LITTLE FAILURE, a Memoir and SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY, a novel, both by

Gary Shteyngart; and ZOO TIME by Howard Jacobson

Funny Comments about Being a Writer and Our Times
Reviewed by Alan L. Chrisman
Gary Shteyngart was born in Russia in 1972 and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 79.
Being an only child, he developed quite an imagination and was already writing little fantasy
stories at an early age. He attended Hebrew school in New York, where he didnt fit in with the
other Jewish students, because of his poorer Russian-Jewish background. Also he was a sickly
child who suffered from asthma attacks and was smaller for his age. All these things made him
a prime target for teasing and bullying by the other kids. Even his own stern but loving parents
had nicknamed him,Little Failure, thus the title of the book.
Little Gary (his original Russian name had been Igor) wanted nothing more than to be accepted
and loved by- his classmates, his oldcountry parents , his new land, America, and by girls. His
memoir is about his life-long journey to achieve those often fleeting goals. Fortunately, for him
and us, he also has a devastating sense of humor and can express it in his writing. He learns
that these are the two things that can possibly save him. Anyone whos ever felt like he or she
doesnt fit in (and who hasnt?), I think, will love this book. We can really feel his considerable
pain, but also his absurdist humor-kind of like Woody Allen or Seinfeld, on steroids. Whether
hes doing various dead-in jobs, trying to meet the expectations of his parents, becoming
American, or dealing with the opposite sex, it is one roller coaster ride after another. We
wonder whether hell (and he does too), ever land on his feet. He just wants to be to be loved
for himself-whatever that is. But after much chaos, alcohol and soft-substance abuse,
misguided attempts at careers, relationships, therapy, and trying to decide if he is really like his
parents, he learns that funny but revealing writing, is what he was meant to do. With a couple
of lucky breaks and a couple of supportive teachers and writers, he gets a long-sought after
book deal for his first novel.
And hes on his way, sort of, for he always seems a work in progress. What, as I say, a ride, it is!
But along the way he becomes a better writer, romantic partner and human being. Im not
Russian or Jewish, but in the past while, Ive been fascinated by the Russian character, perhaps
partly because of my Russian/Canadian friend, Yury Pelyushonoks book, Strings For A Beatle
Bass, and the stories he would tell about growing up in the repressive Soviet Union, trying to
play banned Beatles music. Also Ive reviewed Masha Gessens books on the band Pussy Riot
and Putin. Ive even written a song about Russian tennis star, Maria Sharapova (you could
even melt Vladimir Putin!). They are from a tough brooding land, but they are also survivors.
Shteyngart is like that too. Below his biting, self-deprecating humor and writing is a sensitive,
artistic Russian soul and loving son. He reminds us, outsiders all, that we dont have to be
Little Failures. I look forward to reading his three, admittedly autobiographical novels, The
Russian Debutantes Handbook, Absurdistan, and Super Sad True Love Story.

SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY and ZOO TIME
Novels Reviewed by Alan L. Chrisman
After I read and reviewed Gary Shteyngarts biting, funny memoir, Little Failure, I went on to
read his earlier novel, Super Sad True Love Story. Its set in an Orwellian 1984-like future. The
American economy has failed and China owns it economically and the U.S. is at war with
Venezuela. America is run by a one-party state and there are insurgents in the streets.
Social status is determined by your Credit Ranking and those with lower credit are considered
disposable. The main character is Lenny Abramov , a Russian immigrant to the U.S., who has a
good Credit Ranking because he works for an Extending Life organization and the book is told as
through his diary. He meets and falls in love with a much younger Korean-American woman,
Eunice Park. In this future, everyone has a personal device called an apparat, which allows the
user to know everything about everybody else-their Credit Ranking, family background, even
their history of relationships. The younger generation, like his girlfriend, communicates mainly
in abbreviations and another large part of the book is her messages back and forth. As in his
memoir, the author, being a Russian Jewish immigrant himself, is especially adept at
portraying how immigrants are torn between becoming part of their new land and their old-
country roots still. Like the lovers in 1984, they have to make choices for their survival. Super
Sad True Love Story is, of course a satire and a science fiction allegory of a, possibly not too
distant future. But it shows despite changes in society, relationships and family may have to
deal with the same insecurities and challenges. There is humor in it too, such as when the
main character, Lenny, of an older generation, admits he likes to collect printed, bound,
media artifacts (aka) books.
Another novel, I read around the same time, is Howard Jacobsons Zoo Time, which some have
compared to Phillip Roth. The main character, Guy Ableman, is a writer who had, once years
before, been a successful with his first novel, but hes been having a mental block coming up
with ideas for a comeback. Its about another seemingly endangered species, according to the
author anyway-authors. For its the age of the internet and blogs, and is perhaps, a writers
lament for the old days (but a very funny one). His publisher has committed suicide and his
agent has run away, because everyone claims to be a writer, but few can any longer make a
living at it (sound familiar?). So it is a bit of a satire too and the self-deprecating humor of the
author feeling sorry about his plight is very witty and gently sarcastic.
On top of this the author is also lusting after his wifes mother too, hoping this crisis will
somehow jolt him into coming up with a new idea for his new novel.
Both the above novels, Gary Shteyngarts Super Sad True Love Story and Howard Jacobsons
Zoo Time are highly recommended if you want to read intelligent comments on our present and
perhaps not too distant future, and to laugh at the same time.