RichardHowe.com – Voices from Lowell & Beyond

Cats I Have Known

Cats I Have Known

By Leo Racicot

The jury’s still out on whether I like cats. I must, huh? Through no doing of my own, I inherited two. I’ve also over the years cat-sat for friends. Nobody forced me to do that although I must say there’s really nothing to it other than allowing the cat to stare at me the whole time, wondering who the heck I am and where their real mom or dad is. I somehow made it through these awkward stints wanting to give a helping hand to a friend on vacation or in the hospital but hoping against hope the feline wouldn’t turn on me. Because cats can and do; unforgettable is the story my friend, Lisa Kempskie, told me about the time her cat attacked her out-of-the-blue, viciously ripping the flesh of her legs to ribbons. That cautionary story about the unpredictability of felines has stuck with me whenever I’ve been nannying little Whiskers or feeding his Friskies to voracious Max. I simply don’t trust cats nor do I think you should either; the mythic mystery of them is that you never know what they’re going to do next. Neither do they…

In 1993, my beloved girl, Mio, needed to be put down. I was too broken up to even think about getting another dog. A co-worker, Marie Anne Drouin, suggested I consider taking in a feline.. She told me her neighbors, the Pelletiers, were giving away their kitten, Mickey, the reason being Mr. Pelletier had suffered a stroke. Mickey had a habit, as kittens do, of climbing all over Mr. Pelletier as if he was Mount Everest. Mr. Pelletier, paralyzed, had a hard time shaking Mickey off; a chronic problem. The Pelletiers liked Mick but had decided to give him away.  Diane and I drove over to their home in Pawtucketville to meet them and Mickey. Mickey was adorable. The visit offered the added bonus of finding out that Mr. Pelletier had known our late father. For many years, Diane and I hadn’t run into many people who had. Mr. Pelletier regaled us with tales of Papa, an extra treat when meeting Mickey. I took it as a sign that I should give the little guy a home. Well — “ball of energy” doesn’t begin to describe the physical rigor Mickey came equipped with. That boy literally flew. He could be very loving, would ask to be embraced and when I picked him up would for a minute or two lovingly nuzzle my neck, purring all the while. Just as suddenly, he’d turn into Count Dracula, sink his teeth deep into my neck and hiss. Vampire Cat! I’d always fall for this set-up — the kiss followed by the kill. I never did learn but I liked him a lot; he could be such a winning fellow, if trouble with a capital T. I thought of re-homing him but never could bring myself to do that. When my health took an unexpected turn, requiring me to seek out-of-town treatment, I left Mickey in the care of Rico and his mother who took very good care of him for the rest of his life. I never saw Mickey again. When he was thirteen, Mickey developed cancer of the mouth, untreatable. Rico very reluctantly had him put down.

Cut to 2020. My beloved dog, Buddy, passed away. Again, the inevitable heartbreak kept me from wanting or even thinking about acquiring another canine. Plus, I was getting on in years, didn’t think I was up to walking a new dog even though Diane begged me to let her find a replacement. Then one day she said, “Well, how about a cat?”  Ugh. I didn’t know if I wanted to go through that again; the vampire side of Mickey was still fresh in my mind. One of Diane’s cinema co-workers, Tina, announced on Facebook that her cat had had a litter. It all happened so fast. Diane was drawn to a picture of the female of the litter, her brother, Keanu, peeking out from behind her. Hallowe’en Day, 2021, Diane brought the female home. I fell in love with Maggie instantly; The country was still in the grip of Covid and The little gal came equipped with her own tiny mask, a raccoon-like area around her eyes reminded me of the masks Diane and I were wearing. Covid Cat! She also sported a tiny, white mustache just above her lip giving her the look of a feline Adolf Hitler. She was charming and came to have (and still has) many names; at first because of her long nose and blue eyes that were a bit crossed, I started out calling her Barbra Streisand. But that didn’t sit too well with Diane. Rico was home from Florida, met her and said, “Call her Chi-Chi“. We quickly nixed that idea in favor of Diane’s friend, Debbie’s suggestion, “Call her Maggie. Maggie May” (after the Rod Stewart song). So, Maggie it was. To this day, if I’m cross with her, I call her Margaret which has led to my friends referring to her as Thatcher and The Prime Minister. I thought it was such a hoot, and still do, when Edmund White referred to her in an email as “Mademoiselle Marguerite Racicot of the Lowell Racicots”. One gesture of Maggie’s that to this day cracks me up is a gesture she came with. She will look at something new (food, a toy), stare at it, sniff it then wave it away with her paw, as if saying, “Be gone with you! Unacceptable!” I knew where I stood with her the day she walked up to me, sat down, looked me over from head-to-toe, made that gesture and walked away. “Well”, I said, “I see how it is….”

