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HETHINKSTHEWAYWEDREAM
Date:November20,1988,Sunday,LateCityFinalEditionSection7Page15,
Column1BookReviewDesk
Byline:ByROBERTCOOVERRobertCoover'smostrecentbooksare''ANightat
theMovies''and''WhateverHappenedtoGloomyGusoftheChicagoBears?''
Lead:LEAD:DICTIONARYOFTHEKHAZARSALexiconNovelin100,000
Words.ByMiloradPavic.TranslatedbyChristinaPribicevicZoric.Illustrated.338
pp.NewYork:AlfredA.Knopf.$19.95.
Text:

DICTIONARYOFTHEKHAZARSALexiconNovelin100,000Words.By
MiloradPavic.TranslatedbyChristinaPribicevicZoric.Illustrated.338pp.New
York:AlfredA.Knopf.$19.95.

Thereisatensioninnarrative,asinlife,betweenthesensationoftimeasalinear
experience,onethingfollowingsequentially(causallyornot)uponanother,and
timeasapatterningofinterrelatedexperiencesreflecteduponasthoughithada
geographyandcouldbemapped.Itis,inasense,thetensionbetweenfuturetime,
which,withitspromiseofdeathanditsintransigentsequenceofdaysandnights,
bearsdownuponusremorselessly,andtimepast,which,ifitcanbesaidtoexistat
all,existsonlyincranialspace,inthatsprawling,multilevelandoftenchaotichouse
ofourmemory.

Inthereadingexperience,thisparadoxisfeltmostimmediatelyinourawareness
that,evenasweencounterthenarrativewordbyword,thenarrativeitselfexists,
wholeandfinished,inthespatialobjectweholdinourhands,sothatwemay,ifwe
choose,evenonourfirsttimethrough,throwofftheguiding(orpushing)handof
theauthorandroamatwillthroughthetext,searchingitforprurientorinspirational
passages,say,orjumpingaheadtothelastchapterstoseehowitallcomesout,or
wanderinginthebackwatersforever,asthoughtograntalovedbookakindof
illusoryimmortalityorboundlessness.ThatishowalotofpeopleIknowread
Proust,forexample.

Mostwrittennarrativesexpressinsomemannerthistensionbetweentheunfolding
narrativeanditsclosedandinflexibletext,buttherearesome,oftenthoughtof(in
ourtimeatleast)as''innovative,''whichputitintheforeground.Suchabookisthe
YugoslavpoetandscholarMiloradPavic'swittyandplayful''Dictionaryofthe
Khazars,''which,withitschronologicallydisturbedalphabetizedentriesandits
crossreferencingsymbols,allowseachreaderto''puttogetherthebookforhimself,
asinagameofdominoesorcards.''Thereadermaypursueatopicaswitha
dictionary,readthebookfrombeginningtoend,fromlefttorightorrighttoleft,or
even''diagonally,''working''inthrees.''Hemayeven,Mr.Pavicsuggests,''readthe
wayheeats:hecanusehisrighteyeasafork,hisleftasaknife,andtossthebones
overhisshoulder.''

Intruth,thisisabookthatisbestreadjustaboutanywayexceptcovertocover.For
allitsseemingcomplexity,itsurrenderseasilyevengratefullytoareconstructed
reading,andthereareprobablyfewerchoicesfordoingthatthantheauthorwould
haveusbelieve.Thedictionaryisdividedintothreeseparatelyalphabetizedbooks
or''sources''(Christian,IslamicandHebrew),prefacedbyasetof''preliminary

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notes''andfollowedbyappendixes(whichinfactcontainmuchofthemeatofthe
narrative),andthestoryisdividedintothreeperiodsintime,eachofwhichhasits
threedifferentcentralcharactersaccordingtothesources.Thus:a3by3character
matrixwithsubsets.Thepathsbetweentheentriesareplainlymarked,andthere
are,afterall,only45oftheseentries(andoneofthoseamereonelinereference),
manyfewerthanonemightexpectina''dictionary''ofsuchpresumedscope.Even
gettinglost,whichisperhapseasierinsideentriesthanbetweenthem,couldbe
rewarding.SincethisbookrespondsinasensetoJorgeLuisBorges'sappealfora
''historyofdreams''(Borgesloverswillfindheremanyechoesandwhisperingsof
themasterlibrarianofBabelanddiscovererofthe''EncyclopediaofTlon''),the
pleasuresitcontainsmightbestbeabsorbedinafreeassociativedreamlikepassage.

