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Latest Books for March 2024

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ANGELS IN ORANGE

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

ANGELS IN ORANGE by RABBI NACHMAN SELTZER. As soon as they heard of the horrific Hamas attacks on October 7 in the south, more than 1,700 United Hatzalah volunteers dropped everything and raced to the battlefield to save as many lives as possible. Bestselling author Rabbi Nacham Seltzer has written their inspirational stories of courage showing these “angels in orange” selfless care for their fellow Jews. The reader will be uplifted by their accounts showing their emunah and courage amidst the missiles, sniper fire and terrorists hidden in the area. Written with sensitivity.

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DON’T FORGET TO WRITE

GENRE: FICTION

DON’T FORGET TO WRITE by SARA GOODMAN CONFINO. A charming story set in the 1960’s. When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son, she is shipped to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. To Marilyn’s surprise Ada is a platinum blonde lady who drives a Cadillac convertible and is an unmarried matchmaker. Marilyn learns from her aunt that she can envision a world in which she can become an author, not necessarily a wife and mother. She must make a choice for her future -return to the comfortable life she knows or embrace a risky unknown path of her own. A novel about family, love and hope.

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THE GOLDEN DOVES

GENRE: FICTION

THE GOLDEN DOVES by MARTHA HALL KELLY. During the war in Paris, American Josie Anderson and French born Arlette LaRue worked as spies. They sent information on Nazi communications to the Allied forces in London and were known as ‘the Golden Doves’. They were caught and went to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Seven years later Josie is part of Operation Paperclip, an organisation that kept track of Nazi scientists recruited by the American government. Arlette desperately tried to find her son taken by the Nazis during her time in Ravensbruck. The two friends’ paths cross on an unexpected joint mission.

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IN LOVE

GENRE: NON-FICTION

IN LOVEby AMY BLOOM. Well known fiction writer Amy Bloom shares the story of her husband’s assisted suicide after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This memoir is an illuminating story of the love between two people who find a courageous way to part. They chose to seek the services of Dignitas, a Swiss organisation supporting “accompanied suicide” and made their last painful journey together so Brian could end his own life with dignity and peace. An unforgettable portrait of a beautiful marriage and a boundary defying love. The reader should be touched by poignant, heart wrenching moments throughout.

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LADIES’ LUNCH

GENRE: NON-FICTION

LADIES’ LUNCH by LORE SEGAL. In her latest collection of stories Segal features a group of five erudite, sharp-witted nonagenarians, all longtime New Yorkers who have met for the past 40 years. Her central themes are friendship and family and aging. However, the memory of the Holocaust looms over domestic concerns. Her gemlike stories are minimalist in style. Segal’s light comedic touch belies the momentous nature of her subject matter. The title from a Sondheim song that popularised the phrase, sets out to rescue the concept of “ladies who lunch” from its derision towards older women by male writers and younger people.

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DAUGHTERS OF NANTUCKET

GENRE: FICTION

DAUGHTERS OF NANTUCKET by JULIE GERSTENBLATT. Set in Nantucket in 1846, this historical novel brings together the lives of three courageous women. Eliza Macy is struggling to conceal her financial troubles as she waits for her husband to return from a whaling voyage. In desperation she turns against Meg Wright, a pregnant free Black woman trying to relocate her store to Main Street. Astronomer Maria Mitchell loves running Nantucket’s atheneum and spends her nights observing the stars. When a fire breaks out in town the three women are forced to decide what to save and what to let go.

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THE RYE BREAD MARRIAGE

GENRE: MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

THE RYE BREAD MARRIAGE by MICHAELE WEISSMAN. When they first met John, a Latvian refugee and physics PHD hoped to settle down whereas Michaele, a secular Jew wanted to be an independent writer. They next met again and got married. Life was not as simple as they had ethnic and religious differences. John had endured trauma during WW11 and was preoccupied with rye bread! He opens a bakery and Michaele embarks on a European journey to understand where John grew up. She begins to reevaluate her own assumptions and prejudices and comes to love rye bread too. An honest memoir for foodies.

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SIMPLE GIMPL

GENRE: FICTION

SIMPLE GIMPL by ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER. Originally published in Yiddish in 1945, one of Singer’s most well-known stories about a village simpleton. Gimpl works in a bakery and believes whatever he is told. At first, he vows never again to believe what he is told and then to believe everything. This new bilingual edition features Singer’s original Yiddish alongside his own partial translation completed and edited by writer David Stromberg. The book also features the Saul Bellow translation which brought the book to fame. Beautifully illustrations by Liana Finck.

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SOUL MANDATE

GENRE: MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

SOUL MANDATE by LEW GEFFEN. Real estate tycoon Lew Geffen has had an eventful life. After a shaky early academic start, his success has led him to socialise with celebrities, including having his 60th birthday on the yacht of Nicholas Cage, golfing with Rafael Nadal and selling homes to both Nelson Mandela and Gary Player. His career includes a stint in the Israeli army, going into the construction business and being fired from his mother’s estate agent company ‘Aïda’. He also had to navigate the fallout of a murder at his company’s annual convention. A candid memoir laced with humour.

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STAR CROSSED: A True Romeo and Juliet Story in Hitler’s Paris

GENRE: NON-FICTION

STAR CROSSED: A True Romeo and Juliet Story in Hitler’s Paris by HEATHER DUNE MACADAM & SIMON WORRALL. Heather Macadam tells of 19-year-old Annette Zelman who arrived with her family in Paris from Nancy after the Germans invaded France in 1940. She began school at Beaux Arts and befriended young artists and activists. She fell in love with poet and explorer Jean Jausion. Her family fled to Limoges, but Annette stayed in Paris making plans to marry Jean. However, with his family’s antisemitic stance and due to their collaboration with the Germans, she was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. The authors used the 80 letters and works inherited by Annette’s sister.

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THE EDGE

GENRE: FICTION

THE EDGE by DAVID BALDACCI. When CIA operative Jenny Sikwell is murdered in rural Maine, government officials have immediate concerns over national security. Her laptop and phone contained state secrets that could endanger the lives of operatives. In order to solve the murder quickly and retrieve the missing information the U.S. government calls on Travis Devine. Travis spent his time in the military and has an analytical mind which led him to expose the world’s largest financial conspiracy. Devine must ingratiate himself with the locals who have trusted each other their whole lives and distrust outsiders.

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THE LITTLE LIAR

GENRE: FICTION

THE LITTLE LIAR by MITCH ALBOM. A powerful novel that moves from a small village in Greece during the Holocaust to America. Nico, aged 11, was told by a Nazi officer when he invaded his home in Salonika that he could save his family if he convinced the Jewish residents to board trains going “east”. Only when Nico sees his family and neighbours loaded into crowded boxcars doomed for Auschwitz does he realise the consequences of this lie. Nico was blocked from boarding. Mitch Albom interweaves the stories of Nico, his brother Sebastian and their school friend Fanni who escaped the camps.

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THE WAR OF RETURN

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

THE WAR OF RETURN by ADI SCHWARTZ & EINAT WILF. The book begins by examining Israel’s War of Independence from which the refugee issue arose. The authors refute the claim of calculated ethnic cleansing by Israel upon which the Palestinian narrative is based. It is extremely relevant how UNRWA refugee camps have extended the conflict by becoming terrorist training camps and indoctrination centres. They argue that the Palestinians demand for a ‘right to return’ has no legal or moral basis and make a plea for the US, the UN, and the EU to recognize this fact. Schwartz is an internationally known journalist and Wilf a former Israeli politician.

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WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

GENRE: FICTION

WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL by JILLIAN MEDOFF. Cassie Quinn, aged 23, knows three things about life, that money cannot buy happiness, family matters most and that her younger brother Billy was not a rapist. When Billy is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie races home to Manhattan to join forces with her older brother Nate and their wealthy parents Lawrence and Eleanor. They hire the best legal minds but Billy is white, athletic and privileged and fits into the sex offender profile. As reporters converge outside their upper East Side landmark building, Cassie vows to do all to save Billy even if it exposes her own darkest secrets.

Latest Books for February 2024

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THE BOX WITH THE SUNFLOWER CLASP

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE BOX WITH THE SUNFLOWER CLASP by RACHEL MELLER. When Rachel’s distant and mysterious aunt Lisbeth dies, she is left an intricately carved Chinese box with a sunflower clasp containing photographs and letters. This led Rachel to discover that Lisbeth grew up in elegant Vienna but was forced to flee to Shanghai due to the threat of the Nazi invasion. Set against a background of war in the Far East, this sweeping memoir tells of the Jews of Shanghai. Meller captures the fortitude of Lisbeth’s family as they navigated their difficult circumstances and challenges.

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THE DEAD SISTER

GENRE: FICTION

THE DEAD SISTER by JONATHAN DUNSKY. Auschwitz survivor and private investigator Adam Lapid is asked to investigate the death of a young Arab woman. The case has languished in the hands of the Tel Aviv police who believe it to be an honour killing as she wanted to marry a Christian. In desperation her brother Ahmed turns to Adam even though they fought on opposite sides of the war. Adam’s sense of justice drives him to follow the clues and he soon finds himself dodging many underworld shady types. He must use all his skills to find this ruthless killer and if he is not careful could end up dead next.

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DWELL TIME

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

DWELL TIME by ROSA LOWINGER. From the coasts of Cuba to Israel’s Mediterranean shores, Lowinger interweaves her life story with insights from her career in art conservation and restoration. Born in Cuba she immigrated with her family to the United States in 1961 when she was four. Her mother Hilda suffered from extreme mood swings as she had had a very difficult childhood. Rosa was herself subjected to psychological abuse and this directed her work as an art conservator. She was able to see something made whole in a new way. A portrait of a Cuban Jewish family’s intergenerational trauma coupled with repair and healing.

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THE FAMILY MORFAWITZ

GENRE: FICTION

THE FAMILY MORFAWITZ by DANIEL H. TURTEL. A gripping Jewish family saga dealing with the Morfawitz’s fate. When the matriarch Hadassah fled Nazi Germany to America she was determined to rise to the upper echelons of the Park Avenue synagogue society. She married a Holocaust survivor Zev to help her accomplish this. They become wealthy real estate property investors in Manhattan. Nothing stood in their ruthless way even to the point of abandoning their son Hezekial. Decades later Hezekial transcribes Zev’s history with all its sins and he must choose whether to reveal it all.

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FOREIGN BODIES

GENRE: NON-FICTION

FOREIGN BODIES by SIMON SCHAMA. Author and historian Schama investigates the complex history of pandemics and vaccines. Following closely after the effects of Covid-19, he unpacks past stories of the unknown individuals whose pioneering work changed the face of modern healthcare. He focuses on the 18th and 19th centuries chronicling the smallpox outbreak in London, the cholera outbreak in Paris, the bubonic plague in India. He includes accounts of successes, failures, collaboration as humanity struggles to work together in the face of our most deadly shared enemies, the pandemic.

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THE HEART WARRIOR’S MOTHER

GENRE: FICTION

THE HEART WARRIOR’S MOTHER by MARILYN COHEN DE VILLIERS. Kerry-Anne Aarons and her husband Imran Patel have a gorgeous little boy. She unexpectedly falls pregnant, and Lily is born prematurely with a congenital heart disease. This is a powerful tale of their struggle to keep Lily alive as they live with agonising anxiety and struggle as a couple. Kerry-Anne begins to wonder if this was the payback her snobbish, critical mother had warned her of for marrying out of the faith. The book is inspired by a true story and Marilyn Cohen de Villiers has written with empathy and compassion as she moulds her characters.

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UNLOCKING THE NATURE OF HUMAN AGGRESSION

GENRE: ADDITIONAL NEW BOOKS DONATED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

UNLOCKING THE NATURE OF HUMAN AGGRESSION by ADRIAN PERKEL. The book by this deeply informed Cape Town clinical psychologist focuses on the theory and history of aggression, from self-inflicted violence, aggression projected by an individual onto others and geo-political aggression such as war and segregation.

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THE MAVERICK

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

THE MAVERICK by THOMAS HARDING. George Wiedenfeld fled Vienna and went to England in 1938. He arrived without resources or prospects yet turned himself into a sophisticated, wealthy and well-connected publisher. His best-selling books brought him and his authors fame from Mary McCarthy and Saul Bellow to Harold Wilson, Isaiah Berlin and Henry Kissinger. As a supporter of Israel he published volumes on Israeli politicians and his fourth marriage was held in Israel where he was buried. Harding’s lively biography highlights this titan’s resilience, determination and remarkable cultural discernment.

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MY NAME IS BARBRA

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

MY NAME IS BARBRA by BARBRA STREISAND. In this autobiography Barbra shares her life and extraordinary career. From growing up in Brooklyn to appearing in New York nightclubs, performing in Funny Girl and succeeding in every medium over the years that followed. She recounts her early struggles to become an actress turning to singing to earn a living and direction of films. Her voice was to become one of the greatest in popular music. Barbra touches on friendships with stars like Marlon Brando and politicians such as Madeleine Albright as well as her marriage to actor James Brolin. This iconic entertainment legend tells it all.

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NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS

GENRE: ADDITIONAL NEW BOOKS DONATED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS by ELANA BREGIN. In her short story collection KwaZulu-Natal author Elana has stories with a Durban flavour. They represent her efforts, over time, to make sense of the puzzles of life and offer opinions that may or may not resonate with her readers. Her writing is skilled and eloquent.

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ONCE WE WERE HOME

GENRE: FICTION

ONCE WE WERE HOMEby JENNIFER ROSNER. A heartbreaking novel based on actual accounts of children separated from their families in the wake of World War II. Seven-year-old Roger spent most of the war growing up in a monastery in France. In 1946 his aunt had to sue the church for custody. A parallel narrative follows siblings Ana and Oskar whose parents sent them to the Polish countryside. Near the end of the war, they were taken by a Jewish woman to Israel. Ana is happy while Oskar sees this as a loss of the home he loved. On hearing that their foster mother was ill, they considered returning to Poland. Rosner reveals the characters’ conflicted loyalties.

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STATUES AND STORMS

GENRE: NON-FICTION

STATUES AND STORMS by MAX PRICE. The author was vice-chancellor of UCT from 2008 to 2018. He was at the centre of historic student protests and had to lead through unprecedented times triggered by the Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall movements. He achieved many transformations during his term including increased research; enhanced international collaboration; wider acceptance of students and the discouragement of teaching in silos. He advocated online teaching to assist students whose first language was not English- this was invaluable during COVID-19. As an insider Price has much to share.

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STUDY FOR OBEDIENCE

GENRE: FICTION

STUDY FOR OBEDIENCE by SARAH BERNSTEIN. A young Jewish woman moves to a remote northern country to care for her older brother whose wife had recently left him. Inexplainable things begin to happen, and the locals become hostile to her as an outsider. They suspect her of being behind several troubling events such as dairy cows throwing themselves against walls. The narrator begins to fear for her safety and when her brother falls ill after her assiduous care, the reader begins to share the suspicions of the townsfolk. With her sharp, lyrical voice Bernstein keeps the reader engaged throughout.

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SUMMONS TO BERLIN

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

SUMMONS TO BERLIN by JOANNE INTRATOR. In the 1930’s, the author’s grandfather was a successful Berlin businessman and her father a promising law student. The restrictions placed on Jews led to the forced auction of the family’s commercial building in East Berlin. It was turned into a factory producing nazi flags and yellow stars. On his deathbed her father posed two unsettling questions to her-did she know who she was and was she tough enough. So nearly a century later she was tasked to find proof that her family had lost the building due to antisemitism. A memorable account of untangling inherited trauma.

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UNCERTAIN

GENRE: NON-FICTION

UNCERTAIN by ARIE W. KRUGLANSKI. Having perspective requires hard work according to Arie Kruglanski, worldwide expert and authority on human motivation. The book is divided into three parts: escaping uncertainty, consequence of closure and embracing uncertainty. The stability we once had is disappearing as new approaches to employment leaves people unable to plan for the future. There is a decrease of trust in the government, media, education and medicine. Stress, the impermanence of things and pressure affects our decisions and ability to understand future trends.

Latest Books for January 2024

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UNDOCTORED

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

UNDOCTORED by ADAM KAY. The author returns with a funny and powerful follow-up memoir to This is Going to Hurt. He reflects on what has happened since he hung up his scrubs and examines his life which has been inextricably bound up with medicine. He shares anecdotes from on and off the wards. From the hilarious to the moving, from the first days at medical school to life after the NHS. An astonishing portrait of an extraordinary life from one of Britain’s finest storytellers blending humour with some bleak realities.

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AMOS OZ

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

AMOS OZ by ROBERT ALTER. An intimate biography and portrait of the life and work of Amos Oz, award winning Israeli writer and activist. He was one of Israel’s most prolific and prominent writers and a regular contender for the Nobel Prize for literature. Alter explores Oz’ s relationship with his mother Fania Klausner and her untimely suicide when he was twelve. Oz then went to a kibbutz following his separation from his father. Alter met Oz in 1970 when he came to San Francisco. The author paints a portrait of a complex man presenting his inner world and public persona.

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AT FIRE HOUR

GENRE: NEW TITLES BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

AT FIRE HOUR by BARRY GILDER. In this novel Bheki Makhathini is a poet who went into exile after being suspected of betraying the ANC. The book explores many themes including loyalty and dedication to the cause, the role of the artist and love in times of turmoil. The narrative follows Bheki’s years in exile from South Africa to other countries before his return to South Africa. He grows into a man who carries his scars with dignity. Barry Gilder’s previous two books are available -Songs & Secrets (part memoir and part South African history) and The List.

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BESSIE

GENRE: FICTION

BESSIE by LINDA KASS. The fictionalized story of Bess Myerson, the first Jewish winner of the Miss America contest in 1945. The author focuses on her early life, upbringing and experiences in the Bronx. The book follows her story culminating in her appearance at Carnegie Hall after serving her year as Miss America. The whirlwind that surrounded her after being crowned was extraordinary as World War II had ended and a post-Holocaust Jewish world was emerging. The book shines a light on the antisemitism she faces. An impressively researched novel.

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FRAUD

GENRE: NEW TITLES BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

FRAUD by NIKKI MUNITZ. After her father’s death when she was nine, Nikki was brought up by her mother together with her siblings. She found release in drugs. In rehab she met and married a wealthy Afrikaans addict. The façade of her new family crumbled and she began a job at a law firm and started siphoning amounts from trust accounts. When found guilty of fraud she was imprisoned leaving her beloved children behind. Her narrative shares how this young Jewish mother found hope behind bars which empowered her to help others once freed.

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HIDING IN THE OPEN

GENRE: NEW TITLES BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

HIDING IN THE OPEN by NIKI SAKS. This story has something to offer to everyone who faces mental health disorders. Whatever the illness, Niki provides hope to those who suffer from mental human conditions and assures the reader that they may be managed and treated so that the person may live a functional, happy life. A touching journey of a person suffering with borderline personality disorder, documenting how mental health has played out in every aspect of their life.

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INSIDE YOUR BODY THERE ARE FLOWERS

GENRE: ADDITIONAL NEW SHORT STORIES

INSIDE YOUR BODY THERE ARE FLOWERS by Diane Awerbuck

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MY WHAT IF YEAR

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

MY WHAT IF YEAR by ALISHA FERNANDEZ MIRANDA. On turning forty the author decided to pause her career as CEO of a consulting firm and take a break. With the blessing of her husband and eight-year-old twins she leaves her home in London to spend one year exploring the dream jobs of her youth as an intern. In doing so she explores menial jobs without needing to be an expert and finds joy. They include aerobics instruction, Broadway, the art world, and hospitality. Her writing in this candid memoir is amusing and in her memoir she delves into her Jewish Cuban heritage and privilege.

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PORTICO: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

PORTICO: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen by LEAH KOENIG. This new cookbook features recipes and beautiful photographs of Rome’s Jewish Community, one of the oldest in Europe. Despite years of persecution inside the Roman Jewish Ghetto, this community on Via del Portico d’Ottavia thrives. Koenig’s recipes showcase their cuisine’s vegetables, meats, rustic pastas, and desserts. The book celebrates the ‘Roman Jewish love affair’ with artichokes. These recipes inspired by Italian Jewish tradition transport the reader into the streets of Via Portico d’Ottavia.

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THE PROMISE OF A NORMAL LIFE

GENRE: FICTION

THE PROMISE OF A NORMAL LIFE by REBECCA KAISER GIBSON. An introverted young Jewish woman liberates herself from the restrictions of class and gender. The book begins with her trip to Israel in 1967 after her junior year at University in England. She has an unwanted sexual experience on board a ship. The story fluctuates from 1950’s to the 1980’s coinciding with the emergence of the Women’s Liberation movement. Her educated parents suppressed their resentment for the restrictions they faced as Jews. Her marriage left empty spaces in her life. The story shows that normal is what one makes of it.

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THE STORY OF THE FOREST

GENRE: FICTION

THE STORY OF THE FOREST by LINDA GRANT. The novel follows the life of Mina Mendel, a girl born in Latvia who emigrates to England in the early 20th Century. She is separated from the majority of her family because of the war and the narrative traces the experiences of the Mendels. The family’s past intersects with socio political events and are more by chance than of their own free will. From a working-class community in Merseyside to the film industry their lives are portrayed in vivid, humorous detail. The book is a fictionalised version of Grant’s own family -an emotional folk tale woven from modern history.

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WAIT FOR ME

GENRE: FICTION

WAIT FOR ME by SANTA MONTEFIORE. When Rupert Dash is declared missing presumed dead during the battle of Arnhem in 1944, his wife Florence is shattered. She finds a poem called “Wait for Me’’ hidden in an old book and feels this is a sign. In London in the 80’s Max who has suffered from nightmares since childhood is desperately looking for an understanding of his haunting visions of war and travels to Cornwall. In Australia in 1995 Florence receives a letter from a person she has never met saying he remembers a life of someone that belonged to another before him. Could this be Rupert after fifty-one years. A passionate and moving story.

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THE WOMAN WITH A CURE

GENRE: FICTION

THE WOMAN WITH A CURE by LYNN CULLEN. This historical novel is based on the life of Dorothy Horstmann who contributed to developing the polio vaccine. Dorothy was the only female doctor among esteemed scientists and put forward the idea that polio travels through the blood. Even though her theory was duplicated by men without acknowledgement, her only concern was finding a cure. She became a Yale fellow and professor and fell in love with Arne Holm who saved Danish Jews from the Nazis. Cullen paints a portrait of self-sacrificing Dorothy with vivid depictions of young polio patients.

Latest Books for December 2023

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DARK CORNER

GENRE: FICTION

DARK CORNER by MEGAN GOLDIN. True crime podcaster Rachel Krall is enlisted to help solve the disappearance of Maddison Logan, a young influencer with a huge social media following. She is asked by the FBI to meet with a prisoner Terence Bailey who is locked up for theft and is a potential suspect in the murder of six women. Using a fake Instagram account Rachel goes undercover. When a woman’s body is found with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail, the possibility arises that Terence has an accomplice outside. Rachel is suddenly a target and forced to confront real dangers.

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ESTHER SIMPSON

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

ESTHER SIMPSON by JOHN EIDINOW. Esther Simpson, Tess to her friends, devoted her life to saving and resettling academic refugees fleeing the Nazis. From a humble beginning in Leeds born to Russian immigrants, Simpson was well educated. When Hitler came to power, she worked as a secretary for the London Academic Assistance Council finding refuge for displaced academics. By the end of her life, she could count among her ‘children’ Nobel Prize winners, knights of the realm and fellows of the British academy. Her selfless actions left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of the modern world.

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THE FIRE PORTRAIT

GENRE: FICTION

THE FIRE PORTRAIT by BARBARA MUTCH. Francis McDonald left England to settle in a remote South African hamlet. Her marriage was one of convenience as her family had lost their fortune. She learnt Afrikaans, taught art which was her passion and exhibited her paintings of the veld landscape. Francis was regarded with suspicion by the community when war threatened to divide the town as well as the country. While her husband fought for the Allies, Frances meets the man she would have married and their reunion changes her life. After a shocking fire she is propelled to London and beyond. A sweeping historical romance.

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THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE

GENRE: FICTION

THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by JAMES McBRIDE. A rich saga of Chicken Hill, a working-class neighbourhood of Jewish, Black and European immigrant families in Pennsylvania. In 1972 a skeleton was found which unearthed events that took place several decades earlier. In 1925 Moshe Ludlow owned the town’s integrated dance hall and theatre and his wife Chona ran the grocery store. When the Ludlows were asked to shelter a deaf black orphan about to be sent to a foster home they did so. The racist white “good Christians” intervened which led to a twofold tragedy. In dark times it is love and community that sustains us.

