Jewish Book Month Reading Completed

Nov.22 -Dec.22, 2008

Books read have starred reviews, any books reviewed are hightlighted to link to comments.

My projected tbr list for Jewish Book Month was:

Who By Fire**** by Diana Spechler

The Septembers of Shiraz**** by Dalia Sofer (ARC from Harper Collins Canada)

My Father's Paradise***** by Ariel Sabar (ARC from Algonquin Books)

The Clothes on Their Backs**** by Linda Grant (Booker Prize shortlist 2008)

The Entropy of Aaron Rosclatt by James Sandham (ARC from Clark-Nova Books/ LibraryThing)

Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth by Edeet Ravel

Dictation: A Quartet**** by Cynthia Ozick (short stories)

Serendipity:

The Angel of History**** by Bruno Arpaia

Ten Thousand Lovers***** by Edeet Ravel

I will be also participating in the Jewish Literature Challenge which begins Dec.22.

I am always open to recommendations of good literary fiction on this or any other subject.

Who By Fire by Diana Spechler

Who By Fire by Diana Spechler

Harper Perennial 2008

An excellent story about a family who suffered an unresolved loss of a child some years before and how each copes with it over time. The son has joined a strict Orthodox group in Israel and his sister is sent to try and bring him home for a family funeral. Their mother is considering an intervention for him as she views his actions as the equivalent of belonging to a cult. It's well-written, with empathy and humour. Four and a half stars. Highly recommended.

I received my copy from Jennifer at Book Club Girl and participated in her interview with Diana on Blog Talk Radio on November 20. Jennifer is a good interviewer. I recommend listening to the broadcast after reading the novel as there is an inadvertent spoiler in it.

Diana herself is a gracious and easy going author. She recently wote a guest post here at Melody's Reading Corner that's quite humourous. She also thanked me just for mentioning her book as one I intended to read for Jewish Book Month. I wish every book I read was as good as Who By Fire. I can't recommend it enough.

Boston Bibliophile has also posted a very nice and more comprehensive review of the book here that may interest you.

Feel free to leave comments or links to comments or reviews about Who By Fire and I will add them to the body of this post.

What have you read that's really good in literary fiction?

Jewish Book Month Reading Challenge

Jewish Book Month

This year it runs from 25 Cheshvan-25 Kislev 5769 (Nov. 22-Dec.22, 2008).

For years I made it a point to read Jewish literature all during this lunar month, although now I read it any time during the year when the mood strikes me too. I'd like to encourage others to try books of Jewish interest, or to increase what they already read in this category. Can you commit to reading one, two, maybe three books during this one month period? Perhaps the habit will stay with you and you'll find some great new reads in the future. It's time to start rounding up some good Jewish books and have them ready on your nightstand or by your comfortable chair in time to begin on Saturday November 22.

My projected tbr list for Jewish Book Month:

Who by Fire by Diana Spechler compliments of Book Club Girl for Authors On Air interview

The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer ARC from Harper Collins Canada

My Father's Paradise by Ariel Sabar ARC from Algonquin Books

The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Hunt (Booker shortlist 2008)

The Entropy of Aaron Rosclatt by James Sandham ARC from Clark-Nova Books/ LibraryThing

Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth by Edeet Ravel

Dictation by Cynthia Ozick

Recently read and highly recommended:

The Attack***** by Yasmina Khadra (Algeria)

Let it Be Morning**** by Sayed Kashua (Israel)

The God-Fearer**** by Dan Jacobson(South Africa/UK)

Disobedience***** by Naomi Alderman (UK) Orange Prize New Writers Award

brief review:

http://www.librarything.com/work/880697/reviews/26974622

People of the Book***** by Geraldine Brooks (Australia)

A Pigeon and a Boy***** by Meir Shalev (Israel)

Bearing the Body**** by Ehud Havazelet (Israel) NYTimes Notable book 2007

Memory***** by Philippe Grimbert (France) Prix Goncourt and the Prix Wizo

brief review:

http://www.librarything.com/work/4693185/reviews/28856586

The Revisionist**** by Helen Schulman (Australia)

The Dawning of the Day***** by Haim Sabato (Israel)

review:

http://freshinkbooks.blogspot.com/2008/08/dawning-of-day-jerusalem-tale-by-haim.html

The Yiddish Policeman's Union**** by Michael Chabon (US)

brief review:

http://www.librarything.com/work/83916/reviews/18388670

The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfor, graphic novel, (France)

brief review:

http://www.librarything.com/work/47836/reviews/18931500

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Australia)

Have you read any of these? What did you think, do you recommend them? Will you be reading something of Jewish interest in the near future? What can you recommend that's good? This is a personal challenge for me but if anyone cares to join me and tell us what you read I'd love it. If you post about Jewish Book Month, a list of which books you plan to read, or what you've really enjoyed in the past, or if you've written a review of something good in books of Jewish interest, consider leaving a link to it in the comments and I'll add it to this post. Comments and suggestions are also encouraged.

History of Jewish Book Month or more details:http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/page.php?16

And you might want to check out the new Jewish Literature Challenge that starts December 22.
http://jewishliteraturechallenge.blogspot.com/