1 Mordecai Richler This page intentionally left blank Arts Insights showcases current research in the social sciences, humanities, and social work. An initiative of McGill’s Faculty of Arts, Arts Insights brings together research in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Social Work. Reflective of the range of expertise and interests represented by the Faculty of Arts at McGill, Arts Insights seeks manuscripts that bring an interdisciplinary perspective to the dis- cussion of ideas, issues, and debates that deepen and expand our understanding of human interaction, such as works dealing with society and change, or languages, literatures, and cultures and the relation- ships among them. Of particular interest are manu- scripts that reflect the work of research collaborations involving McGill faculty and their colleagues in universities that arepart of McGill’s international affiliation network. Arts Insights will publish twotitles a year in English. The editors prefer original manuscripts but may consider the English-language translations of works that have already appeared in another language. series editors Nathalie Cooke, RichardSchultz, Wendy Thomson Projecting Canada Government Policy and Documentary Film at the National Film Board Zoe Druick Beyond Wilderness The Group of Seven,Canadian Identity,and Contemporary Art Edited by John O’Brian and Peter White Mordecai Richler Leaving St.Urbain Reinhold Kramer Women in Power The Personalities and Leadership Styles of Indira Gandhi,Gold Meir,and Margaret Thatcher Blema Steinberg Mordecai Richler Leaving St.Urbain Reinhold Kramer McGILL-QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY PRESS | Montreal & Kingston •London •Ithaca ©McGill-Queen’s University Press 2008 isbn978-0-7735-3355-4 Legal deposit second quarter 2008 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Printed in Canada on acid-free paper that is 100%ancient forest free (100%post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free. McGill-Queen’s University Press acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial supportof the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (bpidp)for our publishing activities. Libraryand Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Kramer, Reinhold, 1959– Mordecai Richler : leaving St. Urbain / Reinhold Kramer. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn978-0-7735-3355-4 1.Richler,Mordecai, 1931–2001.2.Richler,Mordecai, 1931-2001–Criticism and interpretation. 3.Novelists, Canadian (English)–20th century–Biography. 4.Jewish authors–Canada– Biography.I. Title. ps8535.i38z7 2008 c813'.54 c2007-906828-6 This book was designed and typeset by studio oneonone in Sabon 10/13 To the Jews of Grant Park High School. No joke. This page intentionally left blank 1 Contents (cid:1) Acknowledgments xi Illustrations xiii Introduction 3 Part I:Tiefste Provinz,1931–1950 1Geyt,yidelech,in der vayter velt 11 2 A Light Has Gone Out in Israel 19 3 À bas les Juifs! 27 4 Shabbes Goy 39 5 A Losers’ Finishing School 55 Part II:Yurop,1950–1972 6 Bohemia among the Fishermen: Ibiza 67 7 Mr. Gauche of the Rive-gauche: Paris 80 8 What Do You Know about the Circus? 92 9 Cathy, Commerce, and Señor Hoore: London 103 10 Friends and Enemies 118 11 Florence Mann, the Golden Shiksa 131 12 The End of the Apprenticeship 143 13 Certified Libel-Free 154