Ida Nasatir writings List of honorees Louis Rose Society Jewishsightseeing home
Book Review by Ida Nasatir
Ready, Willig and Abel by
Walter Artzt
December 30, 1949—Ida Nasatir book review—Ready,
Willig and Abel by Walter
Artzt—Southwestern Jewish Press, page
3 : It was good of Mrs. Kaufman to give me a book
that made me chuckle far into the night. This book, Ready, Willig and Abel,
is the story of the Americanization of Willig and his brother, Abel. It is warm,
colorful and humorous. On the morning that Willig was to leave his native
village of Russia, to join his brother in America, it seemed as though the town
had suddenly developed a passion to write to their relatives in the "Golden
Land," America. Every pocket of Willig's suit was filled to overflowing
with letters to relatives in such "neighboring" cities as New York,
Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, San Francisco,Detroit and Chicago. Willig as warned NOT
to trust these letters to the mails. He was admonished to deliver them
personally. But when Willig came to America to join Abel, he forgot about the
letters. He discovered the wonders of Atlantic City, the glory of hot dogs, the
excitement of free mustard and soda pop. Willig wanted to work. During the first
week he had a new job every day. He bought a bicycle. When he and the
Philadelphia transit could not agree on who had the right of way, Willig
discarded his wrecked bicycle and bought a Model T from Marvin the Bargain Man.
The Model T was not only no model. It wasn't even a bargain. But nothing
connected with Willig was ever a bargain. Willig's brother, Abel, is an
incredible mixture ofDanny Kaye, Harpo Marx and Mischa Auer. Being in America
one year, he was a "thorough American" and he was determined that
Willig pass through the greenhorn stage in even a shorter time. His splurge in
the stock market of '29, his explanation of how the stock market is run, his
knowledge of the bulls and the bears" in the market is hilarious. As a
financier, he says to his brother, Willig: "When you are a bear, you don't
buy stocks, you only sell...remember.. a bear sells stocks he doesn't
have." The author of this book, Walter Artzt, a successful business
man in Allentown, Pennsylvania, remembers his early days in America with
affection and nostalgia. He believes man's greatest asset is his sense of
humor, and he certainly has it. He displays authentic wit in describing the
adventures of these two brothers in the land of "milk and
honey." His comments on business, labor, democracy, on politics and
Hollywood, are pungent, and the result of shrewd observation. His explanation of
the difference between the Bulls and Bears in the stock market is a classic in
humorous confusion. Ready, Willig and Abel is a colorful account of life
as it is lived only by a lucky few. It is also an impudent, entertaining account
of Willig's introduction to America.