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Notes from Around the Web: Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled
  • The Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) is digitizing its publications (AJL News & AJL Reviews), and the new issues in the new format are available online for all to enjoy (look to the sidebar on the right-hand side of the screen).
  • Margot Singer has an essay, “A Natural History of Small-Town Ohio,” in the new issue of Ninth Letter (my copy is on its way). In this interview, she discusses the essay–including the role that religion plays in it.
  • Thank you, Umberto Eco. (And thanks to Natasha Solomons, whose Twitter feed led me to Monica Ali‘s link to the Haaretz article.)
  • The new issue of JewishFiction.net features stories by Orly Castel-Bloom (translated by Dalya Bilu), Peter Orner, Racelle Rosett, and several others.
  • I continue to build this tribute page to Arnost Lustig (1926-2011).

    • Shabbat shalom!

    Arnost Lustig (1926-2011)

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    Over the weekend came the sad news that Arnost Lustig had passed away. Although the links I’ve begun to collect here can give you a few points of knowledge about him, it’s not possible for me to transmit his vitality and extraordinarily sunny outlook here. I wish I had that talent.

    I will try to update this page regularly as an ongoing tribute to Arnost.

  • Obituary from the Western Michigan University English Department. For many years, Arnost taught in WMU’s Prague Summer Program. That is where I had the great privilege to meet him in 2004, when I attended PSP and enrolled in Arnost’s fiction class, an experience I alluded to just last month.
  • “We all will miss the personality of his talent and his personal and artistic qualities,” said Czech president Vaclav Klaus (quoted in the Prague Daily Monitor).
  • “Hundreds of People Commemorate Late Czech Jewish Writer Lustig”.
  • Square Books of Oxford, Miss., recalls Arnost’s work and “a memorable reading” that he gave at its former site in 1996.
  • Author Leslie Pietrzyk recalls one of her first writing teachers: Arnost Lustig.
  • Former student Ben Krull remembers Arnost–and his extraordinary optimism–for The Jewish Week.
  • Tim Chilcote, Arnost’s former student and teaching assistant, shares his reflections. (more…)

    • Notes from Around the Web: Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Just a few literary links to share with you:

    • Publishers Weekly provides an overview of the Jerusalem International Book Fair. (See also my Monday post.)
    • Sweet essay on Tablet about one American student’s experience studying in Israel at the same time as Natalie Portman.
    • Speaking of Tablet, look who’s talking about Quiet Americans this week!
    • From The Jewish Week: A fascinating article by Miriam Intrator on the postwar fate of “Europe’s salvaged Jewish libraries.” And an equally superb piece by Paul Zakrzewski examines the current state of Jewish memoirs.
    • Next week will be a challenging one for our friend, Jewish Muse. Here’s why.
    • The next Jewish Book Council Twitter Book Club, featuring author Andrew Winer and his novel, The Marriage Artist, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 2. Details here.

    Shabbat shalom!

    MyJewishLearning, Inc., Seeks Editorial Assistant

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    MyJewishLearning, Inc. is seeking a full-time Editorial Assistant to join its dynamic team. The Editorial Assistant will work on both MyJewishLearning.com, the leading transdenominational Jewish website, and Kveller.com, a new website site offering a fresh take on Jewish parenting.

    Tasks for this entry-level job will include researching editorial and visual content, loading and updating content to the websites, creating and writing e-newsletters, responding to inquiries, as well as supporting the general projects and needs of the editorial team.

    Qualified candidates should have an interest in working in web publishing and have some knowledge of Jewish life and traditions. We’re looking for someone who can manage multiple projects at one time, has an eye for detail, and brings energy and creativity to their job. Previous experience writing, working with content management systems, and Photoshop are helpful.

    For the full announcement, please visit JewishJobs.com.

    Ian McEwan’s Jerusalem Prize Acceptance Speech

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Yesterday, British author Ian McEwan accepted the Jerusalem Prize. Here’s the text of his acceptance speech.

    I admire McEwan’s work and I’m glad (and grateful) that he refused calls to boycott the prize. Still…although no one could call the criticisms in his speech one-sided (although some will, of course, try), I wish they’d been at least a bit less tilted against Israel.

    Meantime, the Jerusalem International Book Fair continues. (I’m not there, but Quiet Americans is!) I’m not seeing a whole lot of JIBF coverage online. Are you?