The Elixir

by Robert Nathan

An enchanting book by the author of A Portrait of Jennie.

On a trip to England, a history professor falls in love with an enchanting woman. They travel back in time, meeting all the legendary characters he has idolized along the way.

The oblique magic that has suffused all his writings--from One More Spring and Portrait of Jenny to Mia--finds fresh expression in Robert Nathan's new novel, The Elixir. It has Merlin in it, and an airplane hijacking; King Richard the Lionhareted and Palestinian guerrillas; Blondel and the Old Man of the Mountain. And most important of all, a young English lady, first encountered playing the guitar at Stonehenge . . .

Genres: Fiction

177 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Robert Gruntal Nathan was born into a prominent New York Sephardic family. He was educated in the United States and Switzerland and attended Harvard University for several years beginning in 1912. It was there that he began writing short fiction and poetry. However, he never graduated, choosing instead to drop out and take a job at an advertising firm to support his family (he married while a junior at Harvard). It was while working in 1919 that he wrote his first novel—the semi-autobiographical work Peter Kindred—which was a critical failure. But his luck soon changed during the 1920s, when he wrote seven more novels, including The Bishop's Wife, which was later made into a successful film starring Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young.

During the 1930s, his success continued with more works, including fictional pieces and poetry. In 1940, he wrote his most successful book, Portrait of Jennie, about a Depression-era artist and the woman he is painting, who is slipping through time. Portrait of Jennie is considered a modern masterpiece of fantasy fiction and was made into a film, starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.

In January 1956 the author wrote, as well as narrated, an episode of the CBS Radio Workshop, called "A Pride of Carrots or Venus Well-Served."

Nathan's seventh wife was the British actress Anna Lee, to whom he was married from 1970 until his death. He came from a talented family — the activist Maud Nathan and author Annie Nathan Meyer were his aunts, and the poet Emma Lazarus and Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo his cousins

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romantic fantasy of the Middle Ages (sort of) that is almost a period piece now, with its Arab plane highjackings and hippie folksingers (sort of). I decided to read it after watching the movie of his book, "Portrait of Jenny." Very similar in the way it has a mysterious young woman and plays with time--what's past or present. I gave it four stars, just because it was a real nostalgia trip for me. But I wouldn't recommend it to someone who isn't sympathetic to the old romantic "knights in shining armor" view of the Middle Ages. I'm familiar with with Medieval history and legend, but I was sent to the internet to find out who some of the characters are.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I now have read five books by Robert Nathan, and this was the third involving a mysterious woman who was much younger than the male protagonist, the others being Mia and the more well-known Portrait of Jennie. As with the other two, the woman never really communicates who she is beyond a first name, and mysteriously comes in and out of the protagonist's life, leading the protagonist to fall in love with her.

The Elixir's version of the formula is the least effective, I think largely due to the narrative being mostly in an uncertain dream world, whereas the previous books had a fairly equal balance of reality and uncertainty. This book may have almost been entirely a fever dream with a framing story of a man on vacation, and when anything is possible it is hard to find something worth grasping on to.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for the first time in High School, and credit this book with creating the category, in my own mind, of books that seduce me. It is magical and compelling. I fell in love with the crusades, alchemy, and probably would never have read, much less loved The Name of the Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, or anything by Stephen Vincent Benet if I hadn't stumbled on this one. It is a gateway book. Be warned.

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm on a Robert Nathan kick. I love books that are a little other wordly. This was a little satisfying in that respect, it was enchanting. But I'm going to keep trying others of his, and I'll post if I find something better.