Mr. Sammler’s Planet (Saul Bellow, 1970)

I can’t remember what compelled me to take my copy of Mr Sammler’s Planet from the shelf. Maybe I wanted to read something jewish? Did i wish to revisit the city i lives in as a kid? Most times these impulses are inspired by some thought, some associative thread. I had started this book some years ago, partly inspired to read it by hearing journalist Christopher Hitchens mention it in a talk.

This conundrum aside, I spent a few days reconnecting with the titular Mr Sammler. And boy, is he a grump. I understand more of Bellow’s writing mode, now (this being my third of books, fourth if counting nonfiction), and it seems most of his books are centered around a somewhat grumpy middle aged man. This particular one is written and set in a morally loose 1969, and a lot of the book is just Artur Sammler knocking everything about then-contemporary culture. A lot of those critiques still hold, 50 years later! The plot involves his kooky daughter stealing a manuscript about moon colonization and Sammler arranging for it to be returned. Another parallell story is his relative who is at death’s door. 

I got a kick reading about going to New Rochelle, as i did just that when i was a kid, visiting relatives. Those relatives were Holocaust survivors, and in this book Bellow casts Mr. Sammler as one too. It has to be said that the Holocaust survivor portrayal is somewhat lacking, and not really convincing (this is also mntionen in Adam Kirsch’s review of the book from 2012). Also, as a European, Bellow’s idea of old European charm feels a little off.

It was interesting to read the book side by side with Martin mis’ Money, as they have a lot of similarities. Both Are critiques of contemporary culture (most of which more or less still stand), and both are mostly set in a morally decadent New York. On top of this, Bellow and Amis were friends! I managed to catch a BBC programme where amis travels to his idol Bellow and interviews him about his art. Elucidating.

Some of Bellow’s monologues are a bit long-winded though. It just seems like he wants to show off how clever he is, quoting people like John Milton or obscure poetry. This must be what they call a “novel of voice” rather than a novel of plot. But it’s an interesting voice to be around, for a while.