Jewish Book Club discussion

Greetings,

I am posting our monthly reads for 2017. Some I took from our forum suggestions, and some from the Jewish Book Council suggestions:

January
Raquela

February
The Girl from Foreign: A Search for Shipwrecked Ancestors, Forgotten Histories, and a Sense of Home

March
The Finkler Question

April
Becoming Malka

May
Memories of Evil

June
Bringing Bubbe Home: A Memoir of Letting Go Through Love and Death

July
Disobedience

August
Homesick

September
The Mapmaker's Daughter

October
The Street Sweeper

November
The Seven Good Years

December
Joshua: A Brooklyn Tale

Please post your book suggestions for 2018 in this folder. Thank you. I hope you enjoy our 2017 reads!

שָׁלוֹם

I am new to the group but I am looking forward to participating. As much as I read all the 2017 are new to me. Thanks for the list.

Welcome to the group, Suzanne! I look forward to your reviews and comments. I am very excited about our upcoming reads for 2017. I have already ordered the first two from Amazon.

See you on the board.

שָׁלוֹם

Sepharad by Antonio Munoz Molina. Looks like a special book.

Thanks for posting the list of books for the coming secular year. This will allow me to get a "leg up" as it were on the reading list.

I read March's already

Sara wrote: "I read March's already"

I read the book slated for March as well. I found it very disturbing.

Looking forward to being part of the group. Santa Fe,Tx

Moonglow for 2018, here is the list of the National Jewish Bookaward Winners, http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awar...

Kristel wrote: "Moonglow for 2018, here is the list of the National Jewish Bookaward Winners, http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awar..."

thank you

David and the Philistine Woman will be published in August. The novel is a compelling reimagining of young David's struggle to grasp his destiny, with strong female characters including Nara, the Philistine woman of the title. What happens when Nara's fate collides with David's will forever transform how you experience this climactic turning point in the Bible and illuminate its profound significance.

Hello, I hope this group will consider my new memoir, The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith, for consideration in 2018. I don't want to make this an advertisement, but there are many reviews and endorsements listed on Amazon.
Thank you and I look forward to reading along with the group whenever possible!

I just read A Horse Walks into a Bar by David Grossman. Short but original. Maybe for a 2018 read?

I loved Here I Am, by Jonathan Safran Foer this year, and gave it five stars. Maybe other people will want to read it....

I noticed that a book has been posted for January 2018. Is there actually a list somewhere for the year of the books chosen? I'd love to know in advance.... Thanks, Amy. Your most prolific reviewer of the year. I read like 4 or 5 of them.

Amy wrote: "I noticed that a book has been posted for January 2018. Is there actually a list somewhere for the year of the books chosen? I'd love to know in advance.... Thanks, Amy. Your most prolific reviewer..."
I agree with Amy. Is there a list for 2018? I read several from the 2017 list. I will have more time to read next year.

I did notice that there were a few others that actually did review books and you were one of them. I loved Joshua: A Brooklyn Tale. I voted for Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer, which made my PBT top ten this year.

Have many book suggestions for Jewish books :)

I would like to recommend LINGUA GALACTICA. Granted, this is my book, but it is Jewish science fiction, and that's something of a rarity these days. Lingua Galactica

An Amazon reader wrote: "I’m not a science fiction girl, and yet, I have had a couple of favorites over the years. I chose to read this book because I adored the author’s first book so much. The science fiction is a back drop in what I find to be another testament to social anthropology (known and yet to come). The gender, race and family dynamics exist every day and this book really made me think about how, as our world grows more complex we are still people. We are daughters, sisters, sons and brothers, and mothers, fathers, friends and lovers. In any world, our family relationships, our responsibilities to humanity and peace, and our ability to love and grieve exist. Our ability to have self awareness, and admit when we are wrong, plus push through physical and emotional pain exist. Last, but certainly not least, our faith exists- no matter our individual religious or spiritual preferences. This book has a lot of futuristic elements and, of course, with space travel, outworlders and technology it is a science fiction scene. But, I found so much more."

An idealistic West Point cadet, a Vassar educated young Jewess, and a rabbi serving as an Army chaplain are the protagonists in ENGAGEMENT: A Novel, an exploration of the effects of the war in Iraq on those who serve and the people who love them.

Here is a recent Goodreads' reader review:

"Engagement kept me up late reading; I simply did not want to put it down. This is the story of war told from the viewpoint of a soldier and those loved ones left at home to carry on in his absence. The war is Iraq is recent enough to make us think about war in a whole new way. We see the effects of war on the whole family, and we get the opinions of those who are not convinced of the necessity of this war. The book is well-researched, well-written, and very engaging." Nancy Shepherd

Sounds great, Denise!

