Jewish Book Club discussion

Do you have a particular memoir you really liked, one that inspired or instructed you?

Seeking nominations for a "modern" memoir -- written in the last 50 years -- one that's inspiring and/or instructive. If it shines light on our current time and place, so much the better.

Nominations will be taken through Monday November 20 or until we have six, whichever comes 1st.

After we have our six nominations, we'll have a poll, in this case, a Thanksgiving poll.

One nomination per person, please.
We're asking for a nomination, not a list of suggestions, but if we get a list we'll take the 1st book on the list as your nomination.
Stacey and I will vet for availability and for whether your nomination is already on our bookshelf.

[Nominations by a book's author or other interested party not accepted]

Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan

I Kept Walking: The Unlikely Story of a Persian Woman with Polio

Cover me with my Izar: A Jewish Family Saga

I'm nominating three books by Mizrachi/Sephardic women. I think theirs is a story that needs to be told more!

The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World

Perlie wrote: "Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan

I Kept Walking: The Unlikely Story of a Persian Woman with Polio

[..."

Oh, Perlie, I love you, but what about one nomination each did you not understand? ☺️ So, how about this: we'll take the 1st one as your nomination. The others can be on the order of suggestions that somebody else might like to nominate. Sound good?

Brina wrote: "The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World"

Wonderful, Brina. I'm so happy you haven't forgotten about that one.

Please keep the nominations coming, everybody. 🌻
I have to run out and get vaxed. Back around 3:00 Eastern and will check for availability etc. then. Will look nominations up in the order they have come in.

Perlie wrote: "Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan

I Kept Walking: The Unlikely Story of a Persian Woman with Polio

[..."

Hi Perlie,
Thank you for nominating these books. All of them are are great- by the way. But..Im sorry to say you can only nominate one out of them out of the three you loved.
Which one will it be? Im making a bet with myself which one I think you may choose.

Stacey B wrote: "Perlie wrote: "Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan

[book:I Kept Walking: The Unlikely Story of a Persian Woman with Pol..."

Oops, sorry Jan. I didnt see your responses until now. :(

Jan wrote: "Brina wrote: "The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World"

Wonderful, Brina. I'm so happy you haven't forgotten about that one."

Great choice Brina. I could have sworn this book was on our shelf. I looked 3x and didn't see it. Thank you.

The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit
Im a bit surprised the cost of paperback and Kindle are so close.
Still checking other options as well.
Kindle
$12.49

Paperback
$12.79 List: $16.99

Two-Day
FREE delivery Fri, Nov 17
More Buying Choices
$1.25(162 used & new offers)

Bess Kalb’s book Nobody Will Tell You This But Me (I haven’t read this yet.)

Perlie wrote: "Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan..."

1. Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan--$20 via Amazon Prime and $10 for Kindle. Not in the library, but if people want to read it they will get it, as Stacey says. Candidate No. 1

Jan wrote: "Brina wrote: "The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World"

Wonderful, Brina. I'm so happy you haven't forgotten about that one."

Stacey has checked, and we don't have it on our bookshelf. I know it was a candidate at some earlier point. We had read a somewhat similar book

2. The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World
As Stacey found, very inexpensive used copies out there. Abebooks has it for under $5 with no additional for shipping; Amazon Marketplace usually comes in about a dollar more, because they add $3.99 postage to about everything. Amazon showing Kindle for $8.99 today. My library has a copy! (just one!)

Bennee wrote: "Bess Kalb’s book Nobody Will Tell You This But Me (I haven’t read this yet.)"

No problem that you haven't read it, Bennee. I forgot to add "one you want to read" to my original post but I had it in the message. 😁

3. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story is out in paperback now, and inexpensive copies of both are out there. Another one at less than $5 per abebooks and it's in my library! Available on Kindle as well.

Perlie wrote: "I Kept Walking: The Unlikely Story of a Persian Woman with Polio

Cover me with my Izar: A Jewish Family Saga..."

Take the above two books as suggestions from Perlie. Anyone interested may nominate one of them. They are in the $15-$20 range on Amazon Prime, not much savings over that for a used copy. Both do have Kindle editions. Not in my library

Nominations looking good so far. Keep 'em coming! 😍

A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz. Very timely and should be in many libraries.

Maggie wrote: "A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz. Very timely and should be in many libraries."

Maggie,
Thank you for nominating.
Our group read it in November of 2020. For those who havent read it yet, it is very timely and a great book.
Our group read this in November of 2020.
Would you choose another book to nominate??

