Chasing the Wind is the dramatic story of two families who immigrate from Poland and Russia to the United States around the turn of the century, and meet in New York City.The novel starts in 1895 and ends in 1946. In between, we meet a variety of arresting characters, including Abe Landers -- the flamboyant main character -- and Sarah, his long-suffering, but devoted wife. Also Fat Farfel; Big Louie; Dave the Russian; Officer Mahoney; Ugly Ralphie; Melvin Sheldon; Joe Stretch; Aaron the communist; Leibel, the underwear salesman; Uncle Manuel and his friend from "the beyond," the Great Mondini; Tanya, the stuck-up German whose parents return to Poland rather than live with her in America; and William, Abe and Sarah's son, the budding writer. . . . Chasing the Wind opens with a short description of Chatkze Rozan and Leah Meklesski, and their five children. Chatzke emigrates to the United States, where he plans to work for six months and then bring the rest of the family over. Unfortunately, World War I intervenes, and Leah must survive deprivation, hunger, and alternate German and Russian occupation of her town during the war. She steals, fights off a rapist, shaves her beautiful daughter Sarah's head to make her less attractive to the invading soldiers, suffers the humiliation and despair of being rejected by her wealthy father. . . . After seven terrible years, they finally reunite with Chatzke at Ellis Island, who has become indebted to a loan shark. . . . Abraham Landerslovsky, in Russia, tries to bribe his way to America, but is betrayed. Cossacks rape his daughter and murder him and his eldest son. His wife Ida escapes but faces more tragedy on the way to America. In America, we watch both families experience the effects of the depression, organized crime, World War II, the holocaust. . . . Sarah, Chatzke and Leah's beautiful daughter, dreams of meeting a "real American boy without an accent." Rabbi Davidoff, a friend of Chatzke's and advisor to Abe's mother, insists that Abe settle down with a nice girl in exchange for his support when he gets in trouble with the police. Abe agrees to meet Sarah and her family. She falls for him and her dream comes true. But her life is far from happy. Abe gets caught cheating at cards on their honeymoon and they are asked to leave the hotel. Sarah gets pregnant, but has a miscarriage. Abe gambles, runs around with Farfel's whores, gets involved with Big Louie's plan to rig union elections. . . . Big Louie gets Abe a job driving a cab. Joe Stretch, one of Big Louie's runners, sends him into Grand Central Station to pick up a package. The police have staked Joe out and arrest Abe and Joe when the package turns out to be narcotics. Big Louie gets Abe off, but Joe is sent to prison. Joe blames Abe and promises to get even with him. Despite serious illness, Sarah gives birth to William in 1931. Abe and Sarah live through tough times: poverty and despair during the depression, rise of Hitler and Nazism in Europe, family squabbles. . . . William develops a strong attachment to his orthodox grandfather, Chatzke, but questions God's ways. At his Bar Mitzvah, he is allowed to ask three questions to three prominent rabbis. He rejects their responses, and turns to writing for answers. Chasing the Wind ends with the death of Abe (who never managed to catch the wind) and l5-year-old William's stream-of-consciousness thoughts about his father. After the funeral, William asks his grandfather why everything always seems to go wrong. "Who's in charge of this world anyway?" "There are no answers to these difficult questions." "If there are no answers, then what is there?" "There are only more questions." # # #
About the Author: Walter Lubars was born in New York City, and majored in English at C.C.N.Y. (B.S.) and Rutgers University (M.A.). When he returned from two years in the Army Signal Corps during the Korean War, he joined Reinhold Publishing Company as an assistant editor, then went on to become an account supervisor at Burson-Marsteller (public relations), and an advertising copywriter at several NY ad agencies. He taught evening courses in poetry at the New School for Social Research, and basic writing at New York University. In 1972, he joined Boston University as Professor of Communication, teaching advertising, public relations, editing, and creative writing. He retired in 1995.