Jewish Literary Links

an open book (with Hebrew pages visible); subtitle reads "Jewish Literary Links"
Image by Yedidia Klein from Pixabay

Toward the end of each week, the My Machberet blog presents a collection of links, drawn primarily from the world of Jewish books.

  • One story has dominated Jewish-literary news this week. To catch up, you might consult “After a Writer Expressed Sympathy for Israelis in an Essay, All Hell Broke Loose at a Literary Journal” (Los Angeles Times) and/or “Guernica Magazine Retracts Israeli Writer’s Coexistence Essay That Co-Publisher Called an ‘Apologia for Zionism’” (JTA). Related opinion pieces have appeared in both the mainstream and Jewish press, with Phil Klay’s “The Cowardice of Guernica (The Atlantic; temporary gift link) and Nora Berman’s “An Elite Literary Journal Imploded over an Essay About the War — Because It Dared to Humanize Israelis as Well as Palestinians” (Forward) again offering just two examples. (Don’t neglect to read the actual essay at the heart of this, by Joanna Chen; you’ll find it linked in the other pieces, and you can also find it archived here.)
  • Mark your calendar for April 2 and a free, online event titled “The Language of War: Lost in Translation?” From the description: “Do Jewish writers across the globe speak the same language of war? Join Ambassador Michael Oren as he probes the experience of authors Elisa Albert, Iddo Gefen, and Aviya Kushner, and unpacks how their work is impacted by the current climate, what they see as their obligation to their readers, and how Jewish literature can be a point of connection in times of crisis.” Presented by the National Library of Israel-USA Signature Speakers Series and the Sami Rohr Prize Writers Showcase.
  • Speaking of Aviya Kushner: Check out her latest Substack, which brilliantly combines analysis of the work of Isaac Bashevis Singer with reflections on the aforementioned situation surrounding Israeli writer/translator Joanna Chen’s essay and Guernica magazine.
  • Book-award news: Natan and the Jew­ish Book Coun­cil have announced the latest Natan Notable Book: Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination – and Secret Diplomacy – to Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East by Yon­ah Jere­my Bob and Ilan Evy­atar. And this year’s UK-based Wingate Literary Prize has been awarded to Elizabeth McCracken for The Hero of this Book.
  • And remaining in the UK as we conclude: In his latest essay, the incomparable Howard Jacobson addresses an infuriatingly memorable moment from Sunday’s Academy Awards presentation: an acceptance speech delivered when the Auschwitz-set film The Zone of Interest won the Best International Feature category. As Jacobson writes, “Jonathan Glazer made an ambitious, important film. I salute the artist. But his abject mea culpa debases him as a man.” I know that Jacobson’s arguments and historical reminders within this essay are aimed toward Glazer; it’s so very obvious to me that there are so many “#AsAJew” Jonathan Glazers out there who need to read and absorb it.

Reminder: If you haven’t checked it lately, you may want to peruse the “After October 7: Readings, Recordings, and More” document-in-progress. (Updates are frequent!) This may also be an appropriate week to mention anew the availability of some cautionary information (also in-progress), compiled under the title “Writers, Beware.”

Shabbat shalom.

Jewish Literary Links

an open book (with Hebrew pages visible); subtitle reads "Jewish Literary Links"
Image by Yedidia Klein from Pixabay

Toward the end of each week, the My Machberet blog presents a collection of links, drawn primarily from the world of Jewish books. This week, more than 150 days after October 7 and on the eve of International Women’s Day, I’m amplifying five Substacks authored by Jewish women writers—four of them writing from Israel—for others’ consideration.

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Words of the Week: Book-Award Announcements

While I was away in Israel last week, lots of Jewish book-award news broke. And another announcement came yesterday. Let’s review:

  • The 73rd National Jewish Book Awards. Lots of categories, lots of honors!
  • The 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Awards for “outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.” Again, do check the full list of honored titles for each category.
  • The 2024 Sophie Brody Medal, which “is given to encourage, recognize and commend outstanding achievement in Jewish literature.” (This one is especially close to my heart because once upon a time, it gave my own Quiet Americans an honorable mention.) Per the announcement: “This year’s winner is James McBride, author of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, published by Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Random House…. Honorable mentions include At The Hour Between Dog and Wolf by Tara Ison published by IG Books; Poland a Green Land: A Novel by Aharon Appelfeld [z”l; translated by Stuart Schoffman z”l] published by Schocken, an imprint of Penguin Random House; Unearthed: A Lost Actress, A Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust by Meryl Frank, published by Hachette; Palestine, 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict by Oren Kessler, published by Rowman & Littlefield; and We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuininga, published by Abrams Comicarts.
  • The 2024 Association of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award. This is the one that was announced yesterday. This year’s winner is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC); honor titles are Kantika by Elizabeth Graver (Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Henry Holt and Company) and Once We Were Home by Jennifer Rosner (Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers).

Both the Sydney Taylor Book Awards and the Sophie Brody Medal announcements came alongside similar news from many other award programs clustered within the American Library Association (ALA); I haven’t yet managed to identify all of the “Jewish” books that have been recognized under those other award umbrellas, but if you’ve noted them, please share that news in comments. (I can tell you about one example: my friend Rebecca Klempner’s How to Welcome an Alien [illustrated by Shirley Waisman and published by Kalaniot Books] has received a Golden Duck Notable Picture Book nod from the ALA’s Core Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction.)

Congratulations to all of the creators whose work has been recognized through these awards and honors. And an especially hearty Mazal Tov to Rebecca and to the many other friends/colleagues/acquaintances whose names appear on this year’s lists.

Especially right now, it’s important to pause and kvell.