TheKhazarsaresaidtobealostpeoplewhoflourishedsomewhereintheBalkans
(''beyondthemountains,''asitwere)lateinthefirstmillennium.Thoughweare
providedwithafeastofentertainingfolkloricanecdotesand''legends''applicableto
anysuchfairytalekingdom,theonly''historical''eventchronicledisthe''Khazar
polemic,''afancifulninthcenturydebateamongthreedivinesJewish,Christian
andMuslimforthesoulsoftheKhazars,adebatefromwhichtheKhazars
apparentlyneverrecovered.Thepresent''DictionaryoftheKhazars''announces
itselfasa1980'sreconstructionandupdatingofadestroyed1691bookofthesame
name,whichinturnwasanamendedreconstructionofthelost''dictionary''ofthe
Khazar''dreamhunters''ofsomeeightcenturiesbefore,thesectthatprecededand
wasabsorbedby(orperhapsabsorbed)thethreereligions.Thisurdictionarywasa
collectionofdreamobservations,''alongwithbiographiesofthemostprominent
huntersandthecapturedprey,''includingtheparticipantsintheKhazarpolemic.

Thisnestingofbookswithinbooks,epochswithinepochs,''insideoneanotherlike
asetofhollowdolls,''togetherwithanalphabeticalsortingofentriesratherthana
chronologicaloneandtheabilityofmanyofthecharacterstopassinone
embodimentoranotherfromagetoage,further''spatializes''time,convincingsome
ofthecompanyherethatincrementsoftimemightbeobjectsofasortorthattheir
livesmighthavebeendreamedbyothersorinscribedinbooks''patternedaccording
toastorytoldlong,longago.''ThisislikeBorges'scelebratedmetaphysiciansof
Tlon,whoheldthat''alltimehasalreadytranspiredandthatourlifeisonlythe
crepuscularandnodoubtfalsifiedandmutilatedmemoryorreflectionofan
irrecoverableprocess,''and''thatwhilewesleephere,weareawakeelsewhereand
thatinthiswayeverymanistwomen.''TheKhazarstoodreamoneanother's
wakingdaysand''imaginethefutureintermsofspace,nevertime'':''Onlyapartof
thefuturereachesusKhazars,thetoughestandmostimpenetrablepart,whichis
hardesttomaster,andwebraveitsideways,likeastrongwindorthemoldering,
worndebrisandwasteofthefuturethatspreadsimperceptibly,spillingoverourfeet
likeapuddle....Weneverknowwhogetsthebetter,unchewedpartinthegeneral
distributionandlootingofthefuture.''

Therearehensherethatlay''timeeggs,''hatchingdaysoftheowner'slife(ifitlooks
tobeabadone,hecaneatitinsteadofliveit),weeksthatreceive''theirmonthly
wash,''seasonsthatcontaintwoyearsgoinginoppositedirectionsandshufflingthe
daysbetweenthemlikecards,andspentdaysvisible''alongthescabbyskyline,''
shining''blue,small,andhealthy,devoidofcalendarnamesinthehappilyvanishing
herd...leavingdustintheirwake.''OnMondayevenings,onecharacter''could
takeadifferentdayfromhisfutureanduseitthefollowingmorning,inplaceof
Tuesday.Whenhecametothedayhehadtaken,hewouldusetheskippedTuesday
initsplace,therebyadjustingthetotal.Undertheseconditions,ofcourse,the
connectingseamsofthedayscouldnotfittogetherproperly,andcracksappearedin
time.''

Thefirstentryofthefirst(Christian)book(asimilarentryappearsatornearthe
beginningoftheothertwobooksaswell)isAteh,theKhazarprincessand
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protectressofthecultofdreamhunters.Itisherimmortal,shapeshiftingand
surrealspiritthatpresidesoverwhatissaidtobe,atleastinitsorigins,her
dictionary.Sheisapoet,ateacher,acounselor,amagician,asuccubusofsorts,a
seditionistandakindofZenmasterforwhomalltruthsofthisworldareself
canceling,thatcancellationbeingtheclosestonegetstouniversaltruth.

Theoriginaldictionary,saidtohavebeenputtogetherbyPrincessAtehandher
lover,thelegendaryMokaddasaAlSafer,greatestofthedreamhunters(hewasable
''totamefishinpeople'sdreams,toopendoorsinpeople'svisions,todivedeeper
intodreamsthananyonebeforehim''),wassupposedlyacompilationofthe
experiencesofthedreamhunters,who,drawingonoldfolkmotifsfortheir
whimsicalmethodology,were(andare)essentiallymysticalseekersafterpoetic
truth,theonlykindoftruththatsurvivesMr.Pavic'sgentlemockery.History,
scholarship,philosophy,religion,virtuallyallformsoflearningandremembering
(all''dictionaries'')areridiculed,dissolvedintothedreamofthesleeping,primordial
giantAdambeforeAdam(AdamCadmon,AdamRuhani),whosebodycontainsthe
universeandwho''thoughtthewaywedream.''