Maggie can be a lot. I thought of her as mostly my sister’s cat but before she passed away, Diane asked me to promise to take care of Maggie. How could I possibly say ‘no’ to my sister’s dying wish?  So, here we are, Maggie and I, the only company each other has. I never thought I could love a cat but have come to think of her as a real blessing although believe me, there are days and there are days; she’s developed a habit of waking me up at 2 and 3 a.m., deciding she’s my personal Feline Alarm Clock. She does this by climbing all over me as if she’s scaling a mountain. Once I’m up and she’s fed, what does the little minx do but go back to sleep, leaving me to find something to do at that ungodly hour of the day. Not….Fun…

But when Maggie was a kitten, she could be charming, smart-as-a-whip; for example, she knew instinctively from Day One that ice cubes belong in water; we’d toss her one so she could play ice hockey and before it melted would pick it up in her mouth, walk it over to her water bowl and plop it in. She did the same with plush goldfish toys, would carry them over to the bowl, seemed to know fish belong in water. No matter how many times Diane and I would take the fish out, she’d fetch them and carry them back to the H2O. She also could — I kid you not — push a cd or DVD into the player when asked to.  Amazing. Early on, she loved music, had actual favorites; she liked Midori, the violinist, and would sit nestled between my legs listening attentively to Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts for hours. For some reason she found Nina Simone to be not her glass of tea. Poor Nina (whose music I love) would get the Unacceptable gesture any time I put her on the player.

Possibly, my own desire to have a dog caused me to make Maggie part dog; she follows me everywhere, at my command, and listens the way a dog will listen. I don’t know where I’d be or how I’d get through the days without her. She’s more than a bit Heaven-sent if Heaven did indeed want me to learn that “cats ain’t so bad….”

The first cat I knew was a black-and-white tom called Squiggy. Squiggy belonged to Joe and his family. Joe and I liked watching him prowl around the yard and garden, climb the over-abundant pear trees there, watch the rabbits in the rabbit hutch Joe’s babcia (grandmother) kept in back, licking his chops lasciviously. I found Joe’s playful approach with Squiggy reassuring but didn’t want to follow suit even though Joe encouraged me Squiggy was perfectly safe to play with. In those days, I was afraid of everything, my proverbial shadow. Not knowing felines, I kept a safe distance from Squiggy…

I liked my Cambridge Public Library co-worker, Bill Salem a great deal so when he asked if I’d mind his and his partner, Gene’s cat, Sweetheart in exchange for a stay in their South End townhouse, I jumped at the chance. Bill assured me Sweetheart more than lived up to her name, wouldn’t be any trouble. I was also at a time in my life when I needed a rest, an escape from what had become the daily grind of work and life. I had a great, two weeks with Sweetheart; she was such a honey of a girl. At first, she spent a lot of time staring at me, wondering “Who the heck is this dude??”. Eventually we became fast friends. She even liked giving kisses, something most felines aren’t known to do. It was difficult saying goodbye when Bill and Gene returned from their travels. I look back fondly on my time with Sweetheart, the quiet days I spent in her home.

Joe and his friend, Sam, had a cat, Cupcake. Another very loving, loveable girl. Sam, who’s always made his way house-sitting for friends and acquaintances, would tote Cupcake everywhere he lived; that gal sure got around. As cats do, she relished her window time no matter where they lived. I snapped a nice picture of her in one of her favorite windows at The Cornish Artists’ Colony in Plainfield. One day, Cupcake wandered off into a Vermont forest and never came home.

