein Buch bei BookCrossing.com registriert!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14322791
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14322791
April 17, 2017
Maybe I'm just a prude (who would have thought it), but I found the incest disturbing. The rest of the book would have gotten a four or five.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews