Dear book lovers and friends:
So
sorry I couldn't connect with you earlier. Between traveling, lecturing, and
doing promotional work for my new book, I have been very busy. And now that I
have turned 87, I just don't seem to have the same energy available at all
times. I'm still trying to run as fast as I can, though, to prevent old age
from doing too much damage.
During
the first part of April, I presented my new book, Words of Witness: The Fiction
of Élie Wiesel, at various places in the Greater Toronto area, including at the
Writers and Editors Network Breakfast Meeting. I feel this is the most
important work I have ever put out, because I have always felt a special
affinity with the great Nobel Prize author, Élie Wiesel.
In my
book, I maintain that it is especially in his novels, rather than in his essays,
that he celebrates the triumph of the human spirit over the forces of
degradation and death. In fact, the writer assured me when I met him at the end
of the previous century that had he not gone through the horrors of the
Holocaust, in all probability, he would never have become a novelist. He
absolutely needed to create imaginary destinies in order to see more clearly
within himself. My book traces his spiritual trajectory from utter agony and
despair to an unconditional embrace of life despite its fragility and potential
for tragedy.
In the
latter part of April, we were in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Nova University had
invited me to present my book at the magnificent Alvin Sherman Library. It is a
performing arts space, a place for temporary exhibits as well as a very
well-endowed library where it is a pleasure to take refuge from the cares of
the world and immerse oneself in a good book. My audience was made up of book
lovers of many ages: university students in their early twenties, young parents
with their adolescent children, middle-aged adults, and senior citizens.
When I
finished my talk, a retired fire chief came over to me and said: "Not only
are you a magnificent orator, you are a brilliant stand-up comedian! Needless
to say, I was very moved. A very dear and old friend of my wife and me was
there as well. She informed me afterwards that my audience was transfixed.
Normally, she said, they would get out of their seats while the speaker was
holding forth and help themselves to another slice of pizza, or get up and
pitch their paper plates into the garbage bin. This time, they sat in their
seats fairly immobilized, as though under a spell.
After
our trip to the Anglo-Norman Islands off the coast of France (a memorable
experience) in May, I had just three days to get another presentation in order
and speak to a large group at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto that has a
membership of 2,500 families. An anonymous donor who had read my book back in
the fall and enjoyed it very much, underwrote the cost of all the copies of my
book so that the members present would all get one free.
After
my "performance," I was signing my books like crazy, trying to
inscribe a special dedication for each person who came to chat. I must have
been signing copies for almost an hour! Afterwards, the Rabbi who had organized
the event informed me that everyone she spoke with said that my talk was
"inspiring" and "deeply moving." I must say that it was one
of the most memorable experiences of my whole teaching career.
So now
I am continuing with publicity work for the book while planning the next one.
Thank goodness that at my advanced old age, the word "boredom" still
does not exist in my vocabulary.
Be
well, go safely, have a wonderful summer, and I look forward to connecting with
you again in the fall.
Léonard
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