Conversations with Papa Charlie : A Memory of Charles E. Smith

At first David Bruce wanted to write a traditional biography of his remarkable grandfather, a Russian Jew who immigrated as a child to America in 1911 and built a real estate empire here. But that format seemed to violate "Papa Charlie’s" impatience with verbosity. So David adopted the more accessible vignette style to pass along his grandfather’s singular humor, wisdom, and enthusiasm.

Now in this charming little book, readers will feel they are sitting at the knee of this kindly Jewish grandfather, listening to stories about his amazing life and to gentle advice for succeeding in your own. Along the way, you’ll learn about the importance of family devotion and the care of each of its members, responsibility for and generosity to community and to those who have less, good nutrition and a regular health regimen, devotion to religion, and some very savvy business tips - all spiced with memorable Yiddish expressions. If you never knew your own grandfather, or are missing him, this book will instruct, inspire, and soothe your ruffled feathers.

David Bruce Smith is the fourth of six grandchildren born into Charles E. Smith’s family. He is senior vice president of Commercial Property Management at the Charles E. Smith Companies, president of the Institute of Psychobiology in Jerusalem, editor-and-chief of Crystal City Magazine and a freelance writer. He and his grandfather wrote three books and a film together, and with his mother he wrote the first artist’s book for the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This is his first book published for a general audience.