Synopsis
A poignant and affectionate view of the life and work of the brilliant but troubled Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer explores the later years of Singer's life through his longtime assistant's close relationship with him.
Reviews
For most of the last 14 years of his life, I.B. Singer was assisted by Telushkin, a bright young woman who, in this charming and often poignant memoir, recalls their relationship with striking candor. When Telushkin offered to drive the Nobel laureate to Bard College for the seminar he was teaching--in exchange for being allowed to audit the course--she never expected that he would agree, or that it would lead to a lengthy and turbulent professional and personal relationship with the last of the great Yiddish writers. The man she encountered was a natural charmer, an inveterate flatterer whose childlike demeanor could include the tantrums and dark moods of a spoiled child. Over the course of their time together, she went from being an unpaid chauffeur to serving as his secretary, amanuensis, and eventually a translator of some 20 of his short stories; she also became a close friend, frequent confidant, and surrogate daughter. Telushkin eventually found a second career for herself as a storyteller, and Master of Dreams is a storyteller's book; although it has a loosely chronological structure, it is really a series of thematically linked anecdotes, illuminating a complex, often disturbing character. In the course of his nearly 90 years of life, Singer abandoned or wounded nearly everyone he had been close to, from the son he ignored to his wife of 51 years. Telushkin is no exception, and much of the book's power comes from the excruciating deterioration of their friendship as the psychic demons that drove the writer combined with the no less potent hobgoblins of age and physical breakdown. But the portrait that emerges is by and large a loving one, often lovely to read, honest to a fault, and the man portrayed comes across as an admirable figure, albeit one with huge flaws. (b&w photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Personal assistant and translator to celebrated Yiddish writer Singer during his last years (from 1975 to 1991), Telushin here describes both his daily routine and his thoughts on literature and life. His marriage, his relationship with his brother, and his troubled old age are all poignantly depicted, as is his character?a mixture of foolishness, vanity, and deception along with goodness, wisdom, and artistic power that the author renders fairly. Telushkin also discusses Singer's early writings and the nature of the Yiddish language. During her time with Singer, Telushin grew significantly as both a person and a literary figure, but eventually she had to struggle for independence from his overriding personality. An honest portrait of a great artist and a harsh man; recommended for Jewish studies collections.?Gene Shaw, NYPL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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