Sunday Sentence

by Erika Dreifus on
3

AmosOz
Another Sunday in which I participate in David Abrams’s “Sunday Sentence” project, which asks others to share the best sentence(s) we’ve read during the past week, “out of context and without commentary.”

The rain beat furiously against the darkened windows, as if it were demanding that we listen with rapt attention to some urgent message it had to deliver.

Source: The Amos Oz Reader, selected and edited by Nitza Ben-Dov (this sentence from a translation by Nicholas de Lange). Truly, there are so many gorgeous sentences in this book.

Friday Finds for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
3

Treasure ChestWriting-related resources, news, and reflections to enjoy over the weekend.

  • Lots of us are looking forward to the release of Lorrie Moore’s latest story collection. In the meantime, we can enjoy this profile of Moore from The New York Times.
  • Courtesy of David Abrams’s “Quivering Pen” blog: Susan Perabo on a life-changing story acceptance.
  • Oh, I find this idea of a writing residency on an Amtrak train utterly appealing.
  • “15 Places to Find Stock Images for Blog Posts and Websites.”
  • An excellent installment in the Poets & Writers “Agents & Editors” series: editor and publisher Amy Einhorn.

    • Happy weekend, everyone!

    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.

  • Rabbi David Wolpe: “I’m often asked to recommend books. Here are five unique and powerful modern works that you may have missed or forgotten. These works will enrich, elevate and educate any Jew, indeed any human being.”
  • Moment magazine is looking for a part-time online editor.
  • Fathom shares an interview with Sayed Kashua, “one of the [Israel]’s most successful writers.” (A lot to think about here–but I admit getting stuck with the suggestion that Gaza is currently “occupied” by Israel.)
  • I’ve got other plans, but if I were free to attend, I’d be interested in hearing Ruth Wisse speak about Jacob Glatstein at YIVO on March 4.
  • “As I discovered while conducting dissertation research on this topic, the ‘belle Juive’ (beautiful Jewess) trope was to early 19th-century French literature something like what the ‘shiksa’ would become for American Jewish writers: an exotic object of desire, but also someone one might marry to affirm progressive, universalist ideals.” Phoebe Maltz Bovy offers some interesting thoughts on “the intermarriage script.”

    • Shabbat shalom.

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress

    by Erika Dreifus on
    5

    You know, I’ve actually had a very productive week. I’m especially pleased with all that I accomplished over the three-day weekend. That includes writing and submitting another book review.

    I work hard on every book review that I’m assigned, but this one required consulting an unusually high number of library books for a 600-word project based on a galley. Never have I been happier that my (non-teaching) job at CUNY provides access to the university’s libraries. I stopped by the (renovated!) Hunter College library twice last week to pick up books that the NYPL either doesn’t have or won’t circulate. Bonus: I got to enjoy this view downtown from the bridge between Hunter’s “East” and “West” buildings on Lexington Avenue.
    HunterI submitted the piece on Monday. Now, I’m waiting for my editor to confirm that he received it (and, I hope, to tell me that it’s in decent shape).

    How about you? What’s the latest with your work-in-progress?

    J-Job Alert: Fig Tree Books Seeks Head of Marketing & Publicity

    by Erika Dreifus on
    3

    J-Job alert:

    Fig Tree Books is looking for an exceptionally intelligent, enthusiastic, literary-minded, senior-level experienced Head of Marketing & Publicity to work as a telecommuting independent contractor for our Bedford, New York-based startup company that is focused on publishing high-quality literary fiction that deals with the American Jewish Experience (AJE). Reporting to the Publisher, the Head of Marketing & Publicity will be responsible for all marketing, promotional and publicity activities of the company and the books that it publishes.

    Check out the full announcement on Publishers Marketplace.