The sci-fi Jewish world was rocked for me back in the early 1990s by Marge Piercy's He, She, and It. Just re-read and it is eerie how much of what was envisioned of a future has already come true. Remember it ringing as a possible truth when I first read it, too.

As for additional title suggestions, I HAVE read:
Ten Thousand Lovers by Edeet Ravel
Lilac girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Single Jewish Male Seeking Soul Mate by Letty Cottin Pogrebin
What to do about the Solomons by Bethany Ball
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

And titles I have NOT read:
Revenge: a story of hope by Laura Blumenfeld
The forgetting river: a modern tale of survival, identity, and the inquisition by Doreen Carvajal
Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
Wherever you go by Joan Leegant
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

Some of Jewish themed books i read:
The matrimomial flirtations of emma kaulfield by Anna Fishbeyn
Portraits by Cynhia Freeman
Rav Hisdas dauhter by Maggie Anton
the enchantress by Maggie Anton
The cooks temptation by Joyce Wayne
Jews without money by michael gold
THe color of light by helen maryles shankman

Some of Jewish themed books i didnt read:
The patriots by sana krasikov
The weigt of ink by rachel kadish
Books by Pam Jenoff
Brothers by Berenice Rubens
The invisivle bridge by Julie Orringer

Aurora wrote: "Some of Jewish themed books i read:
The matrimomial flirtations of emma kaulfield by Anna Fishbeyn
Portraits by Cynhia Freeman
Rav Hisdas dauhter by Maggie Anton
the enchantress by Maggie Anton
Th..."

Loved The Invisible Bridge - its long, but definitely worth it!!

My book club is reading Henry Roth’s Call It Sleep (discussion will be Wednesday 1/8), and I can’t put it down!

We are a group of Jewish women but we don’t necessarily read Jewish books. In 2018 we are returning to favorites/classics rereads, so a few
Jewish classics made the list. Later in the year, we will discuss Yossi Klein Halevi’s Like Dreamers.

Just re-read My name is Asher Lev (Potok) and Inside, Outside (Wouk) - oldies but goodies.

Denise wrote: "An idealistic West Point cadet, a Vassar educated young Jewess, and a rabbi serving as an Army chaplain are the protagonists in ENGAGEMENT: A Novel, an exploration of the effects of the war in Iraq..."

This is on my To Read list.

Kszr wrote: "The sci-fi Jewish world was rocked for me back in the early 1990s by Marge Piercy's He, She, and It. Just re-read and it is eerie how much of what was envisioned of a future has already come true. ..."

I tried reading The Weight of Ink and finally put it down. The Invisible Bridge was fabulous.

The Invisible Bridge was a revelatory experience for me. I will never think of anti-Semitism and the Second World War in the same way after reading Andreas and Clara's story.

I don't see a list for 2018; only 2017. I run a Jewish Book Club. We are currently reading The Mathematician's Shiva. Just finished The Two-Family House, and Keeper of Secrets, both worth reading.
From your 2017 list The Finkler Question was one of our least favorite books in many years of this group!!

Pamela wrote: "My book club is reading Henry Roth’s Call It Sleep (discussion will be Wednesday 1/8), and I can’t put it down!

We are a group of Jewish women but we don’t necessarily read Jewish books. In 2018 w..."

We read "Like Dreamers" REALLY worthwhile book, though not an easy read. Gave a very different perspective to those of us who lived through that time...

I read the Mathemetician’s Shiva and loved it! Also hated the Finkler Question, read years back. Read the Two Family House. Did not realize that the Keeper of Lost Things had a Jewish element. Absolutely loved Joshua: A Brooklyn Tale, and it made my top ten for the year. As often, Seems I was the only one to read and review it. Which is a shame. It was quite worthy.

Amy: I literally just retired. Today is the first day I am not working. I hope to have more time to read and review/comment on books.

Congratulations on your retirement. I love that we circle around the same books. You should post a little blurb about yourself on PBT. There is a new thread for this. I would also add that no one is working in the northeast today.

Amy wrote: "I read the Mathemetician’s Shiva and loved it! Also hated the Finkler Question, read years back. Read the Two Family House. Did not realize that the Keeper of Lost Things had a Jewish element. Abso..."

I'm also really finding a good, slightly different read! am almost done. Keeper of Lost Things I really enjoyed-having an interest in music as well. somewhat disappointed in 2-family house but most of my book club liked. several years back we were going to read Joshua - but even the paperbk copy was very pricey, and long to be efficiently passed around. At the time, I loaded it on my kindle but never read.... hard for me to read more than one book at a time.... lol

Just got in line for Keeper of Lost Things right after the first post about it. I also have an interest in music and I just gave the Chillbury Ladies Choir a 5 star review! We should be friends, as we have such similar interests.

this is the first time I've been on this part of Goodreads. I can see it will be very helpful in choosing books for my group. Amazing to be able to connect with other readers!!

