Welcome to the March Jewish Book Blog Carnival! Visit headquarters of the Jewish Book Carnival, a monthly event where bloggers who blog about Jewish books can meet, read and comment on each others’ posts.
Following, in more or less alphabetical order, are this month’s blog links. (Note that cover images link to the relevant book page on Amazon).
Enjoy!
Fig Tree Books proudly presents Kathe Pinchuk’s discussion of Anne Roiphe’s Lovingkindness(1987) as part of its ongoing freelance review project. The book “probes the complexities of the mother-daughter connection through Annie Johnson, an independent and strongly feminist widow, and her daughter Andrea.”
On My Machberet, Erika Dreifus writes about Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl–and why Erika chose it as a birthday gift for her mother this year. She writes: “The Boston Girl is well worth your time, especially if you’re interested in history, Boston, women’s studies—and, of course, Jewish literature!”
The Book of Life podcast, hosted by librarian Heidi Estrin, features an interview with Tova Mirvis, author of The Ladies Auxiliary and The Outside World, about her newest novel, Visible City. “Visible City, is much less obviously Jewish,” she writes, “but offers a fascinating look at incidentally Jewish characters seeing each other and being seen in superficial and deep ways.”
At the Association of Jewish Libraries “People of the Books” blog, Heidi announces the 50th annual conference of the AJL will take place this June. Click over there to view the preliminary program!
Freelance writer and editor Deborah Kalb interviews a wide range of authors—fiction, nonfiction, children’s—including writers on Jewish themes, on her blog, deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com. Please take a look at her Q&A with Kerri P. Steinberg about Steinberg’s new book, Jewish Mad Men: Advertising and the Design of the American Jewish Experience.
Ann Koffsky draws from the story of Miriam for lessons in how an author must suit her lifestyle to where she is in her life.
She also chats with author and illustrator Jacqueline Jules, as part of the Sydney Taylor Blog Tour.
Batya Medad reviews Elisha Davidson and the Letters of Fire. “M. R. Attar has written a very gripping readable adventure book, suitable for all ages,” she writes. “I can’t wait until Part 2 and then 3 no doubt.”
In addition, she reviews John Lennon and The Jews, A Philosophical Rampage by Ze’ev Maghen. “‘Rampage’ is a very good word to describe it,” she writes.
Lorri M. Writings and Photography reviewed Safekeeping by Jessamyn Hope, a novel that blends a Medieval sapphire brooch with the lives of those living on a kibbutz in Israel, and those who have come to volunteer there.
Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod at Adventures in Aliyah Land praises Catch the Jew, by Tuvia Tenenbom. “Did you ever wish there was somebody who could talk to ANYBODY who would run around making sense of the Middle East so you don’t have to?” she asks. “Catch the Jew! by Tuvia Tenenbaum is not only required reading, it’s enlightening reading.”
At Life Is Like a Library, Kathe Pinchuk reviews The Jewish Dog by Asher Kravitz. “You will have to read this one for yourself, but you’ll be happy you did. While it is Caleb’s story, different aspects of life in Nazi Germany are integrated into the plot, so you get both a dog story and a sense of history and its effect on individuals.”
And lastly, what have I been up to over here at the Damaged Mirror blog? Glad you asked! I’m very excited to announce that A Damaged Mirror has been reissued with a new Foreword by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo!