Memoirs told through witty, insightful, and occasionally poignant letters written by a self-taught immigrant to his professor grandson in the Sixties (first published by Little, Brown & Co., and now in high-quality digital eBook from Quid Pro Books). Both sweet and acerbic, with plenty of subtext and wistfulness of dreams of philosophy or just going to college, the book compels attention for its strong characters deftly revealed by short letters—and always the stern correction of the "stubborn" grandson.
Joseph Bercovici was proud of his "clan" of American writers, artists, and professors, but was noticeably envious of their opportunities, the kind that had long passed him by. He shared himself deeply if often unwittingly in letters to a grandson, Joel, who was in the midst of becoming an acclaimed political scientist. Joseph chided the 6'4" "boy" on his VW bug, choosing political science and law as fields of study, using IBM computers in research, and—interesting and useful tidbits even today—the remarkable subtleties of English, which we learn from a Romanian. But, irregardless (someone finally explains why Joel was wrong!), there is much life and love shared between them.
With the letters skillfully compiled by clan-addition Mary, the story and his remarkable character unfold without our ever seeing a reply letter. Through Joseph's searing but sometime naive eyes, the fascinating story of a family of prodigies is revealed, warts and all. We've all had a grandfather just like this, and none of us has.
Turns out, the poor immigrant did become an author, as with many of his talented children and descendants—this is his book.