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HOPE IS A WOMAN’S NAME

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

HOPE IS A WOMAN’S NAME by AMAL ELSANA ALH’JOOJ. In her autobiography, Israeli-born human rights activist Amal, tells of her journey. She was given the name meaning “hope” in Arabic by her father who wished for his subsequent children to be boys. Born in a tent she spent her early teens running literacy classes for women. This marked the beginning of her academic career promoting policy change for Israel’s Bedouin. She has embraced every thread of her identity: Bedouin, Arab, woman, feminist, Palestinian and Israeli. A moving and intimate portrayal of a little-known culture and its strengths.

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ISRAELOPHOBIA

GENRE: ISRAEL

ISRAELOPHOBIA by JAKE WALLIS SIMONS: The Newest Version of the Oldest Hatred & What to do About It. An incisive new book revealing why Israel, the Middle East’s only democracy attracts such slander. Through charting the history of Israelophobia starting in Nazi Germany and along fibre optic cables to billions of screens, this book does not defend Israel but argues for reasonable disagreement based on reality instead of bigotry. This book is written by the editor of the Jewish Chronicle, an award-winning British journalist and novelist.

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KOSHER CUISINE

GENRE: DONATION BY KOCOSA OF TWO MAGNIFICENT SOUTH AFRICAN RECIPE BOOKS

KOSHER CUISINE by YESHIVA COLLEGE: FROM THE KITCHENS OF THE YESHIVA FAMILY.

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UPLIFTING THE NESHAMA: FOOD FOR THE SOUL

GENRE: DONATION BY KOCOSA OF TWO MAGNIFICENT SOUTH AFRICAN RECIPE BOOKS

UPLIFTING THE NESHAMA: FOOD FOR THE SOUL by BERNICE BERSON

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THE LAND OF HOPE AND FEAR

GENRE: ISRAEL

THE LAND OF HOPE AND FEAR by ISABEL KERSHNER -A Natan notable book of the year! Kershner’s book shares encounters with Israelis from across all divides. Her passion for people and their stories is evident as she portrays Israel’s societal complexities. An engaging narrative of a nation including beautiful descriptions of diverse neighbourhoods and villages. Each chapter focuses on a section of Israeli society -Russian, Ethiopian, Charedi, Mizrahi -telling of their triumphs and tribulations. In many cases this is the story of their transition from immigrant to Israeli citizen. Kerschner reveals the core of who is an Israeli?

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OH MIRIAM! Stories from an extraordinary life

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

OH MIRIAM! Stories from an extraordinary life by MIRIAM MARGOLYES. This book which is a mix of celebrity memoir, sex advice column and anti-Tory soapbox demonstrates how Miriam’s plain talk has endeared her to millions. The early sections cover her Belarusian émigré family and her adolescent years spent in 1950’s Oxford. She describes herself as a “national trinket” and her personality outshines her CV. She resists being patronised by admirers and is not interested in popular culture. There is something heroic in her unruliness. For fans of her previous book This Much is True let her take you on another amusing ride.

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THE PARIS DAUGHTER

GENRE: FICTION

THE PARIS DAUGHTER by KRISTIN HARMEL. In Paris 1939, two young mothers Elise and Juliette became friends as the shadow of war approached. Elise, a young US citizen living there became a target of the German occupation when her husband, part of an underground communist group, was captured and killed. As he had given the Nazis her name, she entrusted Juliette with her young daughter Mathilde. Nothing is safe in war and when the war was ending Elise returned to find Juliette’s bookshop reduced to rubble with her nowhere to be found. Her desperate search leads her to New York in a fateful attempt to find her daughter.

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THE ENEMY BESIDE ME

GENRE: FICTION

THE ENEMY BESIDE ME by NAOMI RAGEN. Milia Gottstein’s grandfather started a foundation to bring Lithuanian Nazi criminals to justice. She too devoted her life to force the Lithuanian government to acknowledge that their brutal butchers were not branded as freedom fighters. This impacted on her life as a wife, mother and grandmother. When invited to be a keynote speaker at a conference in Lithuania by Dr Darius Vidas she reluctantly attended. Milia and Darius find that shared experiences and intimacy replace antagonism and suspicion. A novel about fighting for reconciliation over unforgivable past crimes.

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THE WOLF HUNT

GENRE: FICTION

THE WOLF HUNT by AYELET GUNDAR- GOSHEN. Another page turning novel by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. New Israeli immigrants have a beautiful home in Silicone Valley. Their teenage son Adam enrols in a self-defence class taught by a former Israeli Special Forces Officer. When tragedy strikes and an African American boy dies at a house party from an apparent drug overdose rumours circulate that the death was not accidental. The boy Jamal had an association with Adam and his friends. As racial tensions in the community are ignited Adam’s mother Lilach begins to question everything she knew about her son.

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UNEARTHED

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

UNEARTHED by MERYL FRANK. When in 1996 Meryl’s aunt Mollie showed her a slim book with biographies of Yiddish actors murdered by the Nazis in Vilna, she promised not to read it. However, when she took her mother of 85 to Vilna, she went back on her word. She focuses on her cousin Franya Winter who enjoyed a successful acting career in Vilna’s Yiddish Theatre before the Nazi extermination. She delves into the intellectual and artistic ideas that defined prewar Vilna. Meryl, as keeper of her family’s stories, sifted through records with archivists and translators to find more about aunt Franya.

Latest Books for November 2023

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BITTERNESS OF OLIVES

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY FICTION

BITTERNESS OF OLIVES by South African advocate, author and police reservist ANDREW BROWN

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A CASTLE IN BROOKLYN

GENRE: FICTION

A CASTLE IN BROOKLYN by SHIRLEY RUSSAK WACHTEL. Jacob Stein and Zalman Mendelson meet when hiding from the Nazis in a barn. When the war ends, they emigrate to America. While Zalman farms in Minnesota, Jacob stays in New York and marries Esther. He invites Zalman who is like a brother to him to share their “castle in Brooklyn.” Zalman finds himself tantalized by Esther’s appearance and lyrical soul. Over the years Jacob and Esther undergo life changing events and the ‘castle’ changes becoming a haven for refugees. A moving story about finding love and a home while haunted by a traumatic past.

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COLD SLEEP LULLABY

GENRE: CRIME FICTION

COLD SLEEP LULLABY by South African advocate, author and police reservist ANDREW BROWN

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THE ENIGMA OF ROOM 622

GENRE: FICTION

THE ENIGMA OF ROOM 622 by JOËL DICKER. In the Hotel de Verbier in the Swiss Alps there is no room 622. This piques the interest of Joel Dicker, Switzerland’s most famous literary star. Dicker comes to the hotel to mourn the death of his publisher and begin his next novel. He finds that the reason behind the closure of room 622 involves an unsolved murder. The action shifts between this cold case and the story of Macaire Ebenezer, who was to be the successor of a private Geneva bank. Dicker’s characters make this thriller involving a Swiss bank, a murder and pivotal love triangles most exciting.

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FINALE: LATE CONVERSATIONS WITH STEPHEN SONDHEIM

GENRE: MEMOIR/ BIOGRAPHY

FINALE: LATE CONVERSATIONS WITH STEPHEN SONDHEIM by D. T. MAX. New York writer Max mixes his own commentary with the transcripts from his conversations with Sondheim near the end of the composer’s life. Max reveals Sondheim as he was rarely seen in public with a candour and vulnerability little shown before. He brings together unedited interviews creating a portrait of an artist in his twilight years. The book offers insight into the mind and heart of a genius who indelibly influenced American musical theatre and culture. A revelatory glimpse into the intensely private life of this musical icon.

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HITLER, STALIN, MUM & DAD

GENRE: MEMOIR/ BIOGRAPHY

HITLER, STALIN, MUM & DAD by DANIEL FINKELSTEIN. An intimate portrait of the Finkelstein family through the traumas they experienced. Alternating chapters tell the parallel lives of the Wieners and the Finkelsteins reflecting two separate yet similar stories. His mother’s story is of life under the brutal Nazi regime in camps followed by an unlikely release through a prisoner swap. His father’s one is of internal exile in Siberia under the Soviets. This powerful memoir explores Daniel’s parents’ experiences of persecution and survival during the Second World War at the hands of two genocidal dictators.

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HOTEL CUBA

GENRE: FICTION

HOTEL CUBA by AARON HAMBURGER. This richly detailed book is the story of Pearl, a young woman fleeing the Russian Revolution with Frieda, her romantic younger sister in the 1920’s. They are desperate to get to America, but immigration laws bar their entry and they land up in Havana. At first this sultry city of extremes is a culture shock. However, they quickly adjust and Frieda falls for a ‘dreamy’ man. Pearl is offered a taste of freedom and must confront her past and make choices that will affect her future. An epic story of historical fiction in which the author tells the story of his grandmother’s life in Hotel Cuba.

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IT’S MINE: How the Crypto Industry is Redefining Ownership

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

IT’S MINE: How the Crypto Industry is Redefining Ownership by STEVEN BOYKEY SIDLEY. The author provides an insight into the possibilities of block chain. The book provides details on the history and concept of ‘ownership’ and which ecosystems nurture it. Filled with anecdotes and interviews, Sidley takes an entertaining look on how Bitcoin made its mark and explores how these new crypto ‘life-forms’ will interact with the rest of the virtual and physical world. He explains coherently how our rights and identities are being changed and challenged by technologies of our own making. Written in his usual clear style.

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KANTIKA

GENRE: FICTION

KANTIKA by ELIZABETH GRAVER. In this novel, Graver depicts the life and times of heroine Rebecca Levy, née Cohen. The book opens in Constantinople in 1907 and spans five decades in Barcelona, Havana and New York in 1950. Through the experiences of the family, we learn about the tribulations shared by this generation of Jews: emigration and immigration, loss, separation from family, war and financial insecurity. The author delightfully incorporates Ladino into the dialogue and includes a family photo at the beginning of each chapter. In the end Kantika’s heroine is relatable, inspiring and depicts a life well lived.

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MAN’S SEARCH FOR HEALING

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

MAN’S SEARCH FOR HEALING by DEVORAH KUR. In this book Kur explores the mind, body and soul’s dynamic relationship and the role that meaning plays in connecting them. Kur explains the body’s ability to heal itself and the conditions necessary to allow this to take place. Though scientific research the book looks at Logotherapy’s approach to healing and case studies of personal experiences highlight the connection between life, meaning and our physical bodies. Topics included are mind body connection, the effect of unfinished business on the body, the difference between being healed and being cured, forgiveness and much more.

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MOTHER, DAUGHTER, TRAITOR, SPY

GENRE: FICTION

MOTHER, DAUGHTER, TRAITOR, SPY by SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL. Mother and daughter Veronica and Violet Grace moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1940. Veronica begins work as a typist but soon finds that she is working for a Bund member whose group sprouts antisemitic and pro-Hitler sentiments. Her mother and her are appalled and join forces with Ari Lewis and Jonah Rose to work as undercover agents. These two women infiltrate the pro-Nazi group with their Aryan looks. When Roosevelt declares war, they realize that the plots they are investigating are more sinister than feared. Inspired by a real mother -daughter spy duo.

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SMALL WORLD

GENRE: FICTION

SMALL WORLD by LAURA ZIGMAN. A heartfelt novel about two newly divorced sisters. Joyce has settled into being single again and is an archivist in Cambridge. She enjoys spending time scrolling the neighbourhood social media networking site, Small World. When her elder sister Lydia tells her she is moving back from Los Angeles, she invites her to move in for a while. Joyce hopes that they will now forge a bond. They rarely discuss the loss of their disabled sister who died when she was ten. Zigman highlights small moments of joy that illuminate the sister’s shared paths. A compassionate, humorous story of shared grief and love.

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SPEAKING YIDDISH TO CHICKENS

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

SPEAKING YIDDISH TO CHICKENS by SETH STERN. The author writes about Jewish refugees, Holocaust survivors and immigrants who settled around Vineland, New Jersey becoming poultry farmers. His grandmother was one of them. Stern touches on individual stories and personal interviews to highlight the rich experience of these “accidental farmers.” These greenhorns were not the first Jews in Vineland as Russian Jews formed a Jewish farming community as early as 1880. Vineland flourished with its vibrant Yiddish community until the 1960’s. Both touching and funny almost like a Shalom Aleichem story.

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STREET BLUES

GENRE: MEMOIR

STREET BLUES by South African advocate, author and police reservist ANDREW BROWN

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THE HEIST MEN

GENRE: CRIME FICTION

THE HEIST MEN by South African advocate, author and police reservist ANDREW BROWN

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WHAT DO YOU WANT?

