Человек в высоком замке

           Youprobablydon’trememberhim.ArturoToscanini."

           "No,"shesaid,stillreading.

           "HewasItalian.ButtheNaziswouldn’tlethimconductafterthewar,becauseofhispolitics.He’sdead,now.Idon’tlikethatvonKarajan,permanentconductoroftheNewYorkPhilharmonic.Wehadtogotoconcertsbyhim,ourworkdorm.WhatIlike,beingawop—youcanguess."Heglancedather."Youlikethatbook?"hesaid.

           "It’sengrossing."

           "IlikeVerdiandPuccini.AllwegetinNewYorkisheavyGermanbombasticWagnerandOrff,andwehavetogoeveryweektooneofthosecornyU.S.NaziPartydramaticspectaclesatMadisonSquareGarden,withtheflagsanddrumsandtrumpetsandtheflickeringflame.HistoryoftheGothictribesorothereducationalcrap,chantedinsteadofspoken,soastobecalled‘art.’DidyoueverseeNewYorkbeforethewar?"

           "Yes,"shesaid,tryingtoread.

           "Didn’ttheyhaveswelltheaterinthosedays?That’swhatIheard.Nowit’sthesameasthemovieindustry;it’sallacartelinBerlin.InthethirteenyearsI’vebeeninNewYorknotonegoodnewmusicalorplayeveropened,onlythose—"

           "Letmeread,"Julianasaid.

           "Andthesamewiththebookbusiness,"Joesaid,unperturbed."It’sallacarteloperatingoutofMunich.AlltheydoinNewYorkisprint;justbigprintingpresses—butbeforethewar,NewYorkwasthecenteroftheworld’spublishingindustry,orsotheysay."