Thegoalofthedreamhuntersisto''plungeintootherpeople'sdreamsandsleepand
fromthemextractlittlepiecesofAdamtheprecursor'sbeing,composingtheminto
awhole,intosocalledKhazardictionaries,withtheaimofhavingallthese
assembledbooksincarnateonearththeenormousbodyofAdamRuhani''an
unlikelyachievement,sinceMokaddasaAlSaferhimselfonlymanagedtoshapea
singlestrandofhishair.Besides,asthedevilhimselfwarns,itisamortally
dangerousvocation,andthereconstructedAdammayturnout,alas,tobeamonster.

ThereligiousdisputantsattheKhazarpolemicarealsocalleddreamhuntersand
dreamreaders,andsoarecreditedwithgoodintentionsevenwhiletheirarguments
arereducedtothevaporoussubstanceofdreams(thedreamtheyhavebeencalled
upontointerpretintheKhazarpolemiccentersonanangel'sdeclarationtothe
dreamingruler:''TheCreatorispleasedwithyourintentionsbutnotwithyour
deeds'').And,liketheother''studentsoftheKhazarquestion''chronicledhere,the
readersofthisbookbecome,ipsofacto,initiatesintoPrincessAteh'sdreamhunting
cult,invited''toleaveyourreportsandadditionstotheKhazardictionarywhereall
successfuldreamhuntersleavetheirs.''''Itisanopenbook,''Mr.Pavictellsusinthe
preliminarynotes,''andwhenitisshutitcanbeaddedto:justasithasitsown
formerandpresentlexicographer,soitcanacquirenewwriters,compilers,and
continuers.''

Whichmaywellhappen.Thisspatializingofthenarrativetimeline,offeringthe
readeramultitudeofbranchingpathsinplaceoftheinalterablepaginatedsequence,
withitstantalizinglifeafterdeathillusionofaninexhaustibleunendingtext,hasa
greatappealrightnowamongcomputerbewitchedhumanists.

SincethecomputerradicalandprophetTedNelsonfirstinventedtheword
''hypertext''todescribesuchcomputerdrivennonsequentialwritingnearlyaquarter
ofacenturyago,therehasbeenasteady,nowrapid,growthofdisciplestothis
newestsectofdreamhunters.Anewkindofcoverless,interactive,expandable
''book''isnowbeingwrittentherearenodoubtseveraloutthereinhyperspaceright
nowand''DictionaryoftheKhazars''couldeasilytakeitsplaceamongthemas
inspiredhackers,imitatingMr.Pavic'sFatherTheoctistNikolsky,gleefulinventor
ofsaints'lives,addtheirownentries,helpingtofashionAdamCadmon'sbody.If
perhapsnotaclassic,itcouldyetbecomeone,anewliterarygameaspopular,say,
asDungeonsandDragons,newKhazardictionariesrising,asdidthefirst,''like
yeastaroundtheprincess'scollection.''

Forallitsdelights,forallthestructuralnoveltyandthecomicinventivenessofthe
imagery,itmustbesaidthereissomethingratherlightandairyaboutthisbook.Itis

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funtochasedownallthelinkagesbetweenentriesbutastheyareconjoinedmore
bythebubblingrepetitionofmotifsandtherequirementsoftheformaldevicesthan
byrealnarrativeeventordevelopment,itis,asMr.Pavichimselfsuggests,abitlike
workingacrosswordpuzzle.Or,asthoughPrincessAtehweresettingusexercises,
likedecipheringdreams,whicharealsoknownlessforsustainedstorylinesand
substancethanfortheirsignifyingstructureandvividsurface.

WhenwefirstmeetAteh,sheispreparingforbedbydecoratinghereyelidswith
lettersthatkillassoonastheyareread,andsoprotectherinhersleep.Thuswe
enterthebookasthoughgoingtosleep,ourlidssealedwithletters,and,though
Ateh'sowndreams,exceptforabriefdreamhuntingadventureortwo,arenot
recorded,itisasifthisentiredictionarymightbenomorethanacollageofher
dreams,provokedbyassociationsgeneratedinpartbythisopeningpassage.The
motifofletterswithmagicalproperties,forexample,isthreadedthroughoutthe
book,asaremanyotherthemesandmotifsthatappearinthisshortentrysalt,
mirrors,metamorphosis,dreamhunters,eyes,theKhazarpolemicanddictionary,
indeterminacy,doubles,translation,alternatestories,thevarietiesoftimeanyone
ofwhichcouldhaveanentry,orentries,ofitsown.

