Sarah Berman is a resident of Milton and a mother of two children ages 4 and 2. As a former educational consultant, she has always been keenly interested in reading about child and adolescent development.
With two toddlers, however, Berman says: “Now I lack the concentration to tackle professional material. So when I do find time to read, I prefer historical fiction, which combines both pleasure and new learning.’’
One book she highly recommends is Philip Roth’s 2010 novel, “Nemesis,’’ a short work of historical fiction.
“Nemesis’’ revisits those horrible days when polio seemed to strike its young victims in a random and senseless way during the summer, leaving families desperate to flee the city as the temperatures soared.
Set in a Jewish neighborhood in Newark, N.J., in 1944, “Nemesis’’ tells the story of Bucky Cantor, a former high school athletic star who is now a physical education instructor fresh out of college. Poor eyesight prevented Cantor from enlisting in the military that summer, the peak of World War II, and he feels ashamed to be one of the few able-bodied young men left behind.
Cantor is brave and physically strong, but has to serve his community at home. While he feels useful directing the Weequahic playground summer program for the kids with absent older brothers and fathers, it does little to eliminate his shame.
As polio spreads through the city, neighborhood panic and finger-pointing quickly begin. Parents blame everything from the local restaurant serving kids “bad’’ hot dogs to “contamination’’ by poor ethnic groups.
In the midst of the chaos, Cantor begins to consider the possibility of joining his fiancée, who works at a prestigious camp in the Poconos. The prospect of fresh air, sparkling lakes, and working with his girlfriend for the rest of the summer becomes an alluring opportunity.
