Fun Facts About My Year in Jewish Books (2012 edition)

Last year, after I wrote here about “My Year in Jewish Books,” I offered a follow-up post on my “other” blog (which focuses on writing and publishing in the world beyond Jewish books), in which I analyzed the data I’d compiled about my recent reading. Out of curiosity, I decided to do something similar for this year’s Jewish reading record, which I posted on Tuesday.

Here’s a breakdown of the 33 titles mentioned in Tuesday’s post: (more…)

My Year in Jewish Books (2012 edition)

Last year, I 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 2012.

Reviewing my reading for 2012 (thank you, Goodreads!), I can see that I do not and would not ever limit my reading to “Jewish books” exclusively. (By the way, I define “Jewish books” as books with substantive Jewish content/themes. In my view, non-Jewish authors can write “Jewish books.” And Jewish authors can write books that don’t strike me as particularly Jewish. I read several of those books this year, too.)

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. (more…)

Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish literary news from around the Web.

  • Did you miss the Jewish Book Council/Jewcy Twitter Book Chat with Shani Boianjiu last week? Don’t worry: You can read the transcript.
  • And if you haven’t yet listened to the audio recording of Etgar Keret’s recent lecture and discussion at Baruch College of The City University of New York, you’ll find it here (audio file expires December 25!).
  • Attention, bloggers who cover Jewish books! The Jewish Book Carnival wants to hear from you (especially this month, when I’ll be hosting here on My Machberet). More info here.
  • Thoughts on poetry, teaching, and t’shuvah, from Richard Chess.
  • Still more about Philip Roth’s proclaimed retirement.
  • “I so wanted to hate it, but sad to say, Hope: A Tragedy is one of the funniest comic novels in several years—perhaps the funniest ever by a non-Jewish Jew.” So writes D.G. Myers in a review of Shalom Auslander’s novel.
  • Finally, please excuse the self-promotional portions of these links, but a couple of posts I want to be sure you didn’t miss this week, both here on My Machberet and on my “other” blog, Practicing Writing. First up: some thoughts on “Jewish fiction,” inspired by Tablet’s new fiction series. And then: some news from the Association of Jewish Libraries (and me!).
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Call for Contributions: December Jewish Book Carnival

    In addition to serving as the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) Facebook Writer-in-Residence for December, I’m also hosting the next monthly Jewish Book Carnival. What’s the Jewish Book Carnival, you ask? Like last month’s host, I’m going to borrow the description from the Jewish Book Council’s ProsenPeople blog, which hosted in October:

    “In case you’re new here, the series is a monthly event where book bloggers who promote Jewish literature come together to share some of their best content from the past month. Each month the round-up of posts can be found on a different Jewish literary blog, so be sure to check out Jewish Book Carnival HQ for future (and past) hosts (and posts!).

    Want to participate in the December Carnival, which will go live here on My Machberet after sundown on December 15? Please send the link to your chosen blog post to me by close-of-business on Monday, December 10. (Authors-who-blog: Please note that the carnival’s spirit emphasizes discussing other people’s work instead of our own.)

    I’m eager to receive your submissions (bonus points if you use “December Jewish Book Carnival” in the subject line of your e-mail), and I look forward to presenting a super-duper December Carnival for all to enjoy!

     

    On “Jewish” Writing: Reflections on Tablet Magazine’s New Fiction Series

    As someone who spends a lot of time reading, writing about, and promoting Jewish literature—including, and perhaps especially, Jewish fiction—I’m mystified by the direction that Tablet magazine appears to be taking with its new fiction series.

    Tablet, as you may know, bears the trademarked tag line, “a new read on Jewish life,” and describes itself as a “daily online magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture.” It’s a magazine that I admire and enjoy; I was delighted when it added original fiction to its mix this fall. But that delight has turned to puzzlement–and a degree of dismay. (more…)