Whenever I’d sleep overnight at M.F.K. Fisher’s Last House, her two beautiful “torties”. Zazie & Neepa, thought nothing of jumping on my head in the middle of the night and perching there, purring. I never did know what attracted dogs and cats to my head. Maybe they think the shiny dome is an oversized egg, their mom’s belly, a giant pillow?  At any rate, I’d be too sleepy to shoo them away. I’d let them rest there for as long as they liked. It lulled me back to sleep.

GB (Grey Boy for short) is a stray who decided some years back that my house and the house on either side of me, are his sanctuary/nesting grounds. At first, I thought he was a girl; he was so very small, almost kittenish, pretty pearl grey fur. I liked him right away and began leaving food out for him as often as I could (as does my Southeast Asian neighbor (so, no mystery as to why he continues to like this block). On really hot days, he can be found resting under the shade of one or another of our bushes and trees. When long periods of time go by that I don’t have a GB sighting, I panic, thinking a possum, a hawk or the elements have gotten him. I’ve grown so fond of him. Though he’s still a little bit cautious around me, he perks up visibly at the sight of me, even if I don’t come bearing gifts and we’ve sat for long periods in my yard blinking at each other (blinking signals that a cat feels safe and relaxed in your presence). We’ve become good friends over the years. Clearly, he’s stronger than he looks; otherwise, how could he survive the rough, New England winters, the heavily-trafficked streets?  A real champ of a cat. I love him and would take him in but know that wouldn’t be good for him or me or for Maggie. And I’m too old to be refereeing cat fights. GB’s probably so used to being an outdoor cat, he wouldn’t be comfortable finding himself confined. Whenever he does make an appearance out-of-the-blue, it cheers me right up, lights up my day. I guess maybe I like cats more than I realize…

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Cupcake, at Cornish Artists Colony in Plainfield, 1983

G.B. (Grey Boy)

M.F.K. Fisher’s cat Zazie, 1986

Maggie, watercolor by Jane Wall, 2026

Maggie as a kitten

Mickey with Diane, 1994

Squiggy and his rabbit pals

Seen & Heard: Vol. 26

A weekly report on things I’ve read, heard and seen since last Wednesday. 

Literary Event: “Three Franco Poets from Lowell” This event was held on Monday, June 22, 2026, at UMass Lowell’s Coburn Hall as part of this year’s Lowell Franco American Festival Week. The three poets were Dr. Joseph H. Roy (1865-1931), Suzanne Beebe and Paul Marion. The event was moderated by Dr. Mercedes Baillargeon of the University’s Department of World Languages and Cultures who is also the director of the University’s Franco-American Digital Archive. About 30 people attended despite the storminess of the evening. The event began with a delicious buffet of classic French-Canadian dishes. The program began with Paul reading the English translation of one of Dr. Roy’s poems (which were translated by regular blog contributor Louise Peloquin) with Professor Baillargeon then reading the same poem in its original French. They cycled through several poems this way. Next, Suzanne Beebe read several of her poems which were mostly about her memories of her immigrant grandparents. Paul came next, reading several of his own poems, including one on his impressions of Paris from his first visit there and another on that enduring culinary mystery, Chinese Pie. A general discussion with audience questions followed. Each of the principals shared something that stuck with me: Professor Baillargeon observed that Dr. Roy’s poetry seemed heavily influenced by the style of the most prominent French poets and writers of that time, suggesting that the intellectual assembly line ran from France to Canada (and to those in the US who came from Canada); whereas the more recent poems by Paul and Suzanne were much like American poetry suggesting that the French influence demonstrated a century or more ago had given way to American influence. Suzanne observed that her parents spoke English in their home so she did not learn French from them. She did study it in school for many years but that’s not the same. However, she did grow up knowing her grandparents and experienced the culture and traditions through them, but she wonders whether her nieces and grand nieces who never had that exposure will feel a connection to Franco culture or will it have fully evolved out of them. Finally, Paul said that Paris was great but it was a trip through Normandy that made him feel connected. That’s where his ancestors were from before they went to Canada and the wide open fields and agricultural lifestyle brought to mind the rural environment his  ancestors left behind in Canada when they moved to the US. 

