The Crazyladies of Pearl Street, Trevanian, author; Lee Leoncavallo, narrator
I loved reading this book. I loved its simple presentation of life with all its warts and foibles in what could only be called a simpler time. I loved the fact that the main characters never truly gave up. Most of the characters rose above their own defeats and challenged the world again; even if they never succeeded, they kept on trying. This was a country of hope, for most of its travelers.
The book is about a different time, a time that had problems, but in retrospect with a comparison of today’s, they were more easily addressed.
This is a book that is reminiscent of the author’s life. He had a deadbeat dad, a conman who abandoned his mother and children. He liked his drink, and alcohol was a massive problem for the poor immigrant, Irish population. They came to America in poverty. They came with dreams and hopes. Often they ended up with nightmares, but the mom in this novel, and the mom in Trevanian's real life, never gave up hope, even when she succumbed to sadness or sickness, she always rose again. Still, she was filled with her own problems some self inflicted because she was opinionated and harbored many prejudices. The Jews were out to cheat her, the neighbors were looking down at her, when the butcher was kind to her she was sure he wanted to get something in return. Because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and declared war, she tolerated nothing Japanese.
The book introduces Jean Luc La Pointe who tells the story. He is a very precocious and super bright little boy with a very high IQ. He stupefies some of his teachers with his knowledge. At six years old, his maturity is far beyond his years. His man/nun imaginings, his conversations with his teachers and his philosophy of life will have the reader laughing. How he sneaks into the movie theater will remind some readers of their own shenanigans. Some of the superstitions will be nostalgic, like deaths occur in threes. It will arouse memories of stores that gave credit, keeping records in black/white covered notebooks. It was a time when people were called names that were disparaging, but no one would get shot over it. Kids riding bikes and delivering papers are also memories of days gone by.
Jean Luc protects his younger sister Anne-Marie. He is his mother’s right hand and confidant because his father has abandoned them. She leans heavily on him and he is aware of his burden, but his love for his mother and his own kind heart propel him to always support, protect and defend her. His mother often embarrasses him because she dresses with too much panache or butchers the English language with backwards idioms, like believe me, you or it will be a hot day in Hell. She trusts no one because she has been betrayed, often, and harbors deep prejudices and superstitions that guide her behavior. Still, she is independent, chooses her own style and defies the norms of the day, unconcerned about what people will say. She is kind. She is playful. He loves her and she loves her children.
The story begins when his mother takes her children from their home in Lake George, to Albany, New York. After a four year absence in which his sister was born, his father suddenly resurfaces and sends for them, but he is a conman, and once again, he disappoints them. He leaves a note saying he is going out to find a green cake. The apartment is decorated wildly for St. Patrick’s day. He never comes back, leaving them penniless, struggling to fend for themselves in a place they are complete strangers.
Although there is the occasional kind person, his mother always believes there is an ulterior motive and refuses help when it is offered unless she is at her wit’s end. She believes that more often than not, there is a person waiting in the wings to take advantage of them, and she is often proven right. Albany is a microcosm of the world when it comes to small towns and immigrants trying to make ends meet.
The book takes place in a time when the world is trying to come out of a depression and is dealing with world problems and a coming war in Europe. It shows the depths of depravity that some will go to in order to take advantage of others. It shows the depth of love some feel for others and the extent of what they will suffer to keep that love alive. It deals with the unendurable pain some feel from their hopelessness, from their wartime experiences, and from their emotional and physical stress. It does not shy away from the anti-Semitism of the time or the anti-immigrant atmosphere. The term Jew someone down is introduced as a cliché used in negotiations. It was a time when people were called names and even though they were disparaging, it didn’t cause violence. Still, because of the humor interjected so often and so naturally, the book is not heavy at all.
The country was deeply nationalistic and when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the citizens rose to the occasion. The volunteers couldn’t be processed fast enough. However, there was a dark side to the country, as well. The welfare system was corrupt, so were the ward heelers, the Tammany bosses who provided for the new immigrants more quickly. They also paid them for their votes which was an accepted practice, since most would have voted that way anyway. The political system was corrupt then, but the purchasing and dishonest election system was not as sophisticated as it is today, and the vote buying was well known. The corrupt elections were accepted, in much the same way as today, though for different reasons, the corruption and cheating is being overlooked. The mob is still in control of the swamp.
Every problem is dealt with in a way that shows life simply went on as everyone adjusted to each new issue as best they could. Those that didn’t often took drastic measures, even taking their own lives. This was a time when people either had money for something or didn’t. Credit cards didn’t exist. If a shopkeeper wouldn’t show compassion, the family was doomed. There were some people who were easier marks than others. Some turned to alcohol. Some were too illiterate to do much of anything but manual labor. Some were jealous, some too superstitious. Survival was difficult on a multitude of levels.
The real name of this author, who wrote under several pseudonyms is Rodney William Whitaker. The book is close to an autobiographical picture of his life. It is about the kind of life his family had, the poverty, the shame, the prejudices, the superstitions, their struggles to survive. It is about his coming of age, his finding love and his ultimate success.
The narrator of this book was superb, using tone and expression to identify each character uniquely and to emphasize each moment appropriately.