If Not Now, When? Simon&Schuster, Inc., 1985, 349 pp., $6.99
Primo Levi ISBN 0-671-49336-1
Mendel is an enthusiastic, determined straggler Jew from the Red Army during the Second World War who wants to go back to the war and fight again. Together with his friend Leonid, he joins a couple partisan bands and experiences the difficulty of being both a Jew and a partisan, who is not officially recognized by the Red Army. And there are Dov and Gedaleh, both of which are experienced partisan leaders and are well loved and respected by their band members. They make a lot of tough decisions between their own nationality and ethnic identity and even their trust to every single individual of the band. We can see ups and lows, reunions and departures, love and hatred, during the Jewish partisans’ long struggle against the Nazi Germany and for their own independence in Palestine.
If Not Now, When? is one of the few novels describing from Jews’ point of view their tough fight against the Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Levi’s shrewd use of characterization, especially through dialogues and private thoughts, allows me to deeper understand the complexity and the dilemma each character faces. I was so carried away by the story that I sometimes couldn’t help identifying myself with Mendel and becoming part of it. Through his plain, sincere language, Levi visually creates a new aspect for us to see the Holocaust few people have ever thought of before.
If Not Now, When? is not just about Jew-German relationship, it is also about love, friendship, and lots more. I recommend this marvelous novel to anyone who is seeking for a good book to read and who wants to know more about the people and the world around them.
