SHORT STORY MONDAY: The Summer My Grandmother Was Supposed to Die by Mordecai Richler

The Summer My Grandmother was Supposed to Die by Mordecai Richler

from my Norton Anthology from university

I enjoyed my read of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Richler so I thought I'd read his short story for my return to Short Story Monday. ( Did I mention Duddy's brother's name was Lenny? Is that a coincidence?)

Stories told of children's remembrances of youth are always somewhat suspect, as their version of events may be quite different from the adults of the same events. The title quite explains the events, but the back story of the situation that led the grandmother to live in the back room of the narrator's house, and the family decision to have his mother tend her mother, and then the family squabbles and tension that develop while caring for an elderly family member make up the bulk of the story. So this story is quite relevant today for the baby boomers looking after their parents. I liked the look at Jewish culture, as it is something I am not exposed to at all, and am not very familiar with. I know in larger cities, the Jewish population is bigger, but in PEI, there is not one I am aware of. The ending was a little touching too.

This story was in the section titled Focus and Voice, so the first person narrative and the perspective of the child were supposed to be important. It suggested rewriting the story from the mother's point of view. No thanks, I can imagine it, or find a novel to give me that experience. I'm a reader, not a writer.

BOOK: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler

Canadian Book Challenge, Quebec entry

I think I really liked this book. I mean, I think I really liked this book. For poor Duddy Kravitz was a great character. Growing up Jewish in 1950s Montreal, Duddy wants to make something of himself. His grandfather told him once that a man without land is nobody and Duddy makes it his goal to get some land. He's a schemer and feels that no one wants to help him, which they don't. And some people even are actively trying to put him down, because Duddy has an attitude. Some might call it arrogant, and trying to put himself at a higher station than life has given him. And people in power don't like to see someone else trying to usurp their power.

I just felt Duddy was focused, and determined, and he didn't care who got in his way on the way to the top. He certainly wasn't afraid of hard work, and he never got into anything very illegal although he probably skirted very close when he brought the pinball machines into Canada. His family thought he was a bum and dreaming too high, and yet he was the one who did everything for the people who didn't appreciate him, helping his brother stay in medical school and looking after his uncle on his deathbed. The back of the book called Duddy a 'hustler', which he was, but hustlers are successful because they are charming. I felt for Duddy in his struggles and his attempt at redemption within his family and community. He certainly made a lot of mistakes and was quite selfish, but I still rooted for him.

This is a classic Canadian novel and I am so glad I read this for the Canadian book challenge. The Quebec setting was a big part of the book and that is important to me for this challenge, as I read by province.

(It's the wrong cover. and I really like my cover. I have to balance my compulsive need for the right cover with my cheapness of buying second hand books that are not widely around)

AUTHOR: Bernice Morgan

I did something tonight I've never done before: I went to an author reading. It was pretty cool. I read in the paper this morning that Bernice Morgan would be reading from her book Cloud of Bone, which I loved this summer. I called my friend, who's from Newfoundland, and got the book back that I had lent her to read so I could take it tonight. It seemed like something I should do - to take the book with me.

The reading was at the Art Gallery at Confederation Center, a beautiful venue, and was sponsored by the English Department at UPEI. It was not a crowd I usually hobnob with - the literati and artsy folk of PEI were out tonight.
Bernice Morgan read from each of the three sections of the book, and put some history on the World War 2 section, as it was in memory of her uncles from Newfoundland who served in the Navy. She wanted their stories to be told - but said her remaining uncle made her promise to say that none of them ever deserted. She knew she was planning to write a war book, and then one day noticed from her writing office that the plaque in memory of Shawnadidthit had disappeared, and she was horrified. She found a way to write both these stories together.

She did a wonderful job reading, and I waited in line to get my book signed. I don't think many people attending had read the book as a lot were sold there tonight, so I wanted to let her know I had, and that I really enjoyed it. I didn't think to bring my Random Passage and Waiting for Time books to get signed, but other people did.

Apparently it is a whole author series, and they have regular readings. Who knew? Other authors to to appear include: Barbara Gowdy, Elizabeth Hay, Lawrence Hill , and a bunch of other authors I've never heard of. These other events will be at UPEI, which seems more exclusive, not as public. I'm sure anyone is welcome, but it doesn't feel as open.