I Love Elisha Anyway--A Letter to David Coyne

Hi David,

I've just finished "As A Driven Leaf."  I suppose the combination of
finishing the book and seeing "Munich" has launched me into one of my
sentimental moods full throttle.

It's funny because I've been searching for something other than the theme
of my own book, searching for another idea to germinate and grow.  But
first I must wipe my mind clean like a blank slate.  Maybe I have to get
rid of the slate altogether and start over completely.  Whatever it is,
where did Milton Steinberg lead me?  Back to "all is pursuit of wind."  My
book.  Myself.  And my world.  So maybe I've got it wrong and I should
continue to create worlds and write them down as I have been, without
erasing or eliminating anything.

Anyhow, in a sense, I am just like Elisha.  For what I think.  For what I
write.  But the world has changed, and now, being a Jew does not
necessarily require faith in G-d (although I have that), or a strict
following of all the commandments (which I highly doubt anyone has or has
had for a very long time--or ever).  And it seems to me that it's only
about loyalty to the root of what the Torah is saying, which is what it's
always been about anyway: be human, teach the world to be human and
continue this until you die and continue this in your children and so on.

This must be a confusing jumble of nonsense by now, since it's past 1:30
in the morning, but I like to get my ideas out as soon as they occur or
else they're lost, and the response goes to you since you gave me the
book.

I'll stop rambling now.  Hopefully, this made some kind of sense...or not.
But at least know this: I will not forget this book anytime soon.  And
thank you for introducing me to it.  Each new story has its impact on me,
and thus on what comes from me; but a book of such great impact as this
rarely comes along.  Now, all I have to do is sit and wait for another
story to be woven in my mind.  And for that, nothing is merely "vanity and
pursuit of wind."