Mort Ziff Is Not Dead

Cary Fagan grew up in the 1960s, during the height of the Borscht Belt comedians and Jewish comics who were famous for their stand up acts in restaurants making jokes about themselves and their family relationships.  Looking back at a memorable vacation to Miami Beach with his siblings and parents in 1964, Fagan creates a wonderful novel about growing up, working together with your siblings and a legendary comedian.

Mort Ziff Is Not Dead is the story told in the first person by the son of a Canadian Jewish family, Norman Fishbein.  His older siblings, Marcus and Larry always give him a hard time until he wins a contest and with the money decides to take his family a free trip to Miami Beach. His mother loves that new singing sensation, The Beatles. 
"Mom really liked the Beatles; in fact, she had cut a picture of them out of the newspaper a year ago and it was still on the fridge....The words underneath said that The Beatles had come to Miami Beach for their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and that had liked the place so much they decided to stay a week.  ....They looked like they were in Paradise.  And then I knew.  I really did. I knew the perfect thing to do with the money."

As the author describes the airplane trip to Florida, adult readers will be reminded of how different air travel was and children will learn how their parents traveled when they were children.   Reminiscent of comedians like, Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles and Milton Berle.   Mort Ziff is an old performer who has seen more popular times.  In the face of the new more exciting young performers his job is in jeopardy until Norman and his new found friend Amy work together with their siblings to re energize Ziff's act and his career.  They learn how to work together, helping each other instead of fighting as they save the career of the outdated comic.

In a time of segregation the 1960s had separate hotels for Jews and Christians.  It was a time that separation allowed famous performers like, Louis Armstrong and Harry Belafonte to perform in a Miami Beach hotel but not to stay in a room at any of those resorts.  These topics are mentioned in passing in this novel to give the reader a true perspective of the time period.  But mainly this story focuses on the relationship between the brothers and how they all mature as they work together and get along on this important family vacation.

A fun novel written on levels that will appeal to both young readers and adults.  Children will relate to the kids in the story and their adventures, adults will have fun going down memory lane to a time of innocence.