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Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
4

Delightful Discoveries

It pleases me so much when I learn that people are still discovering/reading Quiet Americans. And it thrills me when I find out that the book is actually being taught (especially when it is being taught alongside other authors’ work that I’ve read and admired myself). So you can imagine how absolutely delighted I was when, during last week’s vacation, I received a tip from a cousin about this course description, taken from his synagogue’s latest adult-education catalog.

AdultEd

Pretty nifty, isn’t it? (more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
6

My Nephew Inspires New Thoughts About My Own Youthful Reading

UnknownEarlier this summer, my young nephew told me he had a movie (on his iPad) that he wanted me to see.

“You’ll like it,” he said. “It has aunts.” (It took me a moment to understand that he was not touting the presence of “ants.”)

As I settled next to him on the sofa, I discovered that the movie in question was “James and the Giant Peach.” I had never seen the movie, nor had I read the original book, by Roald Dahl, on which the film is based. (Just a few minutes into our viewing, I was compelled to check with my nephew: “You’re not suggesting that I’m like THOSE aunts, are you?” ;-))

So when this precious child celebrated his birthday last week, I presented him with not just the video game he requested, but also a copy of Dahl’s book. (I refrained from sharing, just yet, my discomfort with Dahl’s anti-Semitism.) And as I thought about the books that my nephew most enjoys reading (or having me read to him), I had an epiphany of sorts: (more…)

Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

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

  • The Jewish Week‘s Gary Rosenblatt shares observations on “Jewish America” as gleaned through the prism of his cross-country book tour.
  • I greatly admired Gail Hareven’s The Confessions of Noa Weber (trans. Dalya Bilu); Adam Kirsch’s review of Hareven’s newly translated Lies, First Person, has me eager to read more.
  • Earlier this week, The Whole Megillah’s Barbara Krasner was kind enough to post an interview with me.
  • The March/April 2015 issue of Poets & Writers spotlights Fig Tree Books, the Jewish fiction-focused publishing company where I work.
  • And Fig Tree also receives some generous attention in The Jewish Week‘s spring books preview.

    • Shabbat shalom!

    Work-in-Progress: Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

    by Erika Dreifus on
    1

    (Still experimenting with a new title/format for these midweek posts. Thanks for bearing with me!)

    ‘TIS THE SEASON
    Well, not exactly. But my extended family has found, these past several years, that it’s often easier for all of us to gather for a holiday on less-than-exact dates that are at least in the general vicinity of the holiday in question.

    Thus, last weekend found us pre-celebrating Hanukkah. Below, one of the gifts Auntie Erika bestowed: B.J. Novak’s The Book With No Pictures (the picture doesn’t capture the excitement/joy that the gift evoked as soon as it was unwrapped; this was one of my more inspired/successful choices!).

    Novak

    WRITING
    This week brought the conclusion of the terrific workshop I’ve been part of this fall. It also brought an effort–now stalled, I admit–to work on a new essay. And it brought a poetry acceptance (more about that soon, I trust!).

    I knew the workshop was coming to an end. I suspected that the essay might not “work.” And I hoped the poem might find its home.

    But I did not, in any way, anticipate this lovely note which arrived via email yesterday, about one of the short stories in Quiet Americans: (more…)

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    4

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

  • Mazel tov to the latest winner & honor titles recognized by the ALA Sophie Brody Award committee.
  • The latest issue of The Ilanot Review, themed “Sacred Words,” has gone live.
  • Forward staffer Josh Nathan-Kazis explores his Sephardic roots and history in this longform piece.
  • Ways to help Holocaust survivors who are living in poverty (note the inclusion of The Blue Card, to which I send quarterly donations based on sales of Quiet Americans).
  • And last, but maybe not least: I’ve got a brief essay on the Lilith blog this week titled “A Not-so-Modest Proposal: Add Another Matriarch to the Mix.”

    • Shabbat shalom.