GENRE: NEW INSPIRING AUTOBIOGRAPHY BY LOCAL CAPE TOWN AUTHOR

WHAT DO YOU WANT? by LINDA DIRMEIK

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THE WISDOM OF MORRIE

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

THE WISDOM OF MORRIE by MORRIE SCHWARTZ. A sage posthumous treatise by Morrie Schwartz exploring the art of aging well. The manuscript for this book was found by his son Rob Schwartz in his father’s desk drawer. His father reflected on his 40-year career as a sociology professor. Schwartz encourages readers to approach age related challenges with healthy acceptance. He suggests pursuing hobbies, committing to a cause that you are passionate about and deepening your personal relationship with God. This book is filled with emphatic insights, stories, anecdotes and advice on how to live and how to love.

Latest Books for October 2023

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BACK TO THE FRONT

GENRE: NON-FICTION

BACK TO THE FRONT by LEON LEVY. In this unique memoir Leon Levy chronicles his early life, family background and experience of political activism Levy experienced dangerous days during the oppressive rule of apartheid. The book covers his life before exile and finally after his return. It provides an insider account of his apprenticeship on the factory floor and his founding of the South African Congress of Trade Unions. From his immigrant beginnings to his role as full time commissioner for the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration after his return to South Africa. His wife Lorna covered their time in exile in her book Radical Engagements.

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THE DIARY KEEPERS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE DIARY KEEPERS by NINA SIEGAL. A fascinating read as Siegel weaves together the voices of a handful, who like Anne Frank, were inspired to record their everyday experiences under the Nazi occupation. Her selection highlights the Jewish perspective of a journalist at a transport camp, stories of Nazi sympathizers, a diamond cutter as well as members of the Dutch resistance who saved many lives. Siegel intersperses diary extracts with historical and personal references which provide richer context to understand how “ordinary” Dutch people navigated life under Nazi rule. A portrait of the victims, collaborators, bystanders, and victims.

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FRITZ BAUER

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

FRITZ BAUER by RONEN STEINKE. Author Steinke discusses the role Fritz Bauer played in the arrest of Adolf Eichmann and the initiation of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials. The book sheds light on Bauer’s Jewish identity and the role it played in these trials and his later career. Bauer was a Jew amid Germans who felt uneasy around Jews. Throughout his life he hid the fact that he was gay as it could have led to a political attack or even criminal persecution. Steinke’s biography reveals how Bauer’s determination and dedication to the rule of law formed an important foundation for German post war society.

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HAVING TO STEP UP

GENRE: BOOKS DONATED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

HAVING TO STEP UP by DEBBI ROZOWSKY. An autobiography of renowned trauma counsellor Debbi Rozowsky who has faced many challenges in her personal life. She survived a bomb blast which left her with PTSD; grew up with a stepmother who she believed was unstable and brought up a child on the autistic spectrum; dealt with a gambling addiction; survived cancer and dealt with the loss of her husband. These challenges helped her turn inward and draw strength from her many years of experience. An honest, heartfelt testament to Debbie revealing her courage as she emerged with strength and hope.

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HOLOCAUST AND HOME: The Poetry of David Fram from Lithuania to South Africa

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

HOLOCAUST AND HOME: The Poetry of David Fram from Lithuania to South Africa by HAZEL FRANKEL. An insightful study by researcher Hazel Frankel into Yiddish poet David Fram. Frankel brings to life Fram’s love of the richness of Yiddish which he used as he memorialised the almost-obliterated Jewish culture of Lithuania which he left in 1927 and when living in South Africa. Fram confronted South Africa’s racist policies. The last chapter deals with the horrors of the Holocaust and the Second World War. Frankel provides insightful close analysis of his poetry situating it in cultural and historical context including immigration and exile, memory and post memory and the Holocaust.

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INSIDE INFORMATION

GENRE: FICTION

INSIDE INFORMATION by ESHKOL NEVO. A honeymoon in South America that should have been romantic ends in tragedy; a senior doctor in a Tel Aviv hospital feels a powerful, inexplicable urge to protect a young female resident and a married couple walk in an orchard as they do every Saturday and the husband disappears without a trace. These three stories are novella like in length with only a word or two connecting their narratives. Yet in all three we meet flawed narrators revealing their tales of love, intimacy, longing and desire. Compelling unconventional love stories woven by Nevo.

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RISKING LIFE FOR DEATH: Lessons for the living from the autopsy table

GENRE: BOOKS DONATED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

RISKING LIFE FOR DEATH: Lessons for the living from the autopsy table by RYAN BLUMENTHAL. In this next book after Autopsy, forensic pathologist Blumenthal states that at a every crime scene there is always a trace whether it is a strand of hair or drop of blood. After spending more than twenty years in this field, Blumenthal explains how to look for clues. He highlights the dangers that pathologists face such as threatening infections, toxic gases and other hazards often risking their lives to solve the puzzle of someone else’s death. He adds that what a pathologist does not find may sometimes be of greater value than the presence of evidence.

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THE LIBRARIAN OF BURNED BOOKS

GENRE: FICTION

THE LIBRARIAN OF BURNED BOOKS by BRIANNA LABUSKES. In 1933, novelist Althea James visits Berlin from America on a Nazi exchange program. At first enchanted with Goebbel’s official events, her view changes after witnessing the torching of banned books and meeting Hannah Brecht, a Communist party supporter. Hannah later flees Paris and lands up in a Brooklyn bookshop filled with Nazi-banned books. The author introduces another character, Vivian Childs. Her husband died in combat and she is fighting to ensure that books are sent to American servicemen overseas. All their lives intertwine and collide in this testament to the written word.

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SHADOWS WE CARRY

GENRE: FICTION

SHADOWS WE CARRY by MERYL AIN. This sequel to Ain’s post Holocaust novel The Takeaway Men follows twin sisters in the late 1960’s. Born to survivors, Bronka is politically aware and introspective and tries to enter journalism school. Her sister Johanna is popular and dreams of becoming an actress. With the United States facing political and social upheaval the twins and several of their peers including a Catholic priest and the son of a Nazi, struggle with their family’s ancestry. The book explores how they navigate deeply held family secrets and bloodlines while bearing the scars of World War II.

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THE CHOICE

GENRE: FICTION

THE CHOICE by MAGGIE ANTON. In Maggie Anton’s latest book, she has reimagined the main characters from Chaim Potok’s The Chosen adding strong female characters and voices and changing the time period to Brooklyn in the 1950’s. When Hannah Eisen, a successful journalist interviews Rabbi Nathan Mandel, a controversial Talmud professor, she persuades him to teach her the mysteries of the texts forbidden to women. Secret meetings and lively discussion bring the two to a line they dare not cross as their relationship with each other and Judaism are tested. A masterful exploration of love and faith through historical traditions, history and the Talmud.

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THE GOD DESIRE

GENRE: NON-FICTION

THE GOD DESIRE by DAVID BADDIEL. The author would love there to be a God. The view he presents in this book is that the human need and desire for God to exist felt by everyone proves his Non-existence. A satirical essay that uses Baddiel’s trademarks of comedy, storytelling and personal asides. Baddiel is frightened of dying and in the face of this vulnerability his ‘God desire kicks’ in as he wishes for God to help him outsmart death and grant him immortality. However, one of the curiosities of this book is Baddiel’s affection for ancient Jewish traditions like Kaddish and his affection for the Jewish faith. A highly readable perspective on the most ancient of debates.

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THE SPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

GENRE: NON-FICTION

THE SPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH by HOWARD BLUM. A small sailing boat was found in Chesapeake Bay carrying classified documents and a satellite communications transmitter with no sign of the boat’s owner, former CIA officer John Paisley. The man who may hold the key to solve this is Pete Bagley, a retired agent who was suspected of being a mole. Though exonerated the accusations tainted his career. Bagley’s daughter Christina, a CIA analyst married another intelligence officer who investigated Pete at the time. The relentless pursuit to solve this case became his quest to reclaim his reputation. This leads to a shocking conclusion.

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A VILLAGE FETE MURDER

GENRE: GITLIN NOW HAS BOOK 3 IN THE JULIA BIRD MYSTERY SERIES

A VILLAGE FETE MURDER by Katie Gayle

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W IS FOR WITNESS

GENRE: FICTION

W IS FOR WITNESS by KAREN LAZAR. The author has achieved the paradox of balancing gravitas and fun. Lazar has created a fictional version of Johannesburg in the town of Linden. A team of narrators -objects, animals and human all headed by the wise hadeda provide a bird’s eye view and contemporary social critique of the place. They depict the neighbourhood with its inhabitants showing post-apartheid failures as the tale unfolds. Though Linden has begun to diversify it is not enough as the better schools are still mostly for whites and the quality of inclusion has not been fulfilled. The hadeda threads everything together.

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TEN YEARS GONE

GENRE: FICTION

TEN YEARS GONE by JONATHAN DUNSKY. In 1949, protagonist Adam Lapid is living in Israel after losing his family in Auschwitz. On becoming a private investigator he is approached by a woman to help find her missing son. She had recently come from Germany and had given her son, William, ten years previously, to her school friend Esther who was immigrating to Israel. Lapid reluctantly agreed to help her but believed they were no longer alive. He found that both Esther and William had been murdered. At great risk to himself he needs to find out why they were killed and by whom. Lapid must untangle a web of lies and betrayal to find the truth.

Latest Books for September 2023

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ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME

GENRE: FICTION

ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME by WILLIAM LANDAY. One afternoon in 1975 ten-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school and finds that her mother Jane is missing. Nothing is out of place and there is no sign of a struggle. So begins a mystery that will span her lifetime. The police and Jane’s sister Kate suspect her husband Dan, a criminal defence attorney, but there is no evidence and Jane never returns. Two decades later things change and Jane’s three children Miranda, Alex and Jeff must decide how they feel about the father who raised them. A tense and devastating story of love and vengeance.

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ART & LIFE: The story of Samuel Bak

GENRE: ART RELATED ADDITIONS TO THE GITLIN COLLECTION

ART & LIFE: The story of Samuel Bak by UTE BEN YOSEF. This magnificent memoir traces the development of Samuel Bak, a child prodigy shaped by the catastrophic events of the Shoah, from his early years in the Vilna Ghetto and Landsberg DP Camp, his formal training in Israel and Paris, and his art career in Rome, New York, Switzerland, and Boston. The book includes reproductions of both iconic and rarely seen work created between 1942 and 2022.

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WOKE ANTISEMITISM

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

WOKE ANTISEMITISM by DAVID L. BERNSTEIN. An account from this top Jewish leader about how woke ideology shuts down discourse, corrupts Jewish values and allows for a virulent new strain of antisemitism. Bernstein traces the growth of this ideology and its infiltration into American Jewish spaces. It started in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s but we were not paying attention. He states that it is not simply part of a social movement to fight racism. It is rather a movement with no internal logic, its own vocabulary, history and conception of morality and law. He warns that it will disenfranchise the American Jewish community and sap Jewish pride.

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CAFÉ SHIRA

GENRE: FICTION

CAFÉ SHIRA by DAVID EHRLICH. Café Shira, a book presenting a satirical and fascinating picture of humanity in the heart of Jerusalem. The main characters’ stories are rooted in this café. Rutha, a weary waitress, Avigdor its owner, Naor, a writer in love with Rutha as well as Christian, a French tourist who wants to be a priest. This novel is not merely about a person but a venue and the varied lives of those who step through the café doors. Each section focuses on a patron, employee or even the author himself. This contemporary novel is interlaced with real life photos that impart a sense of place.

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THE COLLABORATORS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST/WORLD WAR II

THE COLLABORATORS by IAN BURUMA. A spellbinding account of three notorious World War II figures. Felix Kersten, Heinrich Himmler’s masseur and confidant who later presented himself as the resistance hero who convinced Himmler to save people from mass murder. Friedrich Weinreb, a Hasidic Jew who survived by informing the Nazis in Holland where Jews were hiding while collecting money from Jews with false promises for their safety. Kawashima Yoshiko, daughter of a Chinese aristocrat who dressed in men’s clothing and spied for the Japanese secret police in China. Buruma provides a captivating portrait of these “collaborators.”

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DAISY DE MELKER

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

DAISY DE MELKER by TED BOTHA. In this melting pot of early Johannesburg during the 1920’s and 1930’s Botha covers the story of the mysterious Daisy de Melker who was hanged for murdering her son and believed to have poisoned two husbands for their life insurance money. She was not suspected until twenty years after the murders and it led to one of South Africa’s most sensational trials. He includes murderers such as the Foster gang led by killer William Foster and Andrew Gibson who pretended to be a medical doctor. He expertly brings together famous writers of the era such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sarah Gertrude Millin.

