THE MOTHERLAND

Almost worse yet for any Jewish gift than growing up in Hitler's Vaterland is Gwen Davis' Motherland (this takes place before and during and after World War II) when a girl like Evelyn who was pretty and ambitious just outsmarted herself in her efforts to get ahead with none of the benefits of the new Lib-speak. She marries Walter White, a dentist (he ends up doing better than everyone), only to get away from the pot roast at home until, during the war, she leaves him for Florida with their daughter Chrissie to whom she rarely pays any mind. Then on the other hand there are the brothers Sterne -- both investment brokers. Arnold has political ambitions which will send him to an earlier than necessary grave; Sonny has ideals and a dying wife. By the time he's free of both for Evelyn -- she realizes she's made a second wrong choice. Making it for a girl like Evelyn as well as a book like this involves little more than those extra ergs you get from sirloin steaks and motivated copulation (there's really nobody to like or feel sorry for). But it represents a level of recognition and taste which suggests that it might take care of a long weekend at Grossinger's.