"Baum wanted his writing to bring order to the chaos and tragic truth that seemed to cloud mankind’s every sunrise. Long ago he had declared war on Auden’s sound of distant thunder at the picnic. He believed he could best wage this battle with the human condition as a novelist by writing moving literature. These works must be great, he thought, because the night is large and the enemy is full of dirty tricks. He decided early on he could not fight the fight as a mere journalist, reporting on the mundane ups and downs of reality. Fiction, he felt, was more real than reality, more capable of approaching the soul and getting to the truth of what the hell is going on. For Christ’s sake, who’s in charge here? He wanted his books to have an impact, to change people’s perspective, and for that he needed to get the whole thing right. He did not want to march victim-like into eternity not having left behind at least a few volumes that helped ease the way for others. He was determined his tombstone should not read: Here Lies Asher Baum—So What?"
In another extract from the book that I read I was kind of surprised at how Woody's description of Baum were so similar to things Woody had said about himself in past interviews. For example... "Baum had always hated the country, everything about it: the ticks and spiders; the racoons, cute but with rabies; the poison ivy; the sound of crickets and cicadas. He hated the isolation and the ghostly silence and dead black of the night. Yes, a Constable landscape for real took one’s breath away—for about six minutes. It was a great visit, but when the oohing and ahhing was over, it was back to civilization. Bookstores, record shops, cinemas. He enjoyed them even as they were almost all gone. But who wants to live where you need a flashlight to take a walk after dinner?"
From the tiny bits I've read so far I feel hopeful that this book is going to make fans like me very happy.
What’s with Baum? by Woody Allen is out September 25 (Swift Press, £19.99)
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Last Sunday (14th/09/25) Woody Allen was the cover star of The Sunday Times Magazine. Respected journalist Hadley Freeman went to New York to talk with Allen and his wife of 27 years about various topics such as his dinners with Epstein, meeting Prince Andrew and publishing his first novel at 89. Last year Hadley Freeman was selected as Broadsheet Columnist of the Year by The Press Awards. Two weeks earlier Bill Maher interviewed Woody for his podcast Club Random and many Woody fans felt Maher didn't give his guest enough time to answer the questions put to him. Thankfully Freeman is good at her job, she's checked her facts and allows both Woody and Soon-Yi to speak their minds.
Hadley Freeman: When (your character) Asher Baum finds out a journalist is about to accuse him of sexual impropriety, a friend warns him, "In today's culture, an accusal is as good as a conviction." Surely you know your readers will see that as a reference to the molestation allegation (brought against you by Mia Farrow)?
Woody Allen: "They'll see whatever they want, it doesn't bother me for a second... everything I've done in my books and my movies was strictly to entertain people. I have no other motive. When I wrote my autobiography I just wanted it to be funny."
Hadley Freeman: Asher Baum's believes that by writing he can keep mortality at bay. Is that why you've made 50 films and are now working on your second novel at the age of 89?
Woody Allen: "You know you can't beat the house. So the only solution I've found is distraction... the less you can be concerned with yourself the better and that way you can spend all your time working..."