To be honest, I’m not clear that this group is going to help you much. As you can probably see, the activity is rather low. I was just thinking about you when your group however, because somebody recommended a book to me that sounded really interesting. I actually belong to like five groups on good reads, but my main group is Play Book Tag. I spend a lot of time there. You might want to check it out The premise is that each month is a new genre idea, and there are other challenges too. But the basic one is that the group votes on what tag/genre to do the next month. This January is science. There are over 300 categories. Through this, my book list has totally grown, but I’ve also read some things I never would have picked up and have been astounded. Including my Jewish Hostoricsl Fiction. For their animals tag, I read the Zookeepers Wife. For Award Winners, I read Disobedience for this club (only reader, only review). For November I read Joshua: A Brooklyn Tale, and it was my third book for African American. Then I posted my review a day or so later for the club here. Again, only reader, only review. In any case, there are other groups people like. Not just mine. I have a lot of random friends I’ve made just from posting reviews on the feed, outside of groups. But I really appreciate the Jewish reads, of all kinds.

Amy wrote: "Just got in line for Keeper of Lost Things right after the first post about it. I also have an interest in music and I just gave the Chillbury Ladies Choir a 5 star review! We should be friends, as..."

sorry, its " the Keeper of Secrets" by Julie Thomas NOT the keeper of lost things which I haven't read....

Whoops! I’ll check it out.

Amy wrote: "To be honest, I’m not clear that this group is going to help you much. As you can probably see, the activity is rather low. I was just thinking about you when your group however, because somebody r..."

You might like "the Street Sweeper" which we read a few years ago. The group did NOT like Zoo Keepers Wife - though it was a story worth telling - did not like the way it was written.
My favorite book of this past year was a non mainstream book called Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home by Jessica Fechtor. Amazing true story and very well written. As a medical person, (Im a nurse) her descriptions of her experience I found to be quite insightful - I think you'd appreciate it.

I will check these out. i think the street sweeper is already on my TBR. Thanks, Amy

Some suggestions for the book club: Sana Krasikov's The Patriots; and Mark Helprin's Paris in the Present Tense. I thought that both were excellent.

Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish topic or subject will it be a welcome recommendation? ( the book hief for instance) Like many non-Jewish authors tackle Holocaust and WWII. What if a former Jew who converted to christianity writes a book? ( Boris Pasternak for instance or Veronica Roth?) Or what if a Jewish writer tackles on a non-Jewish topic?

Hope its ok i mentioned all of this...

Cant speak to THIS book club page, but for the Jewish Book Club I'm involved with, its really about the book. A jewish author that writes a book without a Jewish theme or thread to the book, we don't choose. Likewise, we've read non jewish authors about a Jewish topic.

The first year of this online Jewish book club, I did read most of the books, but then I fell behind because of a "brick-and-mortar" book club and then, eventually, I've been facilitating one of my own, which is more of a book study group than a conventional book club. That is, we sometimes stay on a longer, tougher read for several months, taking 100 pages or so at a time. I still review all the books I read here on Goodreads. I'm not a member of a lot of the Goodreads groups simply because I'm not that fast of a reader and can't keep up with them all, and also because of reading to learn and not just to get another book under my belt.

A book I've just finished that raises lots of interesting question is John J. Clayton's novel Mitzvah Man. You'll see my review if you see the book since it's probably the only one, or one of the only ones. He had a 2015 review of his work in Jewish Review of Books and is a neglected author! His work is hard to find and much of it isn't even sold by Amazon--in other words, only through 3rd-party sources. In that connection, does anyone know how to get Amazon to sell a book like that? My goodness, they sell everything else!

Well, time to stop! Shabbat Shalom, everbody.

Just to note, this last 24 to 36 hours is the most activity this group has seen in over year. Maybe longer. And since I joined it when I joined good reads year and a half ago.

Amy wrote: "I read the Mathemetician’s Shiva and loved it! Also hated the Finkler Question, read years back. Read the Two Family House. Did not realize that the Keeper of Lost Things had a Jewish element. Abso..."

I didnt care for "The Finkler Question either.
Keeper of Lost Things was excellent. Read it awhile ago- recommended by JBC.

What of jews that became christians? I personally dont want to read or recommend their books. But thats my personal preference. I had pretty bad experiences with religious christians who tend to convert

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

Stacey wrote: "Aurora wrote: "Most likely i will open a can of worms, but perhaps there might be a definition of acceptable and non-acceptable jewish themed books. For example if a non-Jew writes about a jewish t..."

debra luger wrote: "I don't see a list for 2018; only 2017. I run a Jewish Book Club. We are currently reading The Mathematician's Shiva. Just finished The Two-Family House, and Keeper of Secrets, both worth reading.
..."
I recently published Love and the Israeli Terrorist Terminator. Very little blood. The story of how an introverted boy was turned into a combat extrovert.