Museum Exhibit: “Framing Nature: Gardens and Imagination” at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This exhibit opened in mid-March and closed last Sunday. Text at the entrance explained that the exhibit used visual arts to show the importance of gardens throughout history and across the globe. There were garden-scene tapestries from Medieval Europe, Persia, and China, and ancient horticultural books. Two modern paintings depicted the Garden of Eden in new ways. Another room highlighted the affinity of artists for gardens. A lily pond painting by Monet and a watercolor by John Singer Sargent were highlights of this room. I especially liked a display called “the autobiography of a garden.” Here, the artist did twelve etchings of himself in his garden, one for each month of the year that collectively showed the annual garden cycle (i.e., perusing seed catalogs in January, tending seedlings in cold frames in April, and harvesting a crop in September). Each etching was then placed on a stoneware dinner plate with the twelve plates displayed on a wall. This was a contemplative, thought-provoking exhibit. Notwithstanding my mention of Monet and Sargent, there were not many paintings in the exhibit which on one level was a let down but it also forced the viewer to focus on other things which may have been the intent of the curators. 

Museum Exhibit: “Art of the Americas, 1700-1800”, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The MFA just completed a revision of the first floor of its “American Wing”. Earlier this year, the museum made the difficult but wise decision to send back a substantial federal grant to avoid the white-washing censorship the federal government is imposing on museums across the country. While that money would undoubtedly have been helpful, forsaking it gave the MFA freedom to show and say whatever it thought appropriate with this redone exhibit being a manifestation of that. The text at the entrance explains that when most think of the 18th century in US history, it is about independence, but this exhibit is about interdependence, about how the many cultures of north, central and south America and the Caribbean depended on each other, sometimes for their mutual benefit, other times in harmful ways. The displays juxtapose things you would not think go together but after seeing them, reading about them, and thinking about them, you realize that they are connected. For example, Paul Revere’s famous etching of the Boston Massacre is displayed alongside an Ojibwe war club from the same period. Many of the old favorites remain. The exhibit is anchored by the enormous Washington at the Delaware painting (the one of him on a horse, not in the boat), but that’s mostly because the painting and its frame are so large that it wasn’t feasible to move it. This is a very good, thought-provoking exhibit that is a much-needed counterpoint to how history is being assaulted by the Federal government at other institutions. 

Op-Ed: “The Biden Verdict Is In. It Isn’t Pretty” by Carlos Lozada, New York Times, June 21, 2026. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been a fan of Lozada since his days as book critic at the Washington Post. Here, he cites Jill Biden’s memoir, Hunter Biden’s omnipresence on social media, and rumors of a Joe Biden memoir coming soon to essentially wish that they’d just go away. He then drafts an indictment of Biden’s presidency, saying that even his big achievements (ARPA, the Inflation Reduction Act, and Build Back Better) received little credit while his border policy and persistent inflation were big negatives. He also wonders if Biden, on two of his biggest issues – responding to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the quest for a more equitable country after the George Floyd murder – really felt strongly about either. The basis of this question was that Biden, a lifelong Catholic, had long seemed ambivalent about abortion, and while in the Senate, he authored the crime bill that had huge disparities based on race. My own feeling is that Biden should never have run for a second term. Regardless of his age, his ability to communicate effectively was gone, and being a good communicator is an essential task of being president. By staying in the race, he deprived the Democrats of a competitive primary which would have put forth the strongest candidate with ample time to make their case to voters. By hanging around until his horrendous debate performance and then dropping out, Biden significantly increased the odds that Trump would be elected again with all the horridness that has entailed.

“Lowell has responded splendidly”

This post originally appeared on this site on July 1, 2025. 

“Lowell has responded splendidly” – (PIP #75)

By Louise Peloquin

      The National Defense Day program was one of the items on the September 3^rd 1924 Lowell City Council meeting agenda. (1) 

Posting it seems appropriate on the eve of America’s 250^th birthday.

