Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Liam Hoare shares “Knishes and Kilts, and Other Highlights of London’s Jewish Book Week” on the eJewishPhilanthropy site.
  • New on the Fig Tree Books site: Kathe Pinchuk’s review of Anne Roiphe’s Lovingkindness.
  • Did you miss the chance to hear authors Anita Diamant and Dara Horn in conversation? Thanks to Moment magazine, you can now read a transcript.
  • Michael Weingrad’s analysis of Reuven Namdar’s Sapir Prize-winning novel (for Mosaic) makes me even more eager for the translation than I already was.
  • And speaking of translation: podcaster Gil Roth recently met with eminent translator Anthea Bell; their ensuing discussion contains plenty of “Jewy” material and is well worth a listen.
  • Shabbat shalom, friends.

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • In “the first of a five-part series on growing anti-Semitism in the U.K.,” Tablet magazine presents Howard Jacobson, “the literary voice of British Jewry.”
  • Mazal tov to the winners and finalists for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature!
  • Barbara Krasner offers “7 Reasons Why a Writer Should Attend the Annual Association of Jewish Libraries Conference.”
  • Having recently read Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl, I thought Gloria Kestenbaum’s review for The Jewish Week‘s Well Versed blog was spot-on.
  • I’m only halfway through, but I already agree with my friend Rebecca Klempner, who pronounces this recorded interview with Dara Horn “required reading [watching?] for anyone interested in writing the Jewish experience.”
  • Shabbat shalom.

    My Year in Jewish Books

    StarFor the past three years, I’ve found it useful (and kind of fun) to look back on “my year in Jewish books.” So, borrowing some of the same introductory wording, I’m going to attempt to do something similar for 2014.

    Reviewing my reading for 2014 (thank you, Goodreads!), I can see that I do not and would not ever limit my reading to “Jewish books” exclusively; it seems that this list comprises about half of the titles I read this year in toto. (By the way, in case you haven’t heard me say this before, I define “Jewish books” in the simplest terms as books with substantive Jewish content. In my view, non-Jewish authors can write “Jewish books.” And Jewish authors can write books that don’t strike me as overtly Jewish.)

    But this year, as usual, I did read quite a few books that fall within the “Jewish book” category. And, as an advocate for Jewish literature, I’m proud of that.

    Below, you will find these books presented in the order in which I read them (most recent first, this year). Please note that, where appropriate, I have included links to reviews, essays, and newsy items I have written; interviews I have conducted; “Sunday Sentence” citations; and the odd blog post. I have also disclosed how I obtained each book: P (purchase), R (complimentary review copy), L (library). This year, I’m adding a category: FTB, for books I’ve read in manuscript prior to their release from Fig Tree Books in my job as FTB media editor. (more…)

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Not for the first time, I’m pointing you to an extraordinary piece by Kevin Haworth. This time: “On Never Having Read Anne Frank”.
  • From Mosaic magazine: the inimitable Ruth Wisse writes about Nora Gold’s Fields of Exile: “I am grateful for a work of fiction that honestly animates what is all too actual and true.”
  • New award for fiction on Jewish themes: the Amy Levy Prize.
  • On the Well Versed blog: the latest about Granta Israel.
  • And another milestone for Fig Tree Books!
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Via JewishFiction.Net: a Purim-related excerpt from the forthcoming translation (by Jeffrey M. Green) of Aharon Appelfeld’s Suddenly, Love.
  • Publishers Weekly interviews Boris Fishman, whose debut novel A Replacement Life I am looking forward to reading.
  • Not sure how long this discount will last, but you can currently register for The Whole Megillah Seminar on Jewish Story for $99.
  • Interesting story from Tablet on Halban, “the best little Jewish publishing house in London.”
  • New Moment magazine contest, “Become a Senior Critic,” invites book and movie reviews from those 70+. Prizes: publication & gift subscriptions. Enter by August 1.
  • Shabbat shalom & chag Purim!