Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen

Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • The latest New Yorker fiction podcast features Amos Oz’s story “The King of Norway,” which became the opening story in Oz’s Between Friends. Jonathan Safran Foer reads the story and discusses it with New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman.
  • Great news from Lee Mandel about his latest project, a biography of the first Jewish chaplain ever assigned to the United States Marine Corps, Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn: “Tentatively titled ‘Unlikely Warrior’ and subtitled ‘A Pacifist Rabbi’s Journey from the Pulpit to the Sands of Iwo Jima,’ the book has been accepted for publication by Pelican Publishers and I signed the contracts last week. It will likely be out by this coming fall.” Mazal tov!
  • More good news: This week brought us a new issue of JewishFiction.Net, including works “originally written in Polish, French, Hebrew, and English, and set in China, Germany, Scotland, Poland, ancient Israel, modern Israel, the United States, and on an emigrants’ boat bound for the United States.”
  • Looking forward to reading Gary Shteyngart’s memoir Little Failure–especially after reading Harvey Freedenberg’s review.
  • “Tablet is hiring two paid, part-time spring editorial interns. If you have experience in journalism and are familiar with the landscape of American Jewish life, we’d love to hear from you.” Apply by December 12 for these New York-based positions.

    • Shabbat shalom.

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen

    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Advice on writing for Jewish publications (and getting paid for what you write!) from the talented and prolific Rebecca Klempner.
  • In The New York Times Book Review: “Each week in Bookends, two writers take on pressing and provocative questions about the world of books. This week, Adam Kirsch and Rivka Galchen on why Hannah Arendt’s ‘Eichmann in Jerusalem’ remains contentious fifty years after it was first published.”
  • This just added to my tbr list: From Kristallnacht to Watergate: Memoirs of a Newspaperman, by Harry Rosenfeld.
  • “J., the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, has a rare opening for a full-time staff reporter working from our office in San Francisco’s Financial District.”
  • The Winter 2014 issue of Jewish Review of Books is online. Much of the content is for subscribers only, but you’ll find a few pieces available to all.

    • Shabbat shalom and best wishes for a joyous Hanukkah!

    From My Bookshelf: My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, by Ari Shavit

    by Erika Dreifus on
    4

    MyPromisedLandSome months ago, I was granted access to a digital galley of Ari Shavit’s My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel. As soon as I heard that the book had won the inaugural Natan Book Award (the committee for which included my idol Jeffrey Goldberg), the book went straight to the top of my TBR list. I knew that it was going to be pretty impressive.

    And it was. But I didn’t feel sufficiently qualified to write about it. So I didn’t seek a reviewing assignment before the book’s official release this month.

    But I am continuing to be impressed–and educated–as I listen to Shavit’s radio interviews and read reviews of the book. (more…)

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

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

  • Calvin Trillin explains what Cynthia Ozick taught him about his grandfather.
  • An interesting “shortlist” of four books on Jewish identity.
  • Bumper crop of book-focused blog posts in this month’s Jewish Book Carnival.
  • Author Ilan Mochari describes his visit to the Rochester Jewish Book Festival.
  • “We invite you to join our growing global community of Jewish artists for the second year of Asylum Arts: International Jewish Artist Retreat!” (If “you” are between 22 and 39 years of age, that is.)

    • Shabbat shalom.