Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-11-05
Jacob Wassermann ais Deutscher

haber by Jacob wasscrmann, Harcourt, Brace & Co.,
One wonders what has given Jacob wassermnn rank.
ing with Gerhart Hauptman and Thomas Mann In Ger
many The breadth of vision is his, the intensity of the
storyeller, and yet he sails TO arrange feictous
understanding plot. one away with the feeling that
WasScrmann is always eager to arrive some place as
though he were driving one on 10 conclusion without
giving one sufficient time to pause the premises
jacob Wassermnnn Is too Intent psychological treatise
to give adequate attention construction yet he is
too anxious to tell story give roundness and assr
ance to his mental introspectious
"Fabcr." Jacob wasserinan's latest novel which Inns
been translated into English probably the least cons
duental OF his works The vast destiny and human
icts which served his backgrounds in "The Worlds
Illusion" and The Gocsemnn" missing lie treats
here OF minor problem. subject hardly adapted for a
man accustomed to broad sweeps Of the brush ggan-
Tic proportions. Faber Is architect returned
from the war, after long wandering to find himself
OF alignment with his wife essentially and
with the world about him. The problem is neither n
snrng novel In the six years absence
wife, Fabcr has conjured up whom he has never
really known. In the meantime, his wife has taken mp
some sort of charity work. under the guidance woman
always referred to the Princess Fabers antagonist
then Is this Princess not worthy opponent by
at least for the author to foil The problem Is
of loyaties; will Martina Faber's wife choose the
Princess who had done much for her during the trying
days of the will she unreservedy select her hus
bHnd whom she had always regarded her spiritual
complement?
Wasserman has attempted to inject n mystical fan
tisc element which actually becomes ludicrous There is
whispering, nudging hiding stalking entirely out
Of proportion to-the seriousness of the problem. All
Faber needs is time rsaliust himself civilian life,
accrstom himself To the companonship
hr has deprived himself of during the TO establish
balance between the serenity pacdity monotony
time and the horror intensity and irrpguariy OF
warduyS There hardly Justification for the which
Mass has mnuu r1 IN draw
The problem presented is that is actually
ned with the scribhlngs of minor lights But Wasser-
has failed to relieve the dreary by '.,ful
'haractcr,lrawing Martina remains distant Il
mrnge, while Fuber comes nearer reality than his
ragc poSurings juscd. There is only person
aly that can Ie said to vitality and s0dity and
a is Christopher the child of Fabcr and Martini. 1t is
through him that Wnssernann most adequately pictures
de devastation which the has brought in its wake
II is through his luetiGngs and subtle understandings
hat author has conveyed of the hopelessness
and darkness which pcrvades postwar Germany Christie
Dler is like Little Fnher Time In Thomas IIardys
authors have recently made children convey
writer's probably the wordsworthin attitude
children the most receptive to divine truths, the most
| sensitive to spiritual suffering.
Described powerful story of the spiritual crisis
hat to tcrmen2d human beings, and wife
Who before the had all wants and .aspir
ions satisfied In their love. "Fabcr" does than
nint at hunnn emotions profoundly touched the ec
| mental passions suddenly uneashed Furthermore how