Uncle Rudolf

by Paul Bailey

In Uncle Rudolf , two-time Booker-Prize finalist Paul Bailey has crafted an exquisite, profoundly moving portrayal of a charismatic and popular performer in World War II-era Europe, and the orphaned nephew he takes under his wing.

Seventy-year-old man Andre reflects back on his life, beginning with his Jewish childhood in Romania on the eve of World War II. Andre's father, in a desperate effort to save him from the coming holocaust, hands him over to his captivating uncle Rudolf, an internationally famous singer of popular operettas. Rudolf is a sublimely gifted lyric tenor, a dashing leading man who is the object of many women's affections-but also an artist who lives in the shadow of his own unachieved potential as an opera star. Rudolf takes the boy to back to London, renames him Andrew, turns all his attention and sardonic humor upon him, and gradually sculpts him into a gentleman.

Vivid, often lighthearted scenes of Andrew's worldly life with Rudolf are intertwined with the unfolding secrets of his forgotten past as Andre, which have shadowed his otherwise happy life. Told in matchless prose, Uncle Rudolf captures in fine detail the mood of 1940s Europe--and reveals the emotions of a man whose achievement falls short of his brilliant promise. It is a wise, knowing, elegant story about the sacrifices we make for those we love.

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Historical Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2003

About the author

Peter Harry "Paul" Bailey was a British novelist and critic, as well as a biographer of Cynthia Payne and Quentin Crisp.

Reviews

[Cristian Sirb · Rating 5 out of 5]

O recenzzzentă de aici a scris că Unchiul Rudolf e o carte cam confuză, din cauza “stream of consciousness” (oare știe ea ce e fluxul conștiinței? Poate-l confundă cu intoleranța la lactoză).

Mnoa, prostii obișnuite de la cititori de care, oricâte lecturi ar duce la capăt, nu se lipește nimic. Lectura nu vindecă prostia, o infatuează! Compensați, frați și surori, compensați prin cantitate, căci cu intelectul nu mai e nimic de făcut...

Ar fi fost realmente o pierdere dacă n-aș fi citit cartea asta!

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so many years ago that I couldn't properly review it until I had read it again - which I have done now and can assure you that it is one of the most beautiful, sad, powerful novels it has ever been my pleasure to encounter. What is astounding is that it has more to say now than when it was first published in 2002 or when I first read it in 2016.

Beryl Bainbridge (there's an author you should seek out and read!) said of this novel:

"An exceptionally tender and vivid account of a little boy's expulsion from his own country and language..."

And it is, but it is also about much more but somehow it does keep circling back to that loss of homeland and language - it is the story dare we even whisper it these days - of a refugee, an asylum seeker. Back when I read this, a mere ten years ago, the story of the horror Codreanu and his acolytes wracked in Roumania in the 1930s and even in the early years of the millennium did not seem to have a relevance but I was a fool and the author Paul Bailey was maybe more prescient then he knew. I live in a country where the names of men such as Codreanu are unknown their ideas of racial/national purity and vitriolic hatred are embraced.

Any novel that puts a face and a reality to the powerless and thus challengers the narrative of the smugly evil and prejudiced is to be welcomed and honoured, particularly when as in this novel it is done with out didactic moralising. What we are offered is an overwhelmingly beautiful tale of love and family and survival as well has heartbreaking one of cruelty, loss and despair.

I beg you to discover the transcendent wonder of Paul Bailey one of England's finest and most forgotten of writers.

[Gritcan Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am terminat cartea asta cu senzația că am citit viața unui om real.

Andrew povestește la bătrânețe, ca și cum și-ar scrie memoriile, iar după câteva sute de pagini ajungi să uiți că Rudolf, Irina și Andrew sunt personaje fictive. Încep să pară oameni pe care i-ai cunoscut cândva.

Mi-a plăcut enorm felul în care autorul îmbină istoria, muzica și drama unei familii fără să transforme povestea într-o lecție de istorie. Totul curge firesc, iar personajele rămân în centrul cărții.

Dar ceea ce m-a impresionat cel mai mult a fost finalul. După atâta pierdere, vinovăție și suferință, cartea nu vorbește despre răzbunare, ci despre împăcare. Despre ce faci cu adevărul după ce îl afli și despre cum înveți să trăiești cu el.

Sunt cărți pe care le termini și le uiți după câteva săptămâni. Iar apoi sunt cărți care rămân cu tine mult timp după ultima pagină.

Pentru mine, aceasta a fost una dintre ele și o recomand cu toată încrederea

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptionally light, it's an easy to read, simply written novel that just captures your attention! Being romanian myself, I was able to connect to some things in the book (obviously), and I was pleased to see that everything was correctly written about. I was especially amazed by the refference to great romanian musicians, in this case GEorge Enescu and Dinu Lipatti, men that are above high standars in music, men that achieved more than many of our people.
I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who wants something easy and light to read, but from which he/she can learn many things about real, cultural music.

[Jacob biscuits · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. Ali Smith liked this? Enough to pour praise on the blurb? I think that there's a much superior version of this book that could have been written. I mean, I'm certain there is. It's such a basic plot. There are hundreds of superior versions of this basic plot. I was still charmed enough by the idea of the novel to feel disappointed by the version of it that could have been written. Proper review incoming. I think I'll stick to Fred Uhlman's "Reunion".

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fake memoir constructed of Andrew Peterson's fragmented memories. Uncle Rudolf could really be described as a gigantic puzzle of pieces of recollections that needs to be put together in order to reveal the full picture. Remarkable narrative.

[Pauline]

A good story but confusing because of stream of consciousness.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book with the sort of grand themes that make it feel more substantial than it's short span. It joins arms with Bailey's other books, following his tradition of including shared characters across his novels, albeit in different central or bit-part roles. Here we get the lingering sorrow of Holocaust goodbyes, tied to the Romanian family trees whose woods we first skirted in Kitty and Virgil.

'Uncle Rudolf' was mid-table Bailey for me. It's hard to judge this sort of book without thinking of Thomas Keneally, to Bailey's disadvantage. Seen as a wistfully melancholic tale it's got the faint smokiness of the train terminus but on a minor line. It's fine but I think others have done this better.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting story of loss of parents and place and the finding of a new life with an uncle. This novel is written as a reflection by Andrei of the strange journey he is sent on by his father in order to save him from the approaching Holocaust. The loss of his country, parents and language are replaced by an uncle, a famous singer, who takes him to London and introduces him to a new life, with even a new name. He helps him become a gentleman with love and sardonic humor. This is an elegant story about the sacrifices we make for love.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really nice book. Story line: The Romanian parents of a 7 yr. old boy, Andrew, give him up to the uncle (Rudolf) who lives comfortably in pre- WWII London. This is the story of him, his life before London, and with his uncle in London and France. The story line goes back and forth between the uncle's life and Andrew's, up into his 70's and near death.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, fast read that is crafted well. I am interested in Holocaust fiction and historical fiction, and this book satisfied my interest.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book from an author new to me.

[The Idle Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a review, please see my blog:
http://theidlewoman.blogspot.co.uk/20...

[Damian Serbu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey is a delightful writer. He sets intense stories in the past and gives them an incredible authenticity. This is a moving story, well told.