L’Étoile – Front page, September 12, 1924

A PARADE OF 7000 IN OUR STREETS

_____

To demonstrate loyalty to the flag and the determination to die for it. – Departure from North Common.  – Military aviators in the city to perform stunts.

_____

     Enrollment for the parade continues until this evening. Preparation is finished and all we are waiting for is good weather for the city of Lowell to hold the most beautiful parade in its history demonstrating its loyalty to the country.

     The parade will depart this evening at 7 from North Common. (2) There will certainly be 6,000 people in the ranks but we expect 7,500.

The parade will include all of the Lowell National Guard contingents, school military organizations, the Reserve Corps, veterans organizations and all of the city’s fraternal societies.

     A United States Army pilot will fly above the city by order of the War Department. He will arrive here at noon and will perform this evening.

     Captain Donald R. McIntyre. D.S.C. will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the aviation exercises after the parade in front of Memorial Auditorium. (3)

     If the crowd is too large for the public to assemble inside Memorial Auditorium where James Williams, editor of the Boston Transcript, will be the main speaker, Liberty Hall will also be used.

     Captain Joseph A. Molloy will direct the troops in the auditorium.

     When the committee finishes enrollment at its office in the old Courier-Citizen building in Kearney Square, there will be 3,500 people registered. This number is in addition to the military corps and city organizations participating in the parade.

     The mayor will not review the parade. He will walk at the head of his Reserve Corps company. 

     City Hall is decorated with American flags and banners displaying the national colors. Shops along the parade route have followed the mayor’s counsel to decorate with the American colors.

     City Council members and army officers will be on the platform reviewing the parade. We will see General Malvern Hill Barnum; Colonel B. P. O’Bren; Colonel Alexander Gregg; Lieutenant Brown; James T. Williams, editor of the Boston Transcript, and Congressman John Jacob Rogers.

     The speakers to close the solemnity of National Defense Day at Memorial Auditorium will be: James Williams, editor of the Boston Transcript; Lieutenant R. C. Moffatt; Mayor Donovan; Reverend John J. McGarry, D. C. L., and Reverend Percy Thomas. Dana Palmer will be the Master of Ceremonies at this meeting.

     Enrollment will end at 4 this afternoon.

     Mothers of soldiers killed in the Great War will have reserved seats at Memorial Auditorium.

     The following stores have graciously provided flowers, tobacco, and refreshments to the organizing committee: John J. Moloney; James R. Kenney; Harvey B. Greene; Samuel Scott; P. K. Smoke Shop; W. H. I. Hayes; Peter Andreoli; Robertson Tobacco Co.; Dudley L. Page; Mr. Rousseau who sells “Eat-A” donuts; and Harry H. Cole. Sargent Timothy Kimball launched the requests for donations.

General Orders, # 1

1. – What follows is public for all interested.
2. – The parade will form at North Common. The Chief administrator’s and Chief of Staff’s headquarters on the common will be at the angle of Common and Salem Streets.
3. – An aide will report the arrival of each participating group to the Chief of Staff.
4. – The parade route will be as follows: from North Common to Salem Street, down Cabot, Merrimack and East Merrimack Streets to Memorial Auditorium. Departure is at 7.

5. – The Mayor, City Council and guests will review the parade at City Hall.
6. – Upon arrival at the Auditorium, all of the organizations will maintain their ranks and positions during the ceremony.
7. – Battery B, 102^ndartillery, under the direction of Captain Harold Mather, will fire the canon for the salute. 
8. – At the end of the ceremonies, all of the organizations will be invited to march in the Auditorium for the public assembly.

There will be reserved seats for the organizations participating in the parade.

9. – The parade includes numerous army corps, civil and social organizations.

10.Lowell City Council, the Boy Scouts of America, whose members offered their services as messengers or traffic assistants, will need to report to Charles W. Barton, Field Scout Executive, at 6 to receive their post at Memorial Auditorium. 

11.The American flag will be the only national banner carried at the parade. Societies, Unions, Clubs and Lodges will be able to carry their respective banners. 

