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Does Your Kid Love Books?

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

If you’ve got a little bookworm on your hands–or you’re perhaps looking for something to help ignite a spark–check out Moment magazine’s Publish-a-Kid contest: “We invite young readers to write book reviews. Winning entries will be published in the pages of Moment. And yes, there will be prizes, too! We’ve selected a list of books for you to choose from. Pick one or more that you enjoy or find intriguing and tell us why!”

The contest is open to “anyone ages 9-13,” and the magazine “encourage[s] children of all faiths to enter.” There’s no entry fee, and the deadline is February 15, 2012. You can read the 2011 winning entries online, and more about the contest, including the list of potential titles and the full rules/guidelines, right here.

Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat (& Hanukkah)

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Okay, so they’re a day ahead of schedule. But I’m setting out on a long weekend away, and I wanted to be sure not to neglect my weekly links!

  • I trust that you are all having a happy Hanukkah. I’m still kvelling over my own story (forgive me!) on the 2011 NPR Hanukkah Lights special. (And marveling over the fact that I’m sharing the radio-stage with Tamar Yellin, whose work I’ve admired for several years.) I’ve also written a little something about the story’s background and the research that went into it.
  • Remaining with the Hanukkah theme: Gail Fishman Gerwin’s “Are We Done Yet?” (courtesy of Your Daily Poem).
  • And if you’re still buying a gift or two, you may find some ideas within Josh Lambert’s latest books column for Tablet.
  • From Poets & Writers magazine, an account of a remarkable Jewish writing workshop: “Last year Poets & Writers funded two workshops in Tucson, Arizona, led by writer Deborah Mayaan and Rabbi Stephanie Aaron. We asked Mayaan to reflect on the first workshop, which occurred just a week after the shooting that took the lives of six people and injured thirteen others, including congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.”
  • Intriguing review by Steven Amanick–with a focus on literary evidence–of Gertrude Himmelfarb’s The People of the Book: Philosemitism in England from Cromwell to Churchill.

    • Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah!

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • I love Linda K. Wertheimer’s “Jewish” Book List for 2011–and not only because my book is included!
  • More about l’Affaire Sakal.
  • This month’s Jewish Book Carnival is hosted by Barbara Krasner and The Whole Megillah.
  • JCurrents has launched a new series of articles on Jewish writers, “People of the Book 101.”
  • From the Jewish Book Council on Twitter (@JewishBook): “Are you an org looking to curate a reading list for us? If so, let us know! We’re always looking for new ideas.” Sample lists and contact info here.

    • Shabbat shalom!

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • Nathan Englander’s story in this week’s New Yorker is behind the paywall, but anyone can read this interview with Englander about the story (“What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank,” the title story in Englander’s forthcoming collection); Raymond Carver; and how Englander’s efforts in playwriting and translation have influenced his fiction.
  • Weekend reading: the latest issue of JewishFiction.net.
  • Glad to see a revival of Josh Lambert’s new books column on Tablet.
  • Four fun facts about my own year in Jewish books.
  • “The Book of Life’s Canadian Correspondent Anne Dublin interviews author and filmmaker David Bezmogis about his development as a writer and his new novel The Free World.”
  • There is so much great stuff on Barbara Krasner’s “Whole Megillah” site (“the writer’s resource for Jewish-themed children’s books”) that I’m just going to send you over to the home page.
  • Israeli author Moshe Sakal was thrown off a literary panel in France a few days ago when a Palestinian poet refused to share the stage with him. Nice, n’est-ce pas? The event has received appallingly little attention–and the news is traveling slowly at that–but I’ve been able to track down some live-blogging coverage (in French.) Meantime, I’ve also found the author’s “Writing Rules,” apparently published in connection with his University of Iowa International Writers Program affiliation this fall.

    • Shabbat shalom!

    My Year in Jewish Books

    by Erika Dreifus on
    6

    Looking back at my reading for 2011 (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. Moreover, although it wasn’t intentional, when I revisit the record of my reading (again, thanks, Goodreads!), I find that there are 18 such titles.

    Below, you will find these books presented in the order in which I read them. Please note that, where appropriate, I have included links to reviews/essays/newsy items I have written; interviews I have conducted; and chat transcripts in which you will see I participated. I have also disclosed how I obtained each book: P (purchase), G (gift), R (complimentary review copy), L (library). NB: Later this week, I’ll publish a “meta-post” with some thoughts and observations based on this one.

    Meantime, maybe you will find a title or two (or 18) for your own reading list. Or for a gift for someone else.  (more…)