Goya, Are You with Me Now?

The roots of hatred are difficult to eradicate, as this earnest first novel by short story writer Francis (The Itinerary of Beggars) proposes. Driven news photographer Paul Brand makes a career capturing iconic images of Vietnam, Kent State, Woodstock and the Gulf War. Narrator Ferris's friendship with Brand began in high school (class of '63) in Bristol, R.I., where Brand lived with his grandparents. Three decades later, Ferris is shocked to learn that Brand has committed suicide. Gradually, Ferris discovers the shameful, paradoxical legacy that plagued his friend. He learns that the German-born Brand family emigrated to America near the end of WWII, after Brand's father, Heinrich, a scientist working at Pennem nde, was captured by the Allies. Offered freedom if he will work in the U.S. space program at Huntsville, Ala., the elder Brand never changes his racist views. His son fights to rid himself of his Nazi heritage by fully assimilating into American culture and nurturing his artistic side, but his identity crisis is exacerbated after he marries famous artist Esther Friedman. Sexually and spiritually restless after he returns from photographing the Vietnam War, Brand is distraught when headstrong Esther matches his affairs. After they divorce, Brand's malevolent father finds out that Esther is Jewish and disowns Brand as well as his two grandsons, while demanding that Esther change the boys' names to Friedman so their ""tainted blood"" will not be associated with his family. Brand seeks solace with Ferris, now a nationally known art critic, in Madrid. There he discovers Goya's dark period paintings, which exercise an almost hypnotic influence over him; Brand finds in them ""the same turbulence... I had to capture in my own photos."" Returned to Huntsville, his mental struggles become overwhelming as he observes the trial of a young man who is accused of killing his wife and infant son. Francis endows his novel with intellectually stimulating, if italic-ridden, dialogue, and though the plot becomes a bit unwieldy, the intensely imagined characters and historical scope make for a solid, serious read. 3000 first printing. (Dec.)