About Schmidt Book

A grumpy old white male, that's one way to describe Schmidt. He seems to hate everybody and everything, including himself. But maybe his behavior can be explained by the fact that what he thought was a successful life and career has disappeared after his retirement and death of his wife.

His wife had been the facilitator of his social life outside of work, and his career as a corporate lawyer with a major New York City law firm was ended with gentle push into early retirement because his area of law practice had evaporated in a new competitive business environment.

He has a adult daughter who has a successful career in public relations. She has recently announced her intention to marry Schmidt's former younger law partner. Instead to being happy at this news Schmidt is disgruntled at the prospect of having a son-in-law he doesn't like. His explanation for not liking his prospective son-in-law generally centers around personality matters. But it's pretty clear to the reader that one reason for his dislike of his son-in-law to be is the fact that he's Jewish.

Thus enters one of the issues in this book upon which readers will have differences of opinion. Is Schmidt prejudice against Jews? Schmidt claims he's not prejudice because he has worked with Jewish colleagues all of his professional career. He mentored and sponsored a young lawyer to be added as a partner in the firm. This same young lawyer is now his son-in-law to be. And finally, Schmidt's best friend from college days, a person he is close to and to whom he confides personal issues, is Jewish. Schmidt claims he can't possibly be prejudice against Jews with that as his life background.

Nevertheless, his daughter, son-in-law to be, daughter's in-laws to be, rumors filtered back from his former law firm, and his long time best friend all seem to think that he is indeed prejudice against Jews. Thus, raises the question of what constitutes racial prejudice.

Whenever I hear somebody say emphatically, "I'm not prejudiced," I automatically assume that they are. The reason is that almost every time I've heard somebody say that, it has been from the mouth of somebody I know from their words and deeds that (in my opinion) they are racial/cultural bigots.

So how do I answer if someone accuses me of being racially or culturally prejudice? I certain don't make the short emphatic statement noted above. Instead I answer that I try to the best of my ability to accept all people as individuals worthy of respect, including their culture, race and religion. But at the same time I recognize that I may also be a part of a larger power structure and social environment that displays institutional racism. I try to be sensitive and aware of instances of institutionalized racism, and where possible I try to withhold my approval of it. I also endeavor to support corrective measures.

One interesting thing about this book is that the prospective mother-in-law of Schmidt's daughter is a psychiatrist. She uses her psychiatric skills to lead a reluctant Schmidt through a session of psychoanalysis. But Schmidt is impervious to change so not much progress is made in Schmidt's acceptance his daughter's plans.

Earlier I said Schmidt hated everybody. Well, that's not true. He likes young attractive women. The book explores the vulnerability of a wealthy man in Schmidt's position to offers of sexual relationships from young attractive women. It was clear to me as a reader that near the end of the book when a young waitress shows up at his door and announces that she's sexually available, that she's not attracted to Schmidt because of his looks and/or manners. But rather it's his obvious wealth. By the end of the book this young woman's other boy friend has moved into the house, and its clear that things are headed toward future problems. Where it all leads is saved for the sequel, Schmidt Delivered .

Full disclosure:
I'm an old white male, and I'm grumpy sometimes.

I hope that is all that I have in common with Schmidt.