The Songs

April 1, 2017
As a famous political folk singer fades into old age, scattered members of his circle contemplate their own incomplete relationships with this elusive man.There's a dark star at the center of British television producer Elton's (Mr. Toppit, 2010) second novel: Isaac "Iz" Herzl, the celebrated activist singer whose recordings, appearances, campaigns, archives, and interactions with other famous protesters have rendered him a living legend. But Iz, now 80, is kind of a black hole, a remote figure whose three children scarcely know him. Narrated from the points of view of four characters orbiting the near-silent celebrity, this is the story of how Iz Herzl came to be and the ripple effects of his life on those connected to him. His daughter, Rose, ponders her father's detachment while caring for her younger brother, Huddie, who's dying of a form of muscular dystrophy. Joseph Carter, Iz's oldest child, grew up estranged from his famous father but has constructed his own, more mainstream showbiz career, a spotty tale of success mixed with dubious emotional connections. Shirley, Joseph's longtime friend and the wife of his musical partner, contributes her own unhappy experience to the mix. And then there's Maurice Gifford, a schoolboy at odds with almost everyone around him until he finally makes an important friendship. Elton pieces together these often humdrum characters in a teasingly tepid fashion. Rose's intelligence and her close attachment to Huddie are the strongest aspects of a patchwork quilt of a story, set in the U.K. and dominated by the vacuum of Iz. The novel's formula is a blend of light, rather English humor, tragedy, and individual experiences of struggle, which, even when exposed and combined, don't amount to quite enough substance. A thoughtful but cool second novel. The melody doesn't linger on.

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May 1, 2017

The completely self-absorbed, ultimately inscrutable protagonist at the center of this thoughtful novel about fame and fortune is American folk singer Iz Herzl, beloved by millions for his passionate political advocacy and commitment to social justice. Although Iz has built a lucrative career from his protest songs and battling injustice around the world, his personal life does not reflect the same compassion and mindfulness. Like Mr. Toppit, Elton's first novel, this new work examines the complex, mostly dark consequences of a family dealing with public notoriety and stardom, and it is not a pretty picture. Iz is estranged from his three ex-wives, and he has difficult and mostly absent relationships with his three children. In fact, he has met his oldest son only once. Elton is interested in examining a thorny philosophical question: Should our knowledge of a revered public figure's personal life influence in any way our understanding and evaluation of that individual's public work and achievement? Elton clearly thinks it should, and readers are likely to agree as well, once they reach the end of this sad and moving novel. VERDICT A heartbreaking read. Recommended for fans of literary fiction.--Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT

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