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EVERYDAY HATE: How antisemitism is built into our world and how you can change it

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

EVERYDAY HATE: How antisemitism is built into our world and how you can change it by DAVE RICH. The author shows how this ancient prejudice continues to endure and how antisemitism whether in politics or music, theatre or sport is hard to avoid. Blending personal anecdotes, contemporary examples and historical insights, the author takes you on a journey through this contentious subject. At a time of economic and social turmoil fuelled by conspiracy theories on your smartphone or conflict in the Middle East antisemitism is back. The book challenges Jews to improve things and is a rallying call to action.

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ELIE WIESEL

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

ELIE WIESEL by JOSEPH BERGER. Journalist Berger reflects on how Wiesel, a soft-spoken man, became such an influential figure on the world stage. Drawing on Wiesel’s literary achievements and interviews with his friends, family, scholars and critics, Berger paints a portrait of the man who the Nobel Committee called “a messenger of mankind.” Berger explores Wiesel’s Hasidic childhood in Hungary, his postwar years spent rebuilding his life from the ashes in France and his transformation into a Parisian intellectual. He emerged as a spokesman for Holocaust survivors and persecuted peoples throughout the world.

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ENDLESS FLIGHT

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

ENDLESS FLIGHT by KEIRON PIM. The brilliant novelist Joseph Roth, author of the masterpiece The Radetzky March, was a chronicler of his time. Pim delivers a portrait of Roth’s restfulness and search for belonging and provides a riveting understanding of the brilliance of his work. He explores the role of his absent father and his attitude to Jewishness. Tragically in his last years he was exiled from Germany, his wife driven to an asylum and he died an alcoholic on the eve of World War II. Roth’s biography has relevance today not only in recognition of his works but because they speak powerfully to us in a time of uncertainty, fear ,refugee crises and ethno-nationalism.

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FALL IN LOVE WITH THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

FALL IN LOVE WITH THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION by URI LEVINE. Unicorns are companies that have reached a valuation of more than one billion dollars. The author has built two. As the co-founder of Waze, he is committed to spreading entrepreneurial thinking so that others in tech can build their own valued companies. He offers an inside look at the creation and sale of Waze as well as his other icon company revealing the formula that drove these companies to compete with industry veterans and giants alike. He offers mentorship to build a successful business.

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FIFTH AVENUE GLAMOUR GIRL

GENRE: FICTION

FIFTH AVENUE GLAMOUR GIRL by RENÉE ROSEN. In this captivating novel Renée Rosen takes the reader into the façade of iconic Estée Lauder from her origins to her rise. She vividly displays the elegance of the 1930’s and 1940’s cosmetic industry. When Gloria Downing needed to reinvent herself after a family scandal, she began working at Saks Fifth Avenue department store. Gloria had previously been a friend of Estée Lauder when she sold face creams in a beauty parlour. Gloria provided an opening for Estée to succeed in becoming a successful cosmetic legend. Renee Rosen has a gift for creating real and compelling characters.

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FROM THE VILNA GHETTO TO NUREMBERG

GENRE: HOLOCAUST/WORLD WAR II

FROM THE VILNA GHETTO TO NUREMBERG by ABRAHAM SUTZKEVER. Yiddish poet Sutzkever was one of only five Soviet witnesses to speak at the Nurenberg trials. The full account of his testimony as well as his memoir from the Vilna Ghetto is included. His aim was to help indict the perpetrators of war crimes and give an account of the horrific conditions under Nazi rule. He covers life in the ghetto including individual recollections with those of collective experiences. His measured style adds to the shock of reading harrowing material through the eyes of one survivor who attempted to make sense of daily life, resistance and death in the ghetto.

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DAVID LIKNAITZKY-Sculptor

GENRE: ART RELATED ADDITIONS TO THE GITLIN COLLECTION

DAVID LIKNAITZKY-Sculptor Part of a limited edition of books on renowned Johannesburg sculptor Liknaitzky who developed a technique to use anodised aluminium rods and beaten and patinated copper to assemble his pieces. He studied painting with Sydney Goldblatt but preferred using tools for his art. One of his pieces is found outside the Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Centre.

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PANIC ATTACKS IN PISTACHIO

GENRE: FICTION

PANIC ATTACKS IN PISTACHIO by HENRY ABRAMOVITCH. Written as a thriller and told in first person the story is based on the author’s experience as a Jungian analyst. A man who suffers from panic attacks comes to his regular therapy session and finds his doctor has died in her consulting room. He anxiously tries to find the cause of her death by contacting the other patients he found by violating her privacy and searching her notes. He discovers her double life, her involvement in the possible threat of mass destruction and the hidden connection between his panic attacks and pistachio ice cream. A compelling read.

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PARIS REQUIEM

GENRE: FICTION

PARIS REQUIEM by CHRIS LLOYD. A gripping World War II murder mystery set in Paris under Nazi occupation. Detective Eddie Giral struggles with his job as a policeman working under this regime. When he investigates the violent death of a man found in a closed jazz club, he finds that the victim Julot le Bavard has been tied to a chair with twine with his lips sewn shut. Julot was supposed to have been in prison. Soon Eddie leans that other criminals have been released but no one is saying on who’s authority or why. In addition Eddie is being monitored by German authorities who do not want him poking around in what is happening.

Latest Books for August 2023

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RABBI NOACH WEINBERG’S 48 WAYS TO WISDOM

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

RABBI NOACH WEINBERG’S 48 WAYS TO WISDOM by RABBI NOACH WEINBERG. In this book written by Rabbi Weinberg of blessed memory we read of his teachings of the 48 essential tools to acquire Torah. He offers guidelines to achieve success in all facets of our lives. How to achieve understanding of ourselves, how to harness the power of the ‘wow’ in life, how to maximize time and the secret of peace of mind and the power of joy. These pages will allow you to hear the voice of this exceptionally wise man. A candid incisive and groundbreaking insight into personal growth and development using ancient Jewish wisdom.

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A BANKER’S JOURNEY: How Edmond J. Safra built a global financial empire

GENRE: BIOGRAPHIES

A BANKER’S JOURNEY: How Edmond J. Safra built a global financial empire by DANIEL GROSS. Historian Gross traces Edmond Safar’s exceptional life. He tracks his remarkable journey from the Jewish quarter of Beirut to Milan at the age of fifteen and then to Geneva and New York. Edmond was fluent in six languages and in perpetual motion until his tragic death in 1999. His traditional old -world belief that a banker must protect his depositors led to his success as he founded four financial institutions on three continents. He continued to champion his Sephardic roots throughout his life. Gross presents the achievements of this intensely private man.

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THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE

GENRE: FICTION

THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE by BRENDA JANOWITZ. When successful caterer Emma Jansen discovers that the Long Island estate where she grew up was to be demolished, she returns for one last visit. Her mother and father worked for the owners of the estate and lived above the garage like Audrey Hepburn’s character in the film Sabrina. The family’s grandson Henry and their driver’s son Leo became her best friends. As plans for the property are put into motion the three are together for the first time in a decade. When a shattering secret is revealed about her own family, she needs to decide about her future.

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CODED HISTORY: My life of new beginnings

GENRE: FASCINATING NEW BOOKS GENEROUSLY DONATED TO THE GITLIN

CODED HISTORY: My life of new beginnings by BARRY DWOLATZKY.

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THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS

GENRE: FICTION

THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS by KITTY ZELDIS. A mesmerizing historical novel about three women in 1920’s New York and the secrets they kept. Beatrice arrived from New Orleans to establish a chic dress shop with Alice, her orphaned teenage ward. Catherine Berrill, a wealthy socialite who is desperately trying to conceive, lives in the same vicinity. Their lives intertwine and Zeldis skilfully carries the reader from Brooklyn Heights in 1924 back to New Orleans in 1898 and Russia between 1878 and 1896. Each character depicts the hardships they endured during this era which still remain today.

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FOOD MEMORIES: the cookbook

GENRE: FASCINATING NEW BOOKS GENEROUSLY DONATED TO THE GITLIN

FOOD MEMORIES: the cookbook by DR LINDA GREENWALL.

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I WILL FIND YOU

GENRE: FICTION

I WILL FIND YOU by HARLAN COBEN. This gripping thriller filled with lies, deception and secrets takes you into the life of David Burroughs. He has been serving a sentence in prison for the murder of his three-year-old son Matthew. When he is visited by his former wife’s sister Rachel his world is upended. She showed him a photograph taken at an amusement park in which there appears to be an eight-year-old boy who resembles Matthew with the same birthmark. Could he still be alive and was David wrongly convicted. To possibly save his son and prove his innocence he needs to risk everything and escape from prison.

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IMPOSSIBLE TAKES LONGER

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

IMPOSSIBLE TAKES LONGER by DANIEL GORDIS. The author writes a seminal work on the State of Israel including its history and accomplishments. He explores ideas about security and the Israeli military, the relationship between Israel and Palestinians and neighbouring Arab states, Israel as both a democracy and theocracy and Israel’s relationship with Diasporan Jewry. The last section deals with Israel as a humanitarian state. Organized thematically around each section of the Declaration, the book covers different sections of Israel’s past. An insightful read showing how Herzl’s dream has been fulfilled.

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LIVING EMUNAH 3

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

LIVING EMUNAH 3 by RABBI DAVID ASHEAR. This book guides us on the marvellous and rewarding path of Emunah which replaces anxiety with optimism and grants us serenity in place of fear. Each segment melds classic Torah understanding of faith with our daily encounters using stories and the wisdom of the Sages. It reinforces and deepens our understanding of Hashem’s love for us in all times and situations. Through Emunah we transform our relationships with others eliminating jealousy, anger as well as frustration. Rabbi Ashear gives us the inspiration and understanding to go on this journey.

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ORGANIZED MIND

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

ORGANIZED MIND by DANIEL LEVITIN. The author seeks to help the reader understand and grapple with a world filled with more information than we can remember or process. He uses the latest brain science to demonstrate how one can use methods to gain mastery over the way to organize your home, workplace and time. He reveals how the new research into the cognitive neuroscience of attention and memory can be applied to the challenges of daily life with lively entertaining chapters on everything from the kitchen junk drawer to health care and executive office workflow.

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THE POSTCARD

GENRE: FICTION

THE POSTCARD by ANNE BEREST. In 2003 when Anne was 24 her mother Léila received a cryptic postcard containing the names of four relatives who died in the Holocaust. The postcard remained an enigma until 10 years later when Anne decided to learn more about her roots. Using flashbacks sparked by Léila, Berest builds an account of her great grandparents whose names were on the postcard with two of their children. They had fled to Paris from four countries in 1929. What she discovers using a private eye and graphologist to trace the fate of her family shatters her certainties about her country and herself.

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SIMPLY LIES

GENRE: FICTION

SIMPLY LIES by DAVID BALDACCI. A standalone thriller about an ex-cop, Mickey Gibson, who is drawn into a murder investigation. Mickey now works for a global investigation company called ProEye. Her world is shattered when she is asked by Arlene Robinson, who claims to be working for Mickey’s boss, to visit the home of a notorious arms dealer. On arrival she finds the decomposing body of an elderly man and becomes herself a person of interest in his death. ProEye have never heard of Arlene. As she tries to clear her name Mickey is drawn into the shadowy plot of the woman calling herself Arlene. Twists abound throughout.

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SYNAGOGUES of SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: Architecture ● History ● Communities

GENRE: FASCINATING NEW BOOKS GENEROUSLY DONATED TO THE GITLIN

SYNAGOGUES of SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: Architecture ● History ● Communities by JAY A. WARONKER.

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WINNIE AND NELSON

GENRE: BIOGRAPHIES

WINNIE AND NELSON by JONNY STEINBERG. A well-researched account by journalist Steinberg of Nelson Mandela’s relationship with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. He recreates the political and private lives of both. During his years in prison Nelson lived with the idealized version of his wife. However, Winnie, his political equal, became estranged from his politics. She tried to orchestrate an armed seizure of power. Soon after his release they divorced but were both emotionally scarred by the complexity of their time together. A wonderful portrait of these two people told with emotional insight.

Latest Books for July 2023

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THE JEWISH WORLD OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON

GENRE: HISTORY

THE JEWISH WORLD OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON by ANDREW PORWANCHER. When Hamilton became a well-loved American musical there were rumours that its title character had been born a Jew. This book uncovers the question of his Jewish background by telling the reader about Hamilton’s upbringing and his principles and practices as an important figure in America’s founding generation. Porwancher traces the life of his mother Rachel who converted to Judaism upon marriage and maintained her Jewish identity even after her divorce. An intriguing history of Jews in the early American republic.