 By order of C., T. KITTEREDGE

Chief administrator

L’ÉTOILE – Front page, September 13, 1924

GREAT PROOF OF OUR CITY’S PATRIOTISM

About 4000 people paraded in our streets last night, attesting to their determination to rally around the flag in times of danger. 

BEAUTIFUL SPEECH AT THE AUDITORIUM

Beautiful patriotic spectacle. – Salute to the flag. – The canon fires. – All of the groups, clubs and societies of the city participated.

     Last night a celebration took place downtown causing more emotion in Lowellians’ hearts than during any other public demonstration of patriotism since the Armistice was signed. It was National Defense Day. Last night, when the flags flew and the last echo of the speakers’ voices dissipated, no one questioned Lowellians’ solid loyalty to their country. They proved this by going out, forming one of the largest parades ever seen here, filling the sidewalks along the parade route by the thousands, applauding the school representatives and members of the bar who hoisted the Stars and Stripes.

     The parade formed at North Common and left a bit after 7 to head towards Memorial Auditorium. 4,000 people were in the ranks. A group of police officers marched, followed by the parade leaders, the military corps and, at the end, members of various city organizations. Several excellent bands played music. We particularly noticed the following: the 385^th Artillery Reserve Corps, Regan, Lowell Cadet, Lowell High School, Anglo-American veterans of the Great War and the St. Peter and O. M. I. Cadets.

     The crowd warmly applauded the Civil War veterans. The American Legion closed the parade ranks lead by Commander Colin C. MacDonald. Once the parade had passed, the crowd left the sidewalks and went to Memorial Auditorium for the open-air exercises.

     Musicians performed on the Auditorium steps. The flag was lowered and, from the other side of the river, one could hear the 21 canon blasts for the national salute.

     Thousands of people attended the public meeting in Memorial Auditorium. On the stage were the following guests: Brigadier General Malvern H. Barbard; James T. Williams; Mayor Donovan; Major Dana Palmer; Reverend John J. McGarry, D. C. L.; Reverend Percy E. Thomas; Robert Brown; Mrs. Nellie Usher; John F. McBride; Colin C. MacDonald; James J. Gallagher; Franck K. Stearns and Daniel Cosgrove.

     Mayor Donovan was the first speaker at the Auditorium meeting. His speech was short, very appropriate, and began as follows:

“Lowell has responded splendidly to the President’s call to observe the Day of National Defense. As mayor, I wish to congratulate the patriotic service that you have rendered in taking part in the celebration.”

     Abby John J. McGarry, pastor of Saint Patrick’s Parish was the next speaker. He opened his speech with an anecdote about an American in a foreign country who is asked if he is a prince or a general. His response: “I am the greatest of anyone of these; I am an American citizen.” The speaker continued to elaborate on being an American citizen. 

     Then, Lieutenant Robert Brown spoke about the American aviators’ trip around the world and about how the development of aviation would impact the country. 

     The special speaker for the celebration was James T. Williams, editor of the Boston Transcript. He reminded everyone that the previous day was the anniversary of the Battle of Saint Mihiel…. (4 & 5) 

****

 1)   https://richardhowe.com/2025/04/08/back-to-the-city-council-1924/

PIP #64, posted on April 8, 2025, covers the September 3^rd  1924 Lowell City Council meeting agenda:

The City Council met last night at 9 for a special session opened by president Gallagher.

     Lieutenant Arthur H. Brown obtained the privilege to take the floor. He presented the National Defense Day program and asked the Council to review the parade at City Hall at 6:45 and invited the Council members to attend the public assembly at 8 at Lowell Auditorium. The invitation was accepted.

2)   “North Common – 413 Fletcher Street – 7.69 acres – swimming pool; 2 basketball courts; 1 softball field; 2 handball courts; playground; community garden; amphitheater. This land was purchased by the city of Lowell in 1845 from the Proprietors of the Locks and Canals along with the South Common. Together, they were the first public parks in Lowell and were referred to as “the lungs of the city.”

From Richard Howe’s June 22, 2025 Lowell History article.

https://richardhowe.com/2025/06/22/lowell-history-june-22-2025/

3)   Lowell Memorial Auditorium Greenspace – 52 East Merrimack Street – 2.22 acres – passive green space. This is the green space that surrounds the Lowell Memorial Auditorium which was constructed in 1922. The parcel is home to many military monuments and memorials.

