Episode · The Book Review · 2018-11-16
Books mentioned on The Past, Present and Future of Jews in America
Gal Beckerman discussed The new American Judaism by Jack Wertheimer, Dear zealots by עמוס עוז and others, The chosen wars by Steven R. Weisman, and The Jewish American Paradox by Robert H. Mnookin. Pamela Paul recommended The Science Fiction Hall of Fame -- Volume Two by Ben Bova and others, and discussed Heavy by Kiese Laymon, Call Me Joe (The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson) by Poul Anderson, and Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell and others. Alexandra Alter discussed The friend by Sigrid Nunez, Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed, The new Negro by Alain LeRoy Locke, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, and The emissary by Yōko Tawada. Emily Eakin recommended The evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Tina Jordan recommended My sister, the serial killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. John Williams recommended The missing of the Somme by Geoff Dyer and others.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
The new American Judaism
Discussed“the new American Judaism how Jews practice their Religion Today by Jack ver Heimer”
Where to get it
-
The chosen wars
Discussed“Steve wiseman's The Chosen Wars how Judaism became an American religion”
Where to get it
-
The Jewish American Paradox
Discussed“and finally the Jewish American Paradox embracing choice in a changing World by Robert manukan”
Where to get it
-
Heavy
Heavy by Kiese Laymon is a powerful coming-of-age memoir that chronicles the author's deeply personal journey through family trauma, body image, and growing up Black in the American South.
Discussed“Ki leman's new book is called heavy an American memoir”
Where to get it
-
The friend
Why people recommend it: The Friend by Sigrid Nunez is an acclaimed, award-winning novel that explores profound themes including suicide, grief, and the deep bond between a grieving writer and a very lovable Great Dane.
Discussed“the big Award of course is always fiction and it went this year to sigd nunz for the friend which I think was kind of an under the radar quiet novel”
Where to get it
-
Indecency
Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed is a striking and critically acclaimed poetry collection that interrogates systemic oppression, desire, and the intersections of race and gender in contemporary American society.
Discussed“and this year I think the person who won was new to a lot of people is Justin Philip Reed and he won for his collection in decency”
Where to get it
-
The new Negro
Discussed“and that was the new negro which was published by Oxford University press which I think had two finalists”
Where to get it
-
The Poet X
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is a celebrated young adult novel in verse that follows a Dominican-American teenager in Harlem who uses slam poetry to understand her world and find her voice.
Discussed“kids is always a great category and this year people were really excited because the prize went to Elizabeth ASO for her novel The Poet X”
Where to get it
-
The emissary
The Emissary by Yōko Tawada is a translated work of contemporary Japanese fiction that presents a somber and dystopian vision of society.
Discussed“and the winner this year was yoka toada for the Emissary and her translator Margaret matsun”
Where to get it
-
The evolution of Calpurnia Tate
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly is a charming middle-grade historical novel following a young girl growing up in Texas at the turn of the twentieth century as she develops a passion for science and nature.
Recommended“it's called the evolution of caleria Tate by jacn Kelly”
Where to get it
-
My sister, the serial killer
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is a darkly comedic thriller that explores complex sibling dynamics against the backdrop of unusual crimes.
Recommended“it's called my sister the serial killer and I'm going to mangle this first name”
Where to get it
-
The missing of the Somme
The Missing of the Somme by Geoff Dyer is a reflective historical examination of how World War I is remembered, commemorated, and mythologized in modern culture.
Recommended“it's Dyer's book called The Missing of the sum which I think was published something I I thought it was more recent than this”
Where to get it
-
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame -- Volume Two
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame -- Volume Two is a comprehensive anthology gathering some of the greatest science fiction novellas of all time as chosen by members of the Science Fiction Writers of America.
Recommended“well I've been reading this Anthology that was published in 1973 but has been subsequently reissued called the science fiction Hall of Fame volume 2A the greatest science fiction novelas of all time chosen by the members of the science fiction writers of America SF Hall of which is kind of a mouthful”
Where to get it
-
Call Me Joe (The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson)
Discussed“the first one in the collection is called call me Joe by P Anderson”
Where to get it
-
Who Goes There?
Discussed“but then I was sort of swiftly brought back to Earth with the next story that I read which is called who goes there by John Campbell”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“that was K lamman reading from his new book heavy an American Memoir”
“I you know only sometime in the last 10 years read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and so I've been meaning to turn back to some of the classics”
“well that's why the meline langal A Wrinkle in Time was so pivotal for me as a girl”