Notes from Around the Web

  • While I was away, Briton Howard Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize for his novel, The Finkler Question. I almost missed this New York Times profile of Jacobson–thanks to my friend B.J. Epstein for making sure that I caught it!
  • Another item from across the pond: a lovely post about Allegra Goodman’s latest novel, The Cookbook Collector.
  • Dara Horn reviews Cynthia Ozick’s new novel, Foreign Bodies.
  • The Boston Bibliophile reviews Joan Leegant’s novel, Wherever You Go.
  • Liel Leibovitz introduces readers to Dolly City, “the influential novel by Israeli author Orly Castel-Bloom…released this month in a superb English translation by Dalya Bilu….”
  • Most reviews of David Grossman’s new novel have been glowing. Daphne Merkin’s take is different.
  • The Hebrew literature department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is “in genuine crisis.”
  • On the Scribblers on the Roof website: three poems by Michael Jackman.
  • As mentioned on my other blog yesterday, my short-story collection, Quiet Americans, has just received its first review (and it’s a positive one!).
  • Shabbat shalom!

    Notes from Around the Web

  • Howard Jacobson’s latest novel, The Finkler Question, was already on my tbr list. Adam Kirsch’s review only solidified my interest.
  • On a lighter note, if you’re starting to look for Chanukah gifts for the little ones, you may want to check out this list of new titles.
  • I am so excited for the next Jewish Book Council Twitter Book Club! The chosen book is Julie Orringer’s The Invisible Bridge; the author will participate; and the event will take place online on Tuesday, October 26.
  • Mazel Tov to author Max Apple on winning a Pew Fellowship (you may recall my appreciation for his collection, The Jew of Home Depot and Other Stories).
  • More about David Grossman and his newly translated novel, this time from The Jewish Week.
  • Now up on The Jewish Reader: Philip Roth’s Nemesis.
  • This will be my final post for ten days or so. I’m heading to Israel tomorrow night! I don’t expect to be online much (if at all) while I’m there, but I do anticipate returning with lots of discoveries to share. Shabbat shalom, and see you when I’m back!

    Jewish Women’s Theatre Culture Klatch Seeks Submissions

    This announcement comes from the latest Women Arts Theatre Funding News:

    **Jewish Women’s Theatre Culture Klatch** (2011 Season, Los Angeles, CA) – Gathers women in homes to listen to new stories and share thoughts, while enjoying coffee and dessert! Seeking submissions of plays, monologues, poems, essays, stories, songs, etc. that have an element of Jewish resonance and feature women or a woman’s point of view. Works may be of any length, but short one-acts and monologues are preferred. Plays should be topical for the 21st century and have small casts. Previously produced or published work is welcome (include production and/or publication history). Submissions should address the season’s themes: February 6-8 – “Jewish Women Do Men” – what Jewish women have to say about the men they love and the men they love to hate; April 4-6 – “World Premiere: Eden According to Eve” – reinterpreted and reimagined classical Jewish folk or bible stories from a feminine perspective with a female main character set in today’s world; one-acts no longer than 10 minutes; monologues or poems no longer than 5 minutes. Submissions should be in Word, PDF, or Final Draft format; include cover letter with brief bio and history of the material (if applicable). NO FEE. Jewish Women’s Theatre, 521 Latimer Rd., Santa Monica, CA 90402, info(at)jewishwomenstheatre(dot)org, www.jewishwomenstheatre.org. Deadline: October 30, 2010

    Meet the Authors: Beyond Matzoh and Pogroms

    This NYPL (Bloomingdale branch) event is slated for October 26:

    Meet the Authors: Beyond Matzoh and Pogroms

    What to do when your best friend is throwing a party of the day of your Bat Mitzvah? Can you give up being Jewish for Lent? Authors Margie Gelbwasser, Jenny Meyerhoff, Sarah Darer Littman, Nora Baskin Raleigh, & Laura Toffler-Corrie talk about Judaism in fiction: past portrayals and today’s issues. For ages 12 and up.

    More info here.
    (via the Association of Jewish Libraries)