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BIBI

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

BIBI by BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. In his new biography Netanyahu writes from the heart. The prime minister tells the story of his family, his path to leadership and his commitment to defending the country and securing its future. Through vivid anecdotes he narrates his own evolution from soldier to statesman while providing a perspective on his leadership including turning Israel’s economy into a powerhouse of technological innovation. He shares accounts of his often-turbulent relationships with Clinton, Obama, and Trump. A wealth of detail awaits any reader interested in Israel’s recent history.

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BREACH: HOW THE NEXT GENERATION ARE CONSCIOUSLY DISRUPTING THE WORLD

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

BREACH: HOW THE NEXT GENERATION ARE CONSCIOUSLY DISRUPTING THE WORLD by Ronen Aires.

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CONJECTURES: LIVING WITH QUESTIONS

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

CONJECTURES: LIVING WITH QUESTIONS by James Leatt.

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CRAZY TO LEAVE YOU

GENRE: FICTION

CRAZY TO LEAVE YOU by MARILYN SIMON ROTHSTEIN. Forty-one-year-old Lauren Leo is about to be married but the groom leaves her at the altar. She felt he was her last chance to find happiness. In the aftermath she is surrounded by her mother who is obsessed with Lauren’s weight and her perfect sister Stephanie. Things become more complicated when her sister Margo, who has been estranged from the family, lands up on her doorstep. Lauren returns to her advertising career. She now needs to confront her relationships to food and identity to measure love and success in a new way.

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FLOWER OF VLORA

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

FLOWER OF VLORA by ANNA KOHEN. The book deals with Kohen’s personal experiences with her family growing up in communist Albania who were saved from the Holocaust by the Albanian people during World War II. Anna’s family had fortunately moved from Greece to Albania before the war and when the Nazis took over, they were hidden among Muslim Albanians in mountain villages. Later the book details her accomplishments in Greece and the United States. Flower of Vlora tells of Anna’s rise from poverty to achieve success. She describes Greek food, customs, and Greek Jewish practices in her full and detailed memoir.

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HARRY OPPENHEIMER: DIAMONDS, GOLD AND DYNASTY

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

HARRY OPPENHEIMER: DIAMONDS, GOLD AND DYNASTY by Dr Michael Cardo.

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THE HYACINTH GIRL

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

THE HYACINTH GIRL by LYNDALL GORDON. The author draws on dramatic new material of the recently unsealed letters which T.S. Eliot wrote to his muse Emily Hale his “Hyacinth Girl”. Lyndall also offers insight into the other women who shaped his life: Vivienne his flamboyant wife; Mary Trevelyan, his companion and Valerie Fletcher his young disciple to whom he proposed when his relationship with Emily floundered. Eliot kept these women in his life separate, yet each ignited his transformation as poet, convert and finally a man ‘made for love’.

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I AM ELLA: A REMARKABLE STORY OF SURVIVAL, FROM AUSCHWITZ TO AFRICA

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

I AM ELLA: A REMARKABLE STORY OF SURVIVAL, FROM AUSCHWITZ TO AFRICA by Joanne Jowell.

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LIVE RIGHT FOR YOUR REMEDY TYPE: OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH WITH DIET AND LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR YOUR TYPE

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

LIVE RIGHT FOR YOUR REMEDY TYPE: OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH WITH DIET AND LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR YOUR TYPE by Gabrielle Traub.

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Ms DEMEANOR

GENRE: FICTION

Ms DEMEANOR by ELINOR LIPMAN. Jane Morgan was a valued member of a Manhattan law firm until she was seen having sex on the roof of her apartment. After the police were summoned, she was sentenced to six months of home confinement. When the doorman let slip that Jane was not the only resident wearing an ankle monitor, she began a friendship with fellow white collar felon Perry Salisbury. As she adapts to life within her apartment walls, she discovers that her tell-tale neighbour has been murdered. She realises that her house arrest may have been a silver lining. A charming social commentary.

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RETURNING FROM SILENCE

GENRE: HISTORY

RETURNING FROM SILENCE by MICHÉLE SARDE. Born in Brittany on the threshold of World War 11, Sarde knew very little about her origins. After her mother Jenny shared their family history, she decided to reconstruct Jenny’s journey including her exile from Salonica, her move to Paris in 1921 and assimilation in France. The Nazi invasion forced her family to hide and conceal their Jewish identity. Sarde reaches into Jewish history opening with the expulsion of Jews from Spain and settlement in Salonica where Sephardic culture flourished for four centuries. A poignant family recollection combining fiction with research.

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THE ROMANOVS

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

THE ROMANOVS by SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE. Biographer Montefiore has written a scholarly work on the Romanovs, the most successful dynasty of modern times who ruled for three centuries. This is the intimate story of twenty tsars and tsarinas, some touched by genius, others by madness but all inspired by holy autocracy and imperial ambition. The author reveals their secret world of unlimited power and ruthless empire building, overshadowed by place conspiracy, family rivalries, sexual preferences, and extravagance. A portrayal of how jealousy to guard power knew no bounds.

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A SMALL TOWN IN THE UKRAINE

GENRE: HISTORY

A SMALL TOWN IN THE UKRAINE by BERNARD WASSERSTEIN. Historian Wasserstein has written a family biography of the violence, injustice and trauma suffered by his family at the hands of the Nazis. His grandparents and aunt were forced to dig their own graves and shot. He attempts to understand it as he examines the small town of Krakowiec and its inhabitants. He traces its recorded history across centuries of religious and political conflict. After 1945, according to Soviet records, just one Jew survived in Krakowiec. As a historian Wasserstein takes a concerned view of the Ukraine today.

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SURFING RABBI: A KABBALISTIC QUEST FOR SOUL

GENRE: LATEST BOOKS DONATED TO THE GITLIN BY THEIR AUTHORS

SURFING RABBI: A KABBALISTIC QUEST FOR SOUL by Nachum Shifren.

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THE SURVIVOR

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE SURVIVOR by JOSEF LEWKOWICZ. Following the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, Josef and his father were separated from their family and sent to Kraków-Plaszów concentration camp. Thereafter he was imprisoned in six notorious Nazi concentration camps. By the end of the war, he was the sole survivor of his family. Alone in the world in a Displaced Person’s camp he was recruited to be an intelligence officer for the US Army to search for Nazis in hiding. Josef played a crucial role in bringing to justice his greatest tormentor Amon Góth. He then committed his life to helping the orphaned children of the Holocaust rebuild their lives.

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UNNATURAL HISTORY

GENRE: FICTION

UNNATURAL HISTORY by JONATHAN KELLERMAN. A woman finds her boyfriend, the son of a millionaire, with three bullet holes in his chest. The victim was about to give a photographic show of his latest project called The Wishers. He took images of homeless people enacting their unfulfilled fantasies. There are some who view this as exploitation as he paid them token amounts of money. Detective Milo Sturgis and his friend psychologist Alex Delaware are asked to give insights into this bizarre murder. When there are further murders, they begin to peel back the layers of intrigue in this unsettling case of altruism gone wrong.

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UNTHINKABLE

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

UNTHINKABLE by JAMIE RASKIN. Congressman Jamie Raskin discusses the convergence of personal and public trauma. The book has three strands. The first looks back on the political experiences of his father in the time of John Kennedy’s party. He left government in opposition to the nuclear arms race. More saddening is the suicide of his son, a brilliant Harvard law student who suffered from depression. Not too long after this the violent insurrection fuelled by Donald Trump in the Capitol which led to the impeachment effort to hold Trump accountable. Raskin shares stories never told before.

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THE VILLAGE IDIOT

GENRE: FICTION

THE VILLAGE IDIOT by STEVE STERN. A richly colourful novel on real life artist Chaim Soutine. He was born in a Belarusian town and nicknamed ‘village idiot’. Stern shares Soutine’s genius and drive for creativity that persisted throughout his life. He focuses on his adventures and romances as well as his unlikely friendships. Stern depicts him as a man who fled his grim shtetl life, remained non-observant for decades until he realised in Vichy Paris “I am a Yid again.” The tribe he thought he left behind caught up with him once more. Stern shares this artist’s extraordinary life as a gifted Jewish refugee.

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WOMAN BEYOND THE SEA

GENRE: FICTION

WOMAN BEYOND THE SEA by SARIT YISHAI -LEVI. A historical novel connecting the troubled lives of a mother and daughter in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur war. After Eliya’s husband Ari rejects her, she returns to her parents’ house in Tel Aviv and attempts suicide. She survives but part of her recovery requires her to explore her strained relationship with her mother Lily. Lily was left at an orphanage in Jerusalem as a newly born baby in 1927. Yishai-Levi delivers a narrative of multiple generations beginning with one by Eliya before transitioning to other family members with looming family secrets and losses.

Latest Books for June 2023

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BLOOD AND SILVER

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

BLOOD AND SILVER by JAN GLAZEWSKI

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CITY OF VENGEANCE

GENRE: FICTION

CITY OF VENGEANCE by D.V. BISHOP. In Renaissance Florence a prominent Jewish moneylender is murdered in his home. Cesara Aldo, a former soldier and now officer of the criminal court is given four days to solve the murder or suffer the consequences. During his investigation he uncovers a plot to overthrow the ruler, Alessandro de’ Medici. In addition, another rival officer of the court is determined to expose details about Aldo’s private life that could lead to his ruin. The dominant theme arising is the lies men tell to others and themselves. Bishop paints an impressive portrait of city’s history and beauty.

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CODE NAME SAPPHIRE

GENRE: FICTION

CODE NAME SAPPHIRE by PAM JENOFF. In another powerful novel Jenoff writes about Hannah Martel who escaped Nazi Germany in 1942 after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship to America is turned back, she has to go to her cousin Lily and family in Brussels. Desperate to leave occupied Europe she returns to her dangerous underground work joining the Sapphire Line, a resistance network rescuing downed Allied pilots. However, when Lily’s family face deportation to Auschwitz she is torn between her loyalties to the movement and her family. A story showing the resilience of women.

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EDDA MUSSOLINI

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

EDDA MUSSOLINI by CAROLINE MOOREHEAD

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HAZANA

GENRE: COOKING/BIOGRAPHY

HAZANA by PAOLA GAVIN. Reminiscent of writers such as Claudia Roden, Gavin provides background to her recipes sourced from twenty countries. Jewish culinary heritage stems from hundreds of years of migration. She explains that Jewish vegetarianism dates back to the Garden of Eden and that the diet of ancient Nomadic Israelites was predominantly vegetarian. With colourful food photography and meticulous researched narrative Gavin examines the subtle differences and genesis of dishes in the regions from Israel through Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Italy and beyond.

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IMMORTAL

GENRE: MUSIC/BEETHOVEN

IMMORTAL by JESSICA DUCHEN. After Beethoven’s death a love letter was discovered in his writing addressed to his “Immortal Beloved.” Decades later Countess Therese Brunsvik claimed to have been this. In this compelling fictionalized love story leading music critic, Jessica Duchen has investigated this. Her novel is based on historically documented events and personalities. In her vivid narrative she introduces the many people Beethoven knew, his later compositions and all the venues he used in Vienna and central Europe.

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KOSHERSOUL

GENRE: COOKING/BIOGRAPHY

KOSHERSOUL by MICHAEL W. TWITTY. Black, Jewish and gay culinary historian Twitty’s newest book is about African Jewish cooking and identity. He has not written about Black food but Jewish food. He explores how food has shaped the journeys of numerous cooks including his own passage to and within Judaism. He offers a rich background for inventive recipes and the people who create them. Through interviews, oral histories, personal anecdotes, recipes and advise he details how Black and Jewish food traditions have overlapped, influenced and mirrored one another throughout history.

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THE LOVE SCRIBE

GENRE: FICTION

THE LOVE SCRIBE by AMY MEYERSON. A charming novel about a woman with a special gift. Her stories help people fall in love. When Alice’s best friend Gabby faces a breakup, she writes a story to cheer her up. While Gabby is reading this in a café, she meets a man of her dreams. Word of mouth spreads amongst Gabby’s friends, family and even strangers and soon Alice is asked to write each one their unique story. Things change when she is summoned to a mansion in the woods to meet Madeline Alger, a recluse who has a mysterious library. As she struggles to write a story for Madeline, she is forced to confront her own guarded heart.

