"The book What's With Baum? Woody Allen's debut as novelist at 89 years of age breathes the same air as his movies; that of the streets of Manhattan, visits to museums, bookstores and the Hotel Carlyle bar, Cole Porter songs, romantic entanglements, and a neurotic Jewish protagonist. There is no lack of nods to episodes from the celebrated filmmaker's own biography, in which immense popularity and renown has given way in the last decade to allegations and rejection by a large part of the public, particularly in the United States."
"In his novel, the third wife of Asher Baum, the fifty-something writer protagonist, comes from a notable Los Angeles family. She manages to convince him to live in Connecticut, a place that he, a proud New York City urbanite, hates. The beautiful Connie also has a ruling passion for her spoiled, know-it-all son, with whom the novelist finds himself competing."
"As if that weren't enough, Baum is hit with an accusation of assault by a journalist at the height of the #MeToo movement, and, with potential protests from the staff at the publishing house where he releases his work, he seems to be left without an editor. The novel echoes Allen's situation with Mia Farrow, two of her children (Fletcher Previn and Ronan Farrow), and also the controversial withdrawal of his memoir Apropos of Nothing by the Hachette group following staff protests."
What's With Baum centers on Asher Baum, a fifty-something New York writer uprooted to Connecticut by his third wife, Connie. Connie's devotion to her spoiled, know-it-all son creates rivalry and insecurity for Baum. Baum faces an accusation of assault by a journalist during the height of the #MeToo movement, and staff protests at his publisher threaten his editorial support. The narrative contains echoes of real-life controversies and publishing withdrawals but maintains a predominately comic, joke-driven tone, favoring neurotic humor and urban detail over vindictive reckoning.
Read at english.elpais.com
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