B”H
Good Morning! You all know that we’re book worms around here, right? This coming Sunday will be the opening night of Houston’s ERJCC’s Book & Arts Fair. Ahm, yeah… like kids in a candy store! The J’s Book Fair, as we typically refer to it, is one of the most attended events in our community, and for good reason. The books and authors selected are of the highest caliber, and the week-long program is very well thought out, varied and exciting. There is something for everyone.
This year, I had the pleasure to be part of the Book Fair Committee, and of the process of choosing the authors who will be presenting at Book Fair. I have yet to tackle many of the books on my list, but I am looking forward to it, as well as to hearing the authors speak.
Opening Night is always the highlight of Book Fair, and, in fact, if you read my very first post on JewishLatinPrincess, you know that hearing Rabbi Joseph Telushkin’s speech at last year’s Book Fair Opening Night, gave me the final push to hit publish and launch this blog. :-) (Yes, this week also marks JewishLatinPrincess’ One Year Anniversary!!!)
I can’t explain to you how excited I am for this year’s Opening Night with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks! Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks will speak about his new book Not In God’s Name, in which he addresses the phenomenon of religious extremism. I’m a big fan of Rabbi Lord Sacks, and have read many of his books. A Letter in the Scroll and Celebrating Life are among my favorites. I’ll admit that I feel a bit like a star-struck teenager knowing that I will get a chance to have him sign my book, after hearing him speak in person. ;-)
Not only is Rabbi Lord Sacks an incredible writer, but he is a very powerful and dynamic speaker. If you’re in Houston, I highly encourage all of you to attend. The event is free to the public, on Sunday, November 1, at 7:30 pm. You can hear and learn more about Rabbi Lord Sacks, one of the greatest Jewish thinkers and leaders of our times, here. Here’s the video clip where he introduces his new book.
Here are a few other books that will be presented at Book Fair, and I’m looking forward to reading and/or have read.
1|| The Archive Thief: This novel by Lisa Leff sounds fascinating! In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Jewish historian Zosa Szajkowski gathered tens of thousands of documents from Nazi buildings in Berlin, public archives, and private synagogues in France and smuggled them to New York. Lisa Leff reconstructs this story and provides a perceptive portrait of an unusual villain and hero.
2|| Catch the Jew: Although I don’t know that I will necessarily share political views with Tuvia Tanembom, I am curious to read his book as it sounds plain genius and hilarious. A man with chutzpah and the ability to speak English, German, Hebrew, and Arabic, Tenembom wonders in various disguises through Israel interviewing characters of all sorts. Ultimately, he shares his feelings and uncertainties about the possibilities of Israel’s future.
3|| The Hilltop: Assaf Avron addresses the complex and often absurd reality of life in Israel, the West Bank settlers, and the country’s relationship to the U.S. He is considered one of the top Israeli novelist, so I might have to give this book a read.
4|| No Mission Is Impossible: This book by Michael Bar-Zohar, one of Israel’s foremost experts on espionage, sounds super interesting. It covers the greatest missions of the Israeli Special Forces and the lives of many of Israel’s heroes, as well as the tough decisions that Israel’s Defense Ministers have had to make.
5|| Love and Miss Communication: I am looking forward to this light, and apparently quite funny book! As a blogger, I find myself sometimes embracing the digital world a bit too much, as many of us do. This is a story about a woman who has had enough of e-mails, Facebook, and online dating. She abandons her smartphone, and discovers a fresh start for real conversations and living in the moment.
6|| Assault in Forgotten Alley: You know from my post here, how much I enjoyed reading this mystery. Houston is so lucky to have Dr. Kauffman living with us. He will be presenting, among other local authors, at the Local Literati program on Monday, November 9 at 6 pm.
If you like film and/or music, Book Fair also has an amazing selection this year. You can find out more about Houston’s ERJCC Book Fair and their entire program here.
Any good Jewish books you’ve read lately? Anything in Spanish, my friends?
Have a lovely rest of your week, and I hope to see y’all Houstonians on Sunday night! :-)
Yael
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