''Eyes,''forexample:Ateh'seyesherearesilver,butothersare''liketwoshallow
dishesofonionsoup,''''ashairyastesticles,''

''likeyellowgrapeswhoseseedsshowedthrough,''''thecolorofdampsand,''''the
shapeofeggs,''''liketwosmallbluefish,''''liketwotrampledpuddles,''''likethe
waspsthattransmittheholyfire:oneeyemasculine,oneeyefeminine,andeach
withasting.''Thereareeyesthatdripcolorsintopaints,othersthatcanspellaname
intheairandlightacandleorswallowasoaringbird.Yetanothercharacterhas
breastswitheyelashesandeyebrowsthat''drippedadarkmilklikeathreatening
glance.''

Theseimagesarenotdevelopedorrepeated,andsomeofthemmayapply,
contradictorily,tothesamepersonorbesharedbydifferentpersons.Theyexistof
andforthemselves,fortheirmomentonthepage,andoftenthemoststunningones
areonelinersappliedtocharacterswhoseemtohavenootherpurposeforbeingin
thetextthantoexhibittheimage.ThereisthepashaMustajBegSabljak,for
example,who''hadalarge,irregularbuild,asthoughheworehisskinoverhis
clothes,andaturbanbetweenhishairandhisskull.''Orthelittlegirl,displayed
naked,who''sufferedfromanunusualdisease:herlefthandwasfasterthanher
right.Sheclaimedherlefthandwassofastthatitwoulddiebeforeshedid:'I'll
neverbeburiedwithmylefthand!Icanalreadyseeitlyingwithoutmeinasmall
grave,withoutamarkeroraname,likeashipwithoutarudder!'''Orthe
anonymousSlavs''whohadbeardedsoulsandinwintercarriedbirdsinsidetheir
shirtstokeepwarm,''or''thetribesthatwhipthewind,growgrassontheirheads
insteadofhair,andhaveicythoughts.''TheselatterarevisitedbyatattooedKhazar
envoy,carryinghisnation'shistoryandtopographyonhisbody,who''endedhislife
atthecourtofsomecaliphbyturninghissoulinsideoutandslippingitonlikean
invertedglove.''

Ifallofthisis,asMr.Pavicsuggests,''somethinglikeafeasteateninadream,''itis
afeastforallthat,and,faithfultohisnotionthatallbooksaredreamsandreaders
aredreamhunters,anebullientandgenerouscelebrationofthereadingexperience.
HischaractersimitatethosemetaphysiciansofBorges'sTlon,who''donotseekfor
thetruthorevenforverisimilitude,butratherfortheastounding.''Icannotreadthe
SerboCroatianoriginalandsoamnotthebestjudge,but,asalltheabove
irresistiblequotationsshouldattest,ChristinaPribicevicZoric'stranslationseems
quitestunninglybrilliant.Ithasafreshness,asparkle,adelicacyandeconomyof
phrasingreminiscentofthatgiventoGabrielGarciaMarquez's''OneHundredYears

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ofSolitude''byGregoryRabassa,orWilliamWeaver'ssplendidtranslationsofItalo
Calvino.YOUBETHEJUDGE

Followingtheauthor'sdictumthat''masculineandfemininestoriescannothavethe
sameending''and''eachpartcapturedinthedictionariescouldbeputintomotion
andcometolifeonlyafterthetouchingoftwofingers,themasculineandfeminine,''
''DictionaryoftheKhazars''ispublishedintwoeditions,''Male''and''Female,''
whichdiffer,liketwothumbprints,by15lines.Thisdifferenceisappealingly
subtle,buttocallit''crucial,''asthepublishersdo,isajoke,oneworthy,Isuppose,
ofthebook'sownwinsomeselfmockery,butalltoosuggestive,giventhe
internationalpromotionthisbookhasbeengenerating,ofapublishinggimmick
unlessofcourse''crucial''isbeingusedarchaicallytomean''crossshaped''and
referstothecrossing,say,oftheverticalwiththehorizontal,ofthinkingwith
feeling,inwhichcaseitisonlyslylydeceptive.Thatreadersofthisreviewmight
judgeforthemselves,bothversionsareprintedhere.Clipandsave.FEMALE