ISBN 9798446745500
Cover Me With My Izar
$13-14 on bookfinder.com

Perlie wrote: "ISBN 9798446745500
Cover Me With My Izar
$13-14 on bookfinder.com"

Perlie, I already entered Womb of Diamonds as your nomination since it was the 1st on your list. And I asked if anybody else would like to nominate this or I Kept Walking. Hope that's okay and sorry for the crossed wires and mixed signals!
Jan

Open by Andre Agassi. Shines a very different light on the 'so-called' glamorous life of fame and wealth in the world of tennis

Jan wrote: "Perlie wrote: "ISBN 9798446745500
Cover Me With My Izar
$13-14 on bookfinder.com"

Perlie, I already entered Womb of Diamonds as your nomination since it was the 1st on your list. And I asked if an..."

That's fine! I'm happy with any of those.
Thank you,

Susan,
Thank you for nomination. "Open" was a great book. I saw one match Agassi played at his best. Fabulous tennis player.
This Jewish Book Club takes nominations from books written by jewish authors such as yourself each month.
This has nothing to do with current politics; it is the mission statement based on the formation of this group, likened to all other religious groups on GoodReads.
Would you consider nominating another book?

If All The Seas Were Ink by Kurshan

Susan wrote: "If All The Seas Were Ink by Kurshan"

Good one -- but we read in Dec. 2019.
Don't give up, Susan! Another?

No one will tell you this but me

My library has this one so I vote for it.

Rachel wrote: "No one will tell you this but me

My library has this one so I vote for it."

Good to know Rachel.
Make sure you literally vote when its time. :)

Rachel wrote: "No one will tell you this but me

My library has this one so I vote for it."

Guess what, Susan? It's already nominated! See messages no. 11 & 14 above. So, you can still vote for it, but please give us yet another.

Rachel, not Susan.
OK, getting off the computer for the evening. Too tired!

I thought I sent this last night but don't see it...
Concealed Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America. by Esther Amini
Excellent!!!! current 2020

Anne wrote: "I've been wanting to read Abomination, by Ashley Goldberg, but I think it's still hard to find in the states?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6......"

Hi Anne,
Its plentiful here in the US- just expensive for the paperback version. Amazon is around $27.00-ish, but the kindle is $12.99. You can find used copies as well. Abe Books has the pp for less- have a look.

Stacey B wrote: "Rachel wrote: "No one will tell you this but me

My library has this one so I vote for it."

Good to know Rachel.
Make sure you literally vote when its time. :)"

I want to vote. How do I do that?

Hi Rachel.
Its not time to vote yet. We are waiting for a few more nominations and then there will be a "poll" which will be sent to you via message. It will take you to the page where you can vote and self explanatory from there. Just so you can see whats to come, go to our homepage and on the top right you will see a box with choices you can click on. You will see "Poll". Click it and you can see the past months votes and winners.
But I will also send you a message when the poll is posted.
Hope this helps. Enjoy the weekend!!!!

The Strangers We Became: Lessons in Exile from One of Iraq’s Last Jews by Cynthia Kaplan Shamash
Published 2015 by Brandeis University Press
ISBN 9781611688054
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Mickayla,
Thank you for nominating a book for our poll.
Looks good and another apropos read in this climate.
I haven't finished my due diligence, but am not seeing this book in Paperback format which may pose a problem.
This what Im seeing so far for The Strangers We Became....
Kindle $22.99 Hardcover $27.95
17 Used from $1.34
7 New from $22.35

Abe Books has used versions of Hard Cover starting at $4.78 with free shipping.

Rachel wrote: "Stacey B wrote: "Rachel wrote: "No one will tell you this but me

My library has this one so I vote for it."

Good to know Rachel.
Make sure you literally vote when its time. :)"

Please advise how to vote as I cannot figure it out.

..."

Rachel,
Look at message 34 above.
In other words, go to JBC homepage. Find the word "poll" in the box on the right hand side and click it. It will take you to the poll. It will say to choose one of the books to vote on and just click that as well.
You will also receive a message, sent by Jan alerting you the poll is up and ready to go. That will also take you to the voting page Did this help? Look at it now and tell me what you see on the home page. .

Okay -- so far we have vetted these three:
1. Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan by Ezra Choueke; $20 via Amazon Prime and $10 for Kindle. Not in the library, but if people want to read it they will get it, as Stacey says.

2. The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World by Lucette Lagnado; very inexpensive used copies out there. Abebooks has it for under $5 with no additional for shipping; Amazon Marketplace usually comes in about a dollar more, because they add $3.99 postage to about everything. Amazon showing Kindle for $8.99 today. My library has a copy! (just one!)

3. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb; is out in paperback now, and inexpensive copies of both are out there. Another one at less than $5 per abebooks and it's in my library! Available on Kindle as well....

debra wrote: "I thought I sent this last night but don't see it...
Concealed Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America. by Esther Amini
Excellent!!!! current 2020"

4. Concealed: Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America by Esther Amini. Not in my particular library but available used from Amazon Marketplace and Abebooks in the $7- and $8-range. Kindle $9.99

Thanks, Debra!

Anne wrote: "I've been wanting to read Abomination, by Ashley Goldberg, but I think it's still hard to find in the states?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6......"

Anne, Abomination is still available only in hardback and not in my particular library. We have been seeing it get nominated for a while now, and since it won the 2022 National Jewish Book Award for best debut, we may be seeing more of it.
On top of expense, it's also fiction and not memoir, so let's hold off on this one again for a while. Its time will come!

Stacey B wrote: "Mickayla,
Thank you for nominating a book for our poll.
Looks good and another apropos read in this climate.
I haven't finished my due diligence, but am not seeing this book in Paperback format whi..."

5. The Strangers We Became: Lessons in Exile from One of Iraq's Last Jews by Cynthia Kaplan Shamash; even though in hardback only and not in my library, it's available for less than $5 from AbeBooks. Amazon Marketplace has several in $5-$7 range. The publisher's blurb describes as "riveting and utterly unique memoir...."

Thanks for your nomination, Mickayla!

Personally, I would like to narrow our focus sometimes. For me, there are several great memoirs by Jewish Hollywood stars, including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Kirk Douglas. I know there are others. For future non-fiction/biography there are two on my Mom's friend, the actress Judy Holliday.

Judith wrote: "Personally, I would like to narrow our focus sometimes. For me, there are several great memoirs by Jewish Hollywood stars, including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Kirk Douglas. I know there are others. ..."

Hi Judith,
We appreciate the suggestion. Thank you.
For this month though, would you like to nominate a book?

A couple of my favourites

Groucho and Me (1959) - Groucho Marx

Harpo Speaks! (1961) - Harpo Marx

Mosaic by Diane Armstrong

Jazzy wrote: "A couple of my favourites

Groucho and Me (1959) - Groucho Marx

Harpo Speaks! (1961) - Harpo Marx"

Hi Jazzy,
Hope you are well.
Nice choices , but not sure they are jewish themed books. :(

Benjamin wrote: "Mosaic by Diane Armstrong"

Benjamin,
Thank you for the nomination.
Its a long one but suppose to be a good one.

Original publishing date was 1998- I would guess it would be in most libraries
Kindle is $8.49 and pp varies between new and used.

Thank you, Benjamin.

6. Mosaic: A Chronicle of Five Generations by Diane Armstrong, spanning generations, continents and over 100 years. First published 1998, as Stacey says. It's not in my library. The paperback is $13.09 new, but Amazon Marketplace has used hardbacks in the $5-$6 range, and also some in that range on AbeBooks. So, affordable.

Hooray! That's Number 6, and six is the number I asked for.

Will set up the poll for midweek, probably Wednesday night beginning at midnight. Thanks to everybody who nominated and/or commented!

Here for you to be thinking about are the books you'll see on the poll midweek:

1. Womb of Diamonds: A True Adventure From Child Bride Of Syria To Celebrity Businesswoman Of Japan by Ezra Choueke; this one is $20 via Amazon Prime and $10 for Kindle. Not in the library

2. The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World by Lucette Lagnado; very inexpensive used copies out there. Abebooks has it for under $5 with no additional for shipping; Amazon Marketplace usually comes in about a dollar more, because they add $3.99 postage to about everything. Amazon showing Kindle for $8.99. My library has a copy!

3. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb; out in paperback now, and inexpensive copies of both are out there. Another one at less than $5 per abebooks and it's in my library! Available on Kindle as well.

4. Concealed: Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America by Esther Amini; Not in my particular library but available used from Amazon Marketplace and Abebooks in the $7- and $8-range. Kindle $9.99

5. The Strangers We Became: Lessons in Exile from One of Iraq's Last Jews by Cynthia Kaplan Shamash; even though in hardback only and not in my library, it's available for less than $5 from AbeBooks. Amazon Marketplace has several in $5-$7 range. The publisher's blurb describes as "riveting and utterly unique memoir...."

6. Mosaic: A Chronicle of Five Generations by Diane Armstrong, spanning generations, continents and over 100 years. First published 1998, as Stacey says. It's not in my library. The paperback is $13.09 new, but Amazon Marketplace has used hardbacks in the $5-$6 range, and also some in that range on AbeBooks. A long one, so if it should win, we'll need an extra month for it.

📣 I'll tell you here when the poll is up, plus a group-wide message.