Zachary Lazar Bücher

This stunning novel by the author of Sway is another "brilliant portrayal of life as a legend" (Margot Livesey).In 1972, the American gangster Meyer Lansky petitions the Israeli government for citizenship. His request is denied, and he is returned to the U.S. to stand trial. He leaves behind a mistress in Tel Aviv, a Holocaust survivor named Gila Konig.In 2009, American journalist Hannah Groff travels to Israel to investigate the killing of an Israeli writer. She soon finds herself inside a web of violence that takes in the American and Israeli Mafias, the Biblical figure of King David, and the modern state of Israel. As she connects the dots between the murdered writer, Lansky, Gila, and her own father, Hannah becomes increasingly obsessed with the dark side of her heritage. Part crime story, part spiritual quest, I Pity the Poor Immigrant is also a novelistic consideration of Jewish identity.

Set against the backdrop of Long Island, the narrative explores the intertwined lives of Christopher Bell, a struggling painter, and Ana Ramirez, a Venezuelan journalist seeking a fresh start in New York. Living in seclusion near the woods, Christopher's chance encounter with Ana sparks a complex romance that uncovers their hidden pasts and personal struggles. As they navigate their emotional barriers, the story delves into themes of reinvention and the impact of trauma on identity.

The story begins with family, exploring childhood and adolescence as a lens to discern reality. Aaron Bright, a fiercely intelligent young man, navigates self-acceptance and connection following his father's death. At 26, as his relationship with girlfriend Clarisse falters, he revisits his past to confront lifelong alienation. The narrative unfolds with dark humor and poignancy, detailing Aaron's journey from isolation to adulthood. As the only son of Horace Bright, the beloved clown of "The Horace and Waldo Show," Aaron faces ridicule when a local shock jock mocks the show. This public humiliation leads to his ostracization, and a tragic parachute stunt further complicates his adolescence, thrusting him into insecurity and rebellion. Intelligent and sensitive, Aaron adopts the guise of a clown, using humor and vintage clothing to mask his discomfort while grappling with his father's legacy. When his mother remarries, Aaron confronts a pivotal choice: conform to her expectations and escape his self-imposed isolation, or remain in his cynical world. To salvage his relationship with Clarisse, he must confront his reality and break free from a cycle of confusion. With humor and compassion, the narrative captures the essence of growing up at the end of the 20th century, marking a profound debut in American fiction.