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OVERTURE OF HOPE

GENRE: HOLOCAUST/HISTORY

OVERTURE OF HOPE by ISABEL VINCENT. Ida and Louise Cook were two British sisters whose passion for opera took them to Germany and Austria in the 1930’s. As war appeared to be imminent the Jewish stars of opera faced a dark future. Along with Austrian conductor Clemens Krauss these middle-aged spinsters were able to rescue Jews in the opera from a horrific fate. By the time war broke out the Cooks rescued over two dozen Jewish men and woman by sending them safely to England and preserved opera they loved for another generation. A moving well researched history of courage and commitment.

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SIGNAL FIRES

GENRE: FICTION

SIGNAL FIRES by DANI SHAPIRO. The book opens in 1985 when three teenagers who have been drinking get behind the wheel of a car and in an instant everything changes on Division Street. Each of their lives including that of Ben Wilf, a young doctor, who arrives on the scene is shattered. For the Wilf family this will become a deep secret which may never be spoken about. The story moves in time to when Dr Wilf is retired and a young couple move in with their son Waldo. The doctor and the boy share a connection through Waldo’s love of constellations. This novel examines the ties that bind families together.

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THE GOOD LIFE

GENRE: NON-FICTION

THE GOOD LIFE by ROBERT WALDINGER & MARC SCHULZ. In this captivating book psychiatrist Waldinger and clinical psychologist Schulz discuss the ingredients for lasting happiness. They have studied the lifetimes of hundreds of individuals across the 20th and 21st centuries. The major lesson perceived by the authors is the overriding importance of interpersonal relationships throughout the lifespan. The book narrates episodes from the struggles and triumphs of their participants. A good life is not devoid of disappointments, failures and struggles.

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TODAY A WOMAN WENT MAD IN THE SUPERMARKET

GENRE: FICTION

TODAY A WOMAN WENT MAD IN THE SUPERMARKET by HILMA WOLITZER. This collection of short stories includes those published in the 1960’s and 1970’s alongside Wolitzer’s later writing. In the title story a bystander tries to soothe a woman who appears to have cracked under the pressures of motherhood. In several linked stories the relationship between the narrator and her husband unfolds in hilarious vignettes. Her thirteen stories brilliantly capture the tensions and contradictions of daily life. Written with wit and her observant eye she includes a relevant pandemic masterpiece.

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UNCLE CHARLIE KILLED DUTCH SCHULTZ

GENRE: NON-FICTION

UNCLE CHARLIE KILLED DUTCH SCHULTZ by ALAN GEIK. The Geiks were not your typical Bronx working class Jewish family. In his memoir Alan chronicles his family’s close ties to Jewish gangsters. The father ran a mob protected trucking company in Manhattan’s garment district. One brother, a NYPD detective, chauffeured organized crime couriers around the city with illicit cash. The mob had the biggest cash flow business in the American history of organized crime. The book explores how Jewish mobsters beat up American pro Nazis and helped a fledgling Israel acquire arms for its war of Independence.

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WHITE COATS IN THE GHETTO

GENRE: HOLOCAUST/HISTORY

WHITE COATS IN THE GHETTO by MIRIAM OFFER. The author narrates the struggle of the Jews to survive in the Warsaw ghetto during the Holocaust. Based on official and personal documents, Offer describes the elaborate medical system that the Jews established in the ghetto to cope with the lethal conditions imposed by the Nazis and the tragic ethical dilemmas that the medical teams confronted. The book traces the actions of about 800 brave Jewish physicians and other practitioners. They conducted unique research and established a medical school to train a new generation of Jewish physicians.

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WHY BEETHOVEN

GENRE: MUSIC/BEETHOVEN

WHY BEETHOVEN by NORMAN LEBRECHT. Through 100 recordings, Lebrecht brings this composer to life as never seen before. He was unruly and offensive in so much of his life yet so devoted to his art. He conquered his deafness to pen masterpieces. An unpredicted genius who stretched what music could do to breaking point. In his unique examination Lebrecht attempts to understand the power of this man through his compositions, the history of who has performed them and what his music has meant to generations of audiences. Lambrecht encompasses the energy of this singular genius.

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WORLD SHADOW

GENRE: FICTION

WORLD SHADOW by NIR BARAM. Israeli writer Baram has written a fast-paced novel about politics and corruption. In the 1990’s Gavriel Mansour wants to take advantage of business opportunities in Israel. Moving in political and financial circles he reaches upper levels to find that he does not understand the intrigues involved. The book moves to the present when homeless and unemployed Londoners are striking against globalisation and inequality. The veil is drawn back to reveal the true nature of an American political consulting firm. Baram interweaves narrative strands with global perspectives.

Latest Books for May 2023

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THE 12TH COMMANDMENT

GENRE: FICTION

THE 12TH COMMANDMENT by DANIEL TORDAY. The author dives into the beliefs of an imaginary Jewish cult. They live outside Ohio and are religious, heavily armed and follow their prophet Natan of Flatbush. The brutal murder of Natan’s teenage son throws their tight community into turmoil when Nate is jailed for this crime. When Zeke Leger, a writer, arrives from New York he becomes intrigued by the case. His college girlfriend Johanna was the prosecutor. Before long Zeke becomes entangled in the conflict between the cult, suspicious locals, Joanna and the law. This has dangerous implications for him.

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A BRILLIANT COMMODITY

GENRE: NON-FICTION/HOLOCAUST

A BRILLIANT COMMODITY by SASKIA COENEN SNYDER. The book begins with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, South Africa from where 50 million carats of diamonds were shipped via Cape Town to London. The diamond industry then flourished in Amsterdam where they were cut, polished and set into jewellery and finally to the Diamond District of New York City. She traces how the once peripheral Jewish population became central to this new global exchange. Snyder brings to life the enterprising people who made this commodity a luxury by the twenty-first century illuminating the cultural impact of Jews and diamonds.

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THE GIRL WHO COUNTED NUMBERS

GENRE: FICTION

THE GIRL WHO COUNTED NUMBERS by ROSLYN BERNSTEIN. In this well researched historical novel Susan Reich, a seventeen-year-old American goes to Israel to find her missing uncle Yakov Reich. He stayed behind when her father and his family left Poland for the US in 1920. After the Nazis arrived in 1939 there was no contact. While trying to find her uncle with the Adolf Eichmann trial in the background, she gets involved in the political struggles of the moment. Roslyn used her time spent in Jerusalem in 1961 listening to the stories of immigrants and survivors and this has provided her inspiration.

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INVISIBLE INK

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

INVISIBLE INK by GUY STERN. The biography of Stern’s rich and varied life. The author gave much credit to his father’s profound words: “You have to be like invisible ink.” He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust and immigrated to the US at fifteen. After his graduation he was selected along with other German speaking immigrants, for a special military intelligence unit known as the Ritchie Boys whose primary job was to interrogate Nazi prisoners often on the front lines. His early anecdotes give the book quality and quiet gravitas .Each chapter of the book marks a pivotal moment in his life.

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LECH

GENRE: FICTION

LECH by SARA LIPPMANN. In her debut novel Lippmann entwines the lives of her characters over the course of summer in Sullivan County. Lech is Ira Lecher a sixty-six-year-old divorcé who lives up to his name. He rents out a room to visitors in his house on Murmur Lake where a woman drowned years previously. His current tenant is a young woman Beth fleeing New York City with her young son. Integral to the story is Noreen an estate agent and her daughter Paige. Thrown into the mix is the young grief stricken Hasidic son of the woman who lost her life there. The storyline unfolds in brief chapters alternating the views of each character.

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MEAN BABY

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

MEAN BABY by SELMA BLAIR. Born near Detroit in 1972 Blair earned the nickname “mean baby” due to her expression at birth. She lived up to this reputation behaving dramatically to be the centre of attention. Although she went on to be a Hollywood actress and model, she could never overlook the dark periods of her life. In her memoir she shares her addiction to alcohol, devotion to her brilliant and complicated mother and the moments she toyed with death. Finally, the gift of motherhood followed by the devastation and surprising salvation of multiple sclerosis. Original and moving.

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OVERBOARD

GENRE: FICTION

OVERBOARD by SARA PARETSKY. Detective V. I. Warshawski discovers a badly injured teenage girl hiding in the rocks alongside Lake Michigan. The girl regains consciousness and only murmurs one word, nagyi. She escapes from hospital before anyone can discover her identity. As V.I. Warshawski attempts to find her she discovers an ugly consortium of Chicago mobsters who prey on the weak and vulnerable. They were prepared to kill the girl and now Warshawski’s own life is placed in jeopardy. Another thriller by this New York times bestselling author.

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REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST IN A RACIAL STATE: Holocaust memory in South Africa from Apartheid to democracy (1948-1994)

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READ

REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST IN A RACIAL STATE: Holocaust memory in South Africa from Apartheid to democracy (1948-1994) by RONI MIKEL-ARIELI. The book traces the responses to the Holocaust among all sections of South Africa’s political and social spectrum.

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SEARCHING FOR PAPA’S SECRET IN HITLER’S BERLIN

GENRE: NON-FICTION/HOLOCAUST

SEARCHING FOR PAPA’S SECRET IN HITLER’S BERLIN by EGONNE ROTH. A moving journey of discovery by Israeli -South African `author Egonne Roth. She grew up unaware of her Jewish roots until being handed documents after the death of her father In Cape town by her stepfamily. On a feminist level it is the personal journey of a father-daughter relationship. Using scraps of documents and accounts of witnesses she pieces together her father’s history and how he survived in Germany living as a half Jew. As she continues her memoir we read of secrets and traumas hidden from her for decades as well as her own life experiences.

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THE STATE OF DARK

GENRE: NON-FICTION/HOLOCAUST

THE STATE OF DARK by JUDITH MOK. A moving memoir of Judith born in Holland to Holocaust survivors with no extended family. She trained as a classical singer with the German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Only years later she learnt of Elisabeth’s collaboration with the Nazi regime as well as her being the mistress of Hans Frank, “the butcher of Poland”. She entertained German troops while Judith’s family were murdered in Auschwitz. A chance phone call from her Dublin home in 2017 led her to discover her family’s terrible fate.

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STAY AWAKE

GENRE: FICTION

STAY AWAKE by MEGAN GOLDIN. Liv Reese wakes up in a taxi with no idea of where she is. When dropped at her apartment a stranger answers the door and forces her out. She finds a bloodstained knife in her pocket and her hands are covered in black pen with a message Stay Awake. On seeing the news, she sees a report of a crime scene with the same message written in the victim’s blood. Two years previously she was working for a trendy magazine in Manhattan. Trying to piece the fragments of her life together she knows there is someone out there who will do anything to make her forget permanently.

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WHEN FRANNY STANDS UP

GENRE: FICTION

WHEN FRANNY STANDS UP by EDEN ROBINS. Franny Steinberg knows there is magic in laughter. While most men in Chicago are fighting World War 11 the women are taking care of the city. After Franny watches a female comedian in a club she decides to become one herself even though her family expect her to marry and have children. Transforming into a comedian as Peggy Blake she is determined to use her brother’s trauma as POW as well as her rape by a close family friend as material albeit taboo subjects. Now she has the power to change everything for herself, her audience and the people who need it most.

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A YEAR WITH MARTIN BUBER

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

A YEAR WITH MARTIN BUBER by RABBI DENNIS ROSS. This is the first Torah commentary to focus on Martin Buber’s life’s work – we experience fifty-four weekly Torah portions and eleven Jewish holidays through Buber’s eyes. He demonstrates Buber’s roots in Jewish thought and explains the broader scope of his life and work. Rabbi Ross sets his words in context with Buber’s remarkable life story, Hasidic tales and writing. A wide variety of anecdotal illustrations from Buber and Rabbi Ross’s life encourages the reader to seek out spirituality “hiding in plain sight” and to “hallow the everyday.”

Latest Books for April 2023

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ARTISTS UNDER FIRE

GENRE: JEWISH IDENTITY

ARTISTS UNDER FIRE by LANA MELMAN. In this researched book Lana puts BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on trial. She exposes their strategy of using celebrities as pawns. Through downright lies the movement stops artists with international reputations from performing in Israel. Their objective is clear and through intense pressure the have stopped artist’s performing for Israeli audiences. The 2019 Eurovision contest was a triumph against BDS as it was held in Israel and numerous world-famous artists refused to be persuaded not to attend. Musicians and celebrities such as Ziggy Marley, Jay Leno, Michael Bublé, Michael Douglas, Helen Mirren, Minnie Driver and others refuse to be cowed. Lana exposes how BDS masquerades as a human rights movement.