From Richard Howe’s June 22, 2025 Lowell History article. Link in footnote 2.

4)   The September 12^th to 15^th 1918 battle of Saint-Mihiel in northeastern France’s Meuse department was a major one during World War I. The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops, under the command of General John J. Pershing, fought against German positions.

5)   Translations by Louise Peloquin.

Making Art in the Nazi Era? by Marjorie Arons-Barron

The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron.

The Director by Daniel Kehlmann is a challenging but intriguing work of fiction. Its surreal and expressionistic style focuses on its characters’ dreamlike experiences and emotional journeys. These stylistic elements mix with realism as the narrative develops, prompting this reader to appreciate the author’s stunning talent and creativity.

This historical novel is based mostly on many real-life individuals during WWII. The principal character is Weimar film director G. W. Pabst, who is introduced to us in the beginning by his fictional associate Franz Wilzek. Wilzek has been brought out of what is apparently a memory unit at an American retirement home to be interviewed about Pabst in a live television program. Not surprisingly, Wilzek’s memories are unreliable, and the interview is a bust. But the introduction to these film makers is made. We next meet the German-speaking Pabst back in the early ‘30’s at a Hollywood party where he is hard put to understand the English conversation swirling around him. The effect of his confusion is somewhat surreal.

Cut to Austria just after the Anschluss, when Pabst, his wife Trude and (fictional) son Jakob have returned to visit his dying mother.  The borders close, and they are trapped.  Director Pabst had gotten his start in silent films. He managed a successful transition when the talkies came in.  Among the real-life actors with whom he worked were Louise Brooks, with whom he had an affair, and Greta Garbo. Nazi propaganda film maker Leni Riefenstahl shows up in the novel, as well as actor Werner Krauss, star in horror movie Dr. Caligari and in antisemitic propaganda cinema. All are woven into this story.

Pabst’s work was controlled by a Ministry of Film that was under Joseph Goebbels’ Ministry of Propaganda.  In the fraught environment of his time, he was an accomplished director and screenwriter and a master of modernistic film editing. His decision not to try to escape to the United States led to the tarnishing of his reputation.  Instead, Pabst stayed in Europe, traveling back and forth among Berlin, Vienna, and Prague, with the war all around him and closing in. Author Kehlmann gets into Pabst’s head as the director struggles with Goebbels’ censorship and other compromises required of him if he is to keep working.

When the Soviets push Germany back, Red officers come to arrest Pabst for having created Nazi films. He plies them with vodka, telling them that he had once been a Communist, known as Red Pabst.  They are charmed and persuaded, and they all part as friends. The surrealism continues.

Kehlmann’s fictional Jakob, teenaged son of Pabst and Trude, has learned from boarding school that, to avoid being bullied, he has to become an aggressor. Not surprisingly, he joins a Hitler youth group and later makes it into the German Wehrmacht. He is willing to die for “something greater than ourselves. For the Reich and for our Fuhrer.”

Franz Wilzek, whom we met at the very beginning as an addled old man, returns as a much younger man to play an important role in the twists and turns of the novel, right up to the very end.

This is not an easy book to read, given its style, likely reminiscent of many of Pabst’s films. The narrative voice is omniscient, delving deep into the psyches and interior dialogues of the principal figures. Which characters are fictional, and which are real?  What events are truly happening, and which occur only in the characters’ dreams and nightmares? What is the point at which the characters’ compromises for survival make them complicit in the system of the Third Reich?

W. G. Pabst is asked if it isn’t strange to continue working through the horrors of Nazi Europe. He replies that “times are always strange. Art is always out of place. Always unnecessary when it’s made. And later, when you look back, it’s the only thing that mattered.”

Readers of The Director are left wondering: did these artists make films at that time that really mattered, or did their failure to defy simply validate Hitler and his thugs? What is the responsibility of artists during times like our own to speak out against authoritarianism? Or, are they better off producing art that distracts us and numbs us to the undermining of democracy on the home front?