The Life and Opinions of Zacharias Lichter (New York Review Books Classics)

A new translation of the only novel by lauded Romanian literary critic Matei Călinescu It was the late 50s and the Communist regime of Romania was at its most punitively unforgiving when Matei Calinescu, who had just graduated form the University of Bucharest, conceived of Zacharias Lichter. "I must create a myth," he jotted in his diary, "and become its hero—that's my idea! ... [A] Judeo-German metaphysician, descended as if from the XVIIIth century (or that's how he likes to think of himself) [who talks] about responsibility, about a dialogue of purity with God, about perplexity facing the void." In the following years, Zacharias Lichter, madman, fool, philsopher, and the weirdest of rebels without a cause would come to life in Calinescu's fictional account of his life and opinions, a book written for his private amusement since he assumed the censors would never permit its publication. He was wrong about that, however. The censors were completely... A new translation of the only novel by lauded Romanian literary critic Matei Călinescu An NYRB Classics Original Ugly, unkempt, a haunter of low dives who begs for a living and lives on the street, Zacharias Lichter exists for all that in a state of unlikely rapture. After being engulfed by a divine flame as a teenager, Zacharias has devoted his days to doing nothing at all—apart, that is, from composing the odd poem he immediately throws away and consorting with a handful of stray friends: Poldy, for example, the catatonic alcoholic whom Zacharias considers a brilliant philosopher, or another more vigorous barfly whose prolific output of pornographic verses has won him the nickname of the Poet. Zacharias is a kind of holy fool, but one whose foolery calls in question both social convention and conventional wisdom. He is as much skeptic as ecstatic, affirming above all the truth of perplexity. This of course is what makes him a permanent outrage to the powers that be, be they reactionary or revolutionary, and to all other self-appointed champions of morality who are blind to their own absurdity. The only thing that scares Zacharias is that all-purpose servant of conformity, the psychiatrist. This Romanian classic, originally published under the brutally dictatorial Ceauşescu regime, whose censors initially let it pass because they couldn’t make head or tail of it, is as delicious and telling an assault on the modern world order as ever. A new translation of the only novel by lauded Romanian literary critic Matei Calinescu An NYRB Classics Original Ugly, unkempt, a haunter of low dives who begs for a living and lives on the street, Zacharias Lichter exists for all that in a state of unlikely rapture. After being engulfed by a divine flame as a teenager, Zacharias has devoted his days to doing nothing at all-apart, that is, from composing the odd poem he immediately throws away and consorting with a handful of stray friends: Poldy, for example, the catatonic alcoholic whom Zacharias considers a brilliant philosopher, or another more vigorous barfly whose prolific output of pornographic verses has won him the nickname of the Poet. Zacharias is a kind of holy fool, but one whose foolery calls in question both social convention and conventional wisdom. He is as much skeptic as ecstatic, affirming above all the truth of perplexity. This of course is what makes him a permanent outrage to the powers that be, be they reactionary or revolutionary, and to all other self-appointed champions of morality who are blind to their own absurdity. The only thing that scares Zacharias is that all-purpose servant of conformity, the psychiatrist. This Romanian classic, originally published under the brutally dictatorial Ceauescu regime, whose censors initially let it pass because they couldn't make head or tail of it, is as delicious and telling an assault on the modern world order as ever Ugly, Unkempt, A Haunter Of Low Dives Who Begs For A Living And Lives On The Street, Zacharias Lichter Exists For All That In A State Of Unlikely Rapture. After Being Engulfed By A Divine Flame As A Teenager, Zacharias Has Devoted His Days To Doing Nothing At All--apart, That Is, From Composing The Odd Poem He Immediately Throws Away And Consorting With A Handful Of Stray Friends: Poldy, For Example, The Catatonic Alcoholic Whom Zacharias Considers A Brilliant Philosopher, Or Another More Vigorous Barfly Whose Prolific Output Of Pornographic Verses Has Won Him The Nickname Of The Poet. Zacharias Is A Kind Of Holy Fool, But One Whose Foolery Calls In Question Both Social Convention And Conventional Wisdom. He Is As Much Skeptic As Ecstatic, Affirming Above All The Truth Of Perplexity. This Of Course Is What Makes Him A Permanent Outrage To The Powers That Be, Be They Reactionary Or Revolutionary, And To All Other Self-appointed Champions Of Morality Who Are Blind To Their Own Absurdity. The Only Thing That Scares Zacharias Is That All-purpose Servant Of Conformity, The Psychiatrist--amazon.com. Matei Calinescu ; Translated From The Romanian By Adriana Calinescu And Breon Mitchell ; Introduction By Norman Manea. A new translation of the only novel by lauded Romanian literary critic Matei Clinescu An NYRB Classics Original It was the late 1950s and the Communist regime of Romania was at its most punitively unforgiving when Matei Calinescu, who had just graduated from the University of Bucharest, conceived of Zacharias Lichter. I must create a myth, he jotted in his diary, and become its herothats my idea! . . . [A] Judeo-German metaphysician, descended as if from the XVIIIth century (or thats how he likes to think of himself) [who talks] about responsibility, about a dialogue of purity with God, about perplexity facing the void. In the following years, Zacharias Lichter madman, fool, philosopher, and the weirdest of rebels without a causewould come to life in Calinescus fictional account of his life and opinions, a book written for his private amusement since he assumed the censors would never permit its publication. He was wrong about that, however. The censors were completely oblivious to the subversive humor and intent of his book, which became a cult classic.