Gripping memoirs by writers who aren’t exactly famous – J.
Books coverage is supported by a generous grant from The Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund. We tend to gravitate toward the memoirs of public figures whose lives are already of significance to us. However, as in the case of two new memoirs, I often find the memoirs of people I’ve never heard of most compelling, …
New Israeli novels explore the weight of memory
New Israeli novels explore the weight of memory – J.
Memory informs every aspect of Jewish existence. The late historian Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, who argued that Jews have always privileged memory over history, posited that “it is possible to see Judaism itself as a technology of memory, a set of practices designed to make the past present.”
On the Riviera, in Bolivia … Jewish historical fiction that travels
On the Riviera, in Bolivia … Jewish historical fiction that travels – J.
Two new coming-of-age novels set against memorable geographical and historical backdrops remind me of what I especially value in reading historical fiction: the opportunity to learn about times and places beyond the circumstances of my life. Achilles Leccia, the narrator of Adrien Goetz’s “Villa of Delirium,” is a fictional character, but the small world he …
Secrets kept, secrets revealed as the main character dies in two debut novels
Secrets kept, secrets revealed in two debut novels
Books coverage is supported by a generous grant from The Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund. When somebody close to us dies, we cannot predict the shadow that the loss will cast. Two new debut novels explore the aftermath of losing a loved one in very different ways.
New biographies paint portraits of two Jewish luminaries (one with S.F. ties)
New biographies paint portraits of two Jewish luminaries
Books coverage is supported by a generous grant from The Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund. We depend on biographies to bring giants to our level and offer us entry into otherwise inaccessible worlds. I was glad to see the recent publications of books portraying two cultural luminaries who had not yet been captured by a …
Daughters of the Holocaust uncover old stories in new memoirs
Daughters of the Holocaust uncover old stories in new memoirs – J.
Jews place a premium on remembering, and particularly so when it comes to the Holocaust. But how can we recall what we never learned? Two outstanding new memoirs by daughters of Holocaust survivors focus on uncovering the stories of tragedy and survival that were not passed down to them.
Two authors delight in the remnants of generations past
Two authors delight in the remnants of generations past – J.
How can we draw meaning from the remnants of past generations – be they photographs, candlesticks, documents or letters – and squeeze out the stories they tell? It’s a challenge that only increases over time. Hadley Freeman grew up feeling distant from her paternal grandmother, who carried an air of sadness and mystery.
New Jewish poetry books to accompany you through isolation
New Jewish poetry books to accompany you through isolation – J.
Although one of the thrills of poetry is the ability to engage with a fulfilling piece of literature that may take only a minute to read, I’d like to introduce three collections of poetry that I’ve recently enjoyed in which the greater reward lies in reading the whole package.
Newly translated from French, these two Holocaust memoirs are a treasure
Newly translated from French, these two Holocaust memoirs are at reasure
Books coverage is supported by a generous donation from Anne Germanacos. My understanding of the Holocaust has been shaped enormously by the teachers, cousins, friends, and others from Europe who have been part of my life and have shared their experiences before and after World War II.
Leaving Orthodoxy: personal stories of gender and Hasidism
Leaving Orthodoxy: personal stories of gender and Hasidism – J.
Books coverage is supported by a generous donation from Anne Germanacos. For most of us, our gender is such a given that we may not be able to imagine the experiences of those for whom it is a source of struggle. Two memoirs from the tail end of 2019, both of which are written by …