AndhegavemeafewoftheXeroxedsheetsofpaperlyingonthetableinfrontof
him.Ashepassedthemtome,histhumbbrushedmineandItrembledfromthe
touch.Ihadthesensationthatourpastandourfuturewereinourfingersandthat
theyhadtouched.Andso,whenIbegantoreadtheprofferedpages,Iatone
momentlostthetrainofthoughtinthetextanddrowneditinmyownfeelings.In
thesesecondsofabsenceandselfoblivion,centuriespassedwitheveryreadbut
uncomprehendedandunabsorbedline,andwhen,afterafewmoments,Icameto
andreestablishedcontactwiththetext,Iknewthatthereaderwhoreturnsfromthe
openseasofhisfeelingsisnolongerthesamereaderwhoembarkedonthatsea
onlyashortwhileago.Igainedandlearnedmorebynotreadingthanbyreading
thosepages,andwhenIaskedDr.Muawiawherehehadgotthemhesaid
somethingthatastonishedmeevenmore.Male

AndhegavemeafewoftheXeroxedsheetsofpaperlyingonthetableinfrontof
him.Icouldhavepulledthetriggerthenandthere.Therewouldn'tbeabetter
moment.Therewasonlyonelonewitnesspresentinthegardenandhewasa
child.Butthat'snotwhathappened.Ireachedoutandtookthoseexcitingsheetsof
paper,whichIencloseinthisletter.Takingtheminsteadoffiringmygun,Ilooked
atthoseSaracenfingerswiththeirnailslikehazelnutsandIthoughtofthetree
HalevimentionsinhisbookontheKhazars.Ithoughthoweachandeveryoneofus
isjustsuchatree:thetallerwegrowtowardthesky,throughthewindandrain
towardGod,thedeeperwemustsinkourrootsthroughthemudandsubterranean
waterstowardhell.Withthesethoughtsinmymind,Ireadthepagesgivenmeby
thegreeneyedSaracen.Theyshatteredme,andindisbeliefIaskedDr.Muawia
wherehehadgotthem.HOWTOKILLREADERS

''For2,000yearswritershavebeeninventingnewwaysofwriting,butwealways
hadthesamewayofreading.Itriedtochangethewayweread,''MiloradPavicsaid
inatelephoneinterviewinManhattan.Thus,''thereisnoclock''inhis''lexicon
novel,''''DictionaryoftheKhazars,''eventhoughittracesmorethanamillennium
inthehistoryofapeoplewholivedalongtheDanube,leavingonlyafew
archeologicaltracesandafewreferencesin9thand12thcenturyChristianand
Jewishsourcesbeforetheyvanished.

''Everyoneknowshowtouseadictionaryordoacrosswordpuzzle,''Mr.Pavicsaid.
''Withthis'Dictionary'everyreaderhastomakehisownbook.Eachentryisastory.
Itiseasytoreadyoungpeopletellmeitislikethecomputerlanguagecalled
BASICbutwritingitwasdifficult.Ihadtomakesureeveryarticlecouldberead
easilybeforeandaftereveryotherone.Andeachonehadtobegood.Ifoundthat
whatstruckfearintomewasgoodfearmeansyouhavesteppedoveralimitintoan
undiscoveredland.''

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Sincethenovelhasbeentranslatedintomanylanguageswithdifferentalphabets
andverydifferentwordorderfromtheoriginalSerbian,thearticles,listed
alphabetically,haveappearedindifferentorders,andthebookhasbeenagreat
successineverylanguagesofar.''TheKhazarsareametaphorforasmallpeople
survivinginbetweengreatpowersandgreatreligions,''Mr.Pavicsaid.So,in
Yugoslavia,''SerbsrecognizedtheirownfateitwasthesameinSloveniaand
elsewhere,aschoolbookonsurvival.ThesameinHungaryandCzechoslovakia,
andonandon.AFrenchcriticsaid,'WeareallKhazarsintheageofnuclearthreat
andpoisonedenvironment.'''

Amemberofafamilythathasproducedwellknownwritersforsixgenerations,
sincethe18thcentury,Mr.Pavic,aprofessorofcomparativeliteratureatthe
UniversityofBelgrade,saysthatinhisfictionhisprogramistoinsurethat''the
reader,notthewriter,isatthecenterofthebookthereisevenaninstructionon
howtokillthereaderinthe'Dictionary.'''Inhisnew,stilluntranslated,novel,''A
LandscapePaintedWithTea,''whichcanbereadhorizontallyorverticallylikea
crossword,theheroinefallsinlovewiththereader.Thelovestoryisthehorizontal
onereadvertically,thebookgivesoneagenealogyofheroesandthealternative
endingsarefoundonlyintheindex.''Wehavebeenwrong,''Mr.Pavicconcluded.
''Wehavealwaystalkedoftalentedorgiftedwritersweshouldtalkofgiftedand
talentedreaders.''Hetakesevidentsatisfactionindoinghisprovocativebestto
createthem.D.J.R.BRUCKNER

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