( #MichaelChabon )
Over the years Michael Chabon has cemented himself as one of my favorite writers. His recent (and under-appreciated) book of essays “Manhood for Amateurs” resonated with me deeply. Chabon’s fictional work is equally outstanding and almost always extremely quirky.
Quirky is the word that I would use to describe “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union“. This is an alternative history story that presents a world where Israel was never created after WWII. Instead, a section of Alaska is set aside (essentially like a Native American reservation) for Jewish Holocaust survivors. All of this is the background of a strange murder investigation by (of course) a Yiddish Policeman.
Like most of Chabon’s characters, Meyer Landsman is a semi-broken man that yearns for former lovers, has a career that is badly damaged, and has substance abuse issues. As Meyer pushes deeper into his investigation, a larger plot about the fate of the entire Alaskan reservation is uncovered that puts Meyer’s life in danger as well.
I liked this book because it was a good ride, but it falls apart at the end. Once “YPU” links the murder plot into a larger mystery about fate of Sitka District (the name of the “city”), it loses focus. There is a whole situation with a missile that comes out of nowhere and doesn’t fit with the gritty snowy-noir vibe that Chabon spends the entire book creating.
Even with a nutty conclusion I like the book for the characters, the alternative history (I am a sucker for alt history books), and the interesting blend of genres and location.
