Customer Reviews

Mr. Traven, I Presume?

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I read Mr. Baumann's slim volume not once, but twice. I don't agree with him at all, and neither does Karl S. Guthke, that someone else wrote all those B. Traven books. Yes, Traven must have had some help (so did Hemingway and Thomas Wolf--as did so many others) --that still does not prove that he was not the original author. The man was clearly highly intelligent as well as obviously quite articulate. All one has to do is go over some of his correspondence with various entities throughout his career. To simply say that a writer can't write in more than one style is ridiculous. Mr. Baumann's theory remains nothing but that--a theory. I get the feeling that "B. Traven" did write his books himself and that Mr. Baumann does not even come close to proving otherwise.
Now, as to who B. Traven actually was--well, that's something else
again, entirely different issue. Yes, we know he was Hal Croves and that he was also Ret Marut (among other aliases that he had in his little I.D. kit)

but no one, nobody has yet been able to figure out who Ret Marut was or where he came from, not Judy Stone, not Karl Guthke or anyone else. Yes, they have tried...and failed. Maybe one day someone will come along and offer up solid proof as to the real and true identity of this talented writer...maybe...or it could be that anyone who may have had the answer has probably by now passed on, etc. Meanwhile, we have the B. Traven books. I have already read THE COTTONPICKERS and liked it (reminded me, to some extent, of DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON by Goerge Orwell, as well FACTOTUM by the
great Charles Bukowski).; read TREASURE (also well done) and am in the process of reading THE DEATH SHIP...
And so, my final verdict RE: MR. TRAVEN, I PRESUME? Close, but no cigar, Mr. Baumann. Keep trying...or rather, accept the fact this is just another one of life's mysteries we'll have to live with.