Barney's Version

Mordecai Richler

A first person narrative by Barney Panofsky, a Montreal Jew whose experiences run the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. This is one of the few books I have read that had me laughing out loud. However, it is also a marvelous tale of life in Paris in the 50’s and Montreal in the following three decades or so, told by a man who loved wine, women, and the Montreal Canadians. Barney navigated through 3 wives and was tried for murder. This story has something for everyone. In the late 60’s, when I lived in Manhattan, there was a famous subway advertising campaign for Levi’s Rye Bread, the signs showed various men and women of obvious non-Jewish ethnicity, and said, "You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levi’s." I would paraphrase and tell you for sure that "you don’t have to be Jewish to love Barney’s Version." I have recommended this book to numerous friends over the years, and have never heard a complaint, but have gotten loads of "thank-you’s".

Review by Len Oppenheim.