Soumchi

"Oh, God, why did you make me such an idiot? Why was I ever born?" This plaintive cry from an unnamed speaker, "age eleven years and two months," reflects the angst of a child whose whole life has turned inside out through decisions he has made himself, decisions that seemed ideal when he made them but which, as is typical of childhood decisions, have brought consequences he never expected. Israeli author Amos Oz's novella about childhood in 1947 Israel bursts the bounds of its setting and achieves universality through the wonderfully sympathetic character of the child, his self-created predicaments, and his intelligent commentary about life and change. The feelings of the speaker toward adult authority, especially his father, will resonate with readers. Extremely short chapters show the boy agonizing over Esthie, a girl who chases him in his dreams; enjoying the attentions and gifts from his Uncle Zemach (though his parents have a low opinion of Uncle Zemach because of his black marketeering); dealing with teasing and mockery by class bullies, and dreaming of going to the "farthest futures of unknown lands." Reminiscent of Oz's more fully developed novel of childhood, Panther in the Basement (1995), this 1978 novella (newly republished by Toby Press) appears to have been an early experiment with the character and point of view of Proffi, who is twelve in Panther in the Basement. Sgt. Dunlop, a British soldier deployed to pre-independence Israel, is learning Hebrew from the speaker in Soumchi, and he is learning Hebrew from Proffi in Panther in the Basement, a more rounded and complex character. When the speaker receives the unexpected gift of a bicycle, he is thrilled beyond measure, but the bike comes with a set of problems of its own, and the speaker begins trading for other items he thinks he might like even better. The predictably disastrous results confirm for him that he should run away to the Himalayas and then the River Zambezi, and maybe kidnap the King of England along the way. Capturing a moment in time and creating a child-speaker who has a healthy curiosity about life and change, Oz shows someone trying to figure out the world and his place in it, a child who is creative and bright and who challenges limits imposed upon him. For those who are looking for a quick introduction to the sensitive insights of Amos Oz, long mentioned as a candidate for a Nobel Prize for Literature, and those fans who are already familiar with Panther in the Basement, this short novella is great fun to read--a story in which lessons are both taught and learned. n Mary Whipple Rhyming Life and Death Panther in the Basement My Michael A Tale of Love and Darkness

This story is basically a kid's perspective of his life, friends and parents and what is important to him. The initial simplicity of the story is deceptive and there is depth here which is subjective; you will have to read it to find out for yourself. I enjoyed this little adventure!

Soumchi should be considered the definition of a novella. It's 53 pages of compact dazzling brilliance. A simple story which conveys boundless meanings both modest and diverse -- set in Jerusalem directly after WWII. Eleven year old Soumchi is given a bicycle which sets off a chain of events as he exchanges one possesion for another, each almost like a shining icon with its own specific meaning. Oz shows a remarkable ability to stay true to his character and expand him fully into a multi-faceted jewel. Soumchi is a concise read which enhances each characters view on life, possessions and how tender living, and how far-reaching imagination can be at such a sensitive age.

This, as Amos Oz, says is a simple story about a boy who "once was given a bicycle and swapped it for a railway; got a dog instead; found a pencil sharpener in place of the dog and gave the dog away for love." But it is so much more than that. It is a story about change, about growing up, about dreams. It is a story about families, their loves and even their politics. It is a story about occupation and colonialism. It is a story of Jerusalem. But most of all, it is a story about a boy who gets his very first bicycle and declares his very first love on the same day. And it is sure to touch the hearts of all those who have ever grown up (or who have ever considered doing so). I highly recommend this book.