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“Leo's quest to understand the language and ideas of meteorology stands as a complex, thought-provoking metaphor for his quest
to understand the course of his relationship with Rema.”
Review
Early in Rivka Galchen's debut novel, Atmospheric Disturbances, the narrator, Dr. Leo Liebenstein, explains the Doppler effect and thereby introduces the novel's extended metaphor. Leo laments that trying to make sense of his suddenly uneven life is
"like trying to determine the actual frequency of an object moving away from me at an unknown speed and in an unknown direction,
and not knowing whether it in fact was me or the object doing the moving."
The object in question is Leo's wife, Rema, a vaguely mysterious Argentinean woman more than a few years his junior. At the
start of the novel, Leo is convinced that Rema has been replaced with a "simulacrum," — a woman who very much resembles Rema physically (she even stands the same way, with her hips tilting slightly inward)
and temperamentally, but seems to be just a bit off. Ever the calm, reserved psychiatrist, Leo quietly accepts this simulacrum's
arrival, but internally, he is baffled and ungrounded — for once, he cannot reason any deductions from the observable facts.
Where is the real Rema? Was she abducted, or did she leave willingly? Is this permanent, or temporary? Instead of confronting
the problem head-on, Leo follows a series of bizarre clues that amount to an investigation of the inner workings of the Royal Academy of Meteorology, and specifically one of its researchers: Tzvi Gal-Chen. This investigation, he presumes, will lead him to Rema. The resulting story develops into a beautiful meditation on the
nature of observation and perception.
Leo's quest to understand the language and ideas of meteorology stands as a complex, thought-provoking metaphor for his quest
to understand the course of his relationship with Rema. Gal-Chen's research, it turns out, centers on the one fundamental
problem with meteorology: accurately describing present conditions is exceedingly difficult, making future forecasts almost
impossible. Mirroring that, Galchen — the author — suggests that interpersonal relationships are equally challenging to describe
and thus predict. And, considering the stylistic, intellectual, and empathetic authority with which she writes, it's very
hard to disagree with her.
- Tom Roberge
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“The editors avoid the fragmented structure that often weighs down oral biographies, and the result is a skillfully constructed
portrait of a performer who stood out among a cast that also included Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and David Spade.”
Review
Given that he died more than a decade ago, Chris Farley is an unlikely subject for a new book — so call The Chris Farley Show a pleasant surprise. Edited by the late actor's older brother, Tom Farley Jr., along with Tanner Colby (the former head writer
for National Lampoon Radio Hour and co-author of Belushi), this exemplary oral biography draws on more than 100 interviews with the Saturday Night Live star's family, friends, and colleagues. The editors avoid the fragmented structure that often weighs down oral biographies,
and the result is a skillfully constructed portrait of a performer who stood out among a cast that also included Chris Rock,
Adam Sandler, and David Spade.
Tom Jr. and Colby work chronologically, beginning with the remembrances of Farley's family and childhood friends from Madison, Wisconsin. A gifted comedic performer from an early age, Farley also displayed a dangerously addictive personality, manifested through
his eating disorder and penchant for alcohol and drugs. After moving through the improv training grounds of Improv Olympic and Second City in Chicago, Farley achieved a lifelong dream when he landed on SNL. He quickly became a fan favorite for some of his unforgettable characters, including motivational speaker Matt Foley and the host of "The Chris Farley Show," which demonstrated his endearing humility and shyness. (The episode with Paul McCartney is one of SNL's undeniably classic moments.) More fame followed with starring roles in Tommy Boy (1995) and Black Sheep (1996), but Farley continued to struggle with weight problems and substance abuse. Despite frequent trips to rehab during
the years before his death, Farley's struggle to stay sober ended with an overdose in December 1997.
Though the list of celebrity contributions is certainly impressive — featuring John Goodman, Conan O'Brien, Alec Baldwin,
Rob Lowe, and Al Franken, among others — the sections featuring Farley's family and close friends most pointedly reveal his
unique gifts and tragic flaws. By no means a hagiography, The Chris Farley Show airs the good along with the bad, providing a cautionary tale that's also an engaging story perfect for wiling away the long
summer hours.
- Eric Liebetrau
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