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ASHES IN THE SNOW

GENRE: FICTION

ASHES IN THE SNOW by ORIANA RAMUNNO. In 1943 criminologist Hugo Fischer is dispatched to Auschwitz to investigate the murder of an SS officer. Although he has heard things in Berlin about the camp he is unprepared for what he finds there. He is a reluctant member of the Nazi party and when he encounters a young Jewish boy whose twin brother has not been spared Dr Mengele’s experimentation becomes his unlikely ally his task becomes more difficult. In this barbaric place he begins to gather clues and is determined not to be defeated in his investigation which is made difficult by hostile nurses and doctors. Will he make it out alive?

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AUTHENTICITY

GENRE: JEWISH IDENTITY

AUTHENTICITY by ALICE SHERWOOD. In her illuminating and thought provoking book Sherwood discusses how we live in an age when the pursuit of authenticity - from living our 'best life' to eating artisan food - matters more and more to us, but where the forces of inauthenticity seem to be taking over. People and products are often not what they seem. We no longer know whether we are talking to a person or a machine. Sherwood argues that although our counterfeit culture is shaped by the most powerful forces of evolution, economics, and technology, we can still come together to reclaim reality.

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BAD JEWS

GENRE: JEWISH IDENTITY

BAD JEWS by EMILY TAMKIN. The author examines Jewish identity over the last 100 years using over 150 interviews. She tracks the evolution of Jewishness exploring many evolving and conflicting Jewish opinions on assimilation; race; Zionism and Israel; politics and philanthropy. There are several million people who identify as American Jews but this does not mean that they identify with one another. Many Jews use the term “Bad Jew” as a weapon against other members of the community or amongst themselves. The one truth about Jewish identity is that it is always changing.

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CITIZEN 865

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

CITIZEN 865 by DEBBIE CENZIPER. In 1990, a Nazi roster from 1945, was found in an archive in Prague containing 700 names behind the most lethal killing operation-an SS training camp for mass murder in the tiny village of Trawniki. Citizen 865 chronicles the journey of two Jewish orphans who outran the men of Trawniki to settle in America only to find their captors had followed. The gripping story of a team of Nazi hunters at the U.S. Department of Justice as they raced against time to expose and hold accountable members of this brutal SS killing force who disappeared into America after World War II.

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THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT

GENRE: FICTION

THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT by LYNDA COHEN LOIGMAN. In her latest book the author maintains her historical approach but also takes on a contemporary lens. The chapters alternate between two narrators: Sara, a young immigrant woman who serves as a matchmaker on the Lower East Side around World War 1 and her granddaughter, Abby who works for a corporate law firm in the 1990’s which specializes in divorce. Tougher their opponent professions and world views weave a fascinating narrative about the “gift” of matchmaking. Famous couples discussed in the book are based on documented real relationships forged by an Orthodox Jewish grandmother. A vision of how one generation can affect another through shared stories and connections.

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MIXED

GENRE: ADDITIONAL FICTION

MIXED by TAMAR HODES. Sisters Ruth and Miriam Green have different stances on Judaism and living a Jewish life.

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MOVIELAND

GENRE: FICTION

MOVIELAND by LEE GOLDBERG. In another case homicide detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone are assigned the investigation of the murder of activist blogger Zena Faust. This took place in Malibu Creek State Park and as there were seven other victims over the last fourteen months and top officials fail to see the link they decide to investigate despite any resistance When a city councillor is shot dead outside the park they are determined to pursue the investigation even though it may be prove detrimental to Eve’s safety as she had been personally targeted since her time at the Lost Hills station.

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THE MYTH OF NORMAL

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

THE MYTH OF NORMAL by GABOR MATÉ. Having four decades of clinical experience, renowned physician and addiction expert Dr Gabor Maté has seen how health systems neglect the role that trauma exerts on our bodies and minds. Medicine often fails to treat the whole person, ignoring our current stresses which burden our immune systems and undermines emotional balance. Filled with stories of people who are ill or are recovering this is a life affirming book which proves that health is possible of we can reconnect with each other and our authentic selves.

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THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM

GENRE: ISRAEL

THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM by PNINA LAHAV. A feminist biography of the only woman to become prime minister of Israel. This book focuses on Meir’s full identity as a woman, Jew, Zionist leader and founders of Israel. Lahav reassess her decision to separate from her husband and leave her children in the care of others. Lahav looks at the challenges that beset he premiership especially after the Yom Kippur war which led to her resignation and withdrawal from politics as well as her complex relationship with the Israeli and American feminist movements. A new account of Meir’s life illuminating the challenges that women face as they ascend in a male -dominated field.

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RANGE

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

RANGE by DAVID EPSTEIN. The author examines the world’s most successful athletes, musicians, inventors and scientists. He discovered that in most fields those that find their path late and juggle more interests are more likely to succeed. The most impactful inventors’ cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. He contrasts the career trajectories of Tiger Woods and Roger Federer. Tiger began training as a golfer before he was one and Federer only gravitated towards tennis in his teens. This late start did not impede his development and later accomplishments. A fresh look at creativity and the meaning of achievement.

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SAM

GENRE: ADDITIONAL FICTION

SAM by ALLEGRA GOODMAN. An empathetic portrait of an unforgettable girl making her way in this tricky world summoning the wisdom to grow up.

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SHE’S UP TO NO GOOD

GENRE: FICTION

SHE’S UP TO NO GOOD by SARA GOODMAN CONFINO. Told in dual timelines this book features Evelyn in the 1950’s and in the present with her granddaughter Jenna. Evelyn fell in love with a man Tony who was not Jewish and after the Holocaust her parents did not approve. He was the love of her life. When Jenna is in the middle of a divorce the quirky Evelyn asks her to accompany her on a trip home. There Jenna meets Tony’s great nephew, and a new friendship evolves for heartbroken Jenna. The scenes between Jenna and Evelyn are superb as Jenna finds out the secrets and truths of Evelyn’s past. Both hilarious and heart breaking.

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SISTERS IN RESISTANCE

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

SISTERS IN RESISTANCE by TILAR J. MAZZEO. In 1944 news of the secret diaries kept by Italy’s foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano about Hitler’s inner circle became known. When he was imprisoned Mussolini’s daughter Edda gave Hitler and her father an ultimatum to release her husband Galeazzo from prison or risk his journals being shared. A German spy Hilde Beetz was deployed to seduce Ciano and find these. However, she joined forces with Edda to carry out Ciano’s final wish to give these documents to the allies. When American spymaster Allen Dulles learnt of Edda’s escape, he sent Frances De Chollet to engage with Edda so the Americans could receive these papers. With Edda, Hilde and Frances’s involvement convictions at Nuremberg were made possible.

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THE PLOT

GENRE: FICTION

THE PLOT by JEAN HANFF KORELITZ. Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising novelist with a bestselling book. Today he in teaching in a third-rate creative writing program and has not written for years. When an arrogant student Evan Parker announces that he needs no help with the plot of his book and tells Jacob his outline Jacob is amazed. However this supernova publication never happens and when Jacob hears of Evan’s death he decides to publish the book himself. Once again Jacob returns to the height of his glory until an email arrives stating that he is a thief. What is the story behind the plot and who stole it from whom.

Latest Books for March 2023

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ARTHUR MILLER

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

ARTHUR MILLER by JOHN LAHR. A unique perspective of playwright Arthur Miller who propelled American theatre to a new level of sophistication. The book centres on his family, the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, Vietnam and his rise as a public intellectual. Lahr demonstrates the synergy between Miller’s psychology and plays. Miller was a keen observer of post-war America. His dysfunctional marriage to Marilyn Monroe is shown in contrast to his happy marriage to Inge Morath. His Broadway plays Death of a Salesman and The Crucible brought him success despite his career being checkered at times.

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BABKE, BOULOU & BLINTZES: Jewish Chocolate Recipes from Around the World

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

BABKE, BOULOU & BLINTZES: Jewish Chocolate Recipes from Around the World by MICHAEL LEVENTHAL. This unique recipe book is filled with the history of chocolate in Jewish food and culture. With a variety of recipes, it includes gluten free and vegan ones. Each recipe contains a brief introduction including the country in which it originated with scrumptious photographs of the finished products. The book provides an insight into the role chocolate has played in communities across the centuries, from Jewish immigrants and refugees taking chocolate from Spain to France in the 1600’s to contemporary bakers crossing continents to discover, adapt and share new recipes for today’s generation.

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Bones and Bodies: How South African scientists studied race

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

Bones and Bodies: How South African scientists studied race by Alan G. Morris.

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Citizen and Pariah: Somali traders and the regulation of difference in South Africa

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

Citizen and Pariah: Somali traders and the regulation of difference in South Africa by Vanya Gastrow.

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THE COUNTRY OF OTHERS

GENRE: FICTION

THE COUNTRY OF OTHERS by LEILA SLIMANI. Frenchwoman Mathilde marries Moroccan born Amine when he was stationed in her Alsatian village. On returning to Morocco, she feels isolated as a foreigner who is simply a farmer’s wife. She raises her two children in a world whose rules she does not understand. When wealthy French girls taunt her daughter at school, Mathilde begins to offer medical services to the rural population. This defies the county’s repressive social codes. Tensions mount between the Moroccans and the French colonists yet Amine is proud of his wife’s refusal to be subjugated.

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FLAT OUT AND FEARLESS

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

FLAT OUT AND FEARLESS by PETER LINDENBERG. Born in Johannesburg Peter was determined to be a race car driver and celebrated a racing career spanning four decades. Despite suffering from a serious motor car accident and a brain haemorrhage Peter ranked high on international championship charts with his determination to succeed. For him coming second was never an option and he broke records, earnt numerous Springbok colours and won many races both at home and abroad. His life journey has rendered him a man able to overcome any mishap with courage and to uplift his life. He has also transformed the lives of the downtrodden.

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THE IT GIRL

GENRE: FICTION

THE IT GIRL by RUTH WARE. Hannah Jones arrived at Oxford believing she had been accepted into a haven of learning and wealth. She shares a room with the popular April Clarke-Cliveden the popular IT girl and forms a circle of friends including Will, Hugh, Ryan and Emily. When April is murdered, it is Hannah’s testimony that puts the Oxford porter John Neville in jail. Then a decade later Neville dies in prison and Hannah hears from a reporter that he may have been innocent. Now married to Will and pregnant with their child she struggles with the realization that all her friends may have had something to hide, and the wrong man went to prison.

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Joining the Dots: An unauthorised biography of Pravin Gordhan

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

Joining the Dots: An unauthorised biography of Pravin Gordhan by Jonathan Ancer & Chris Whitfield.

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THE LAST COLONY

GENRE: HISTORY

THE LAST COLONY by PHILIPPE SANDS. The book illuminates the devastating impact of Britain’s racist grip on the last colony in Africa. In the 1960’s a secret decision was taken to offer the US a base at one of the islands of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They deported the entire population one of whom was Liseby Elysé. This twenty-year-old newly married woman had to leave her home with one suitcase. For four decades, the government of Mauritius fought for the return of Chagos and for the past decade Philippe Sands has been involved in the cases to fight for justice so that Liseby and her fellow Chagossians could return home from exile.

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LEADERSHIP: Six Studies in World Strategy

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

LEADERSHIP: Six Studies in World Strategy by HENRY KISSINGER. In Leadership Kissinger analyses the lives of six leaders, who he knew personally. Konrad Adenauer who brought morally bankrupt Germany into the community of nations. Charles de Gaulle who renewed France’s historic grandeur. Richard Nixon who gave geostrategic advantage to the United State. Anwar Sadat who brought a vision of peace to the Middle East. Lee Kwan Yew who created the powerhouse city-state Singapore and Margaret Thatcher who through her conviction renewed her country’s international position. He concludes with his reflections on politics and world leadership today.

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MAD HONEY

GENRE: FICTION

MAD HONEY by JODI PICOULT. Olivia and her six-year-old son Asher fled to her home to take over the family beekeeping business after her abusive marriage. Twelve years later Asher meets Lily Campanello and their relationship blooms. However, when Lily is found with a fatal head injury at the bottom of the stairs Asher is charged with her murder. The long trial in which his older brother, a high-profile attorney, defends Asher exposes many secrets and even Olivia begins to question his innocence. A riveting trial drama coupled with depictions of Olivia’s harvesting honey and the art of beekeeping.

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THE MONOGRAM MURDERS

GENRE: FICTION

THE MONOGRAM MURDERS by SOPHIE HANNAH. Hercule Poirot encounters a young woman in a London coffeehouse who is afraid she is about to be killed. Before he can pin down any specifics, she flees. He soon links her to three deaths at a Bloxham Hotel where guests have been murdered. Each arrived separately the previous day and was poisoned by cyanide and laid to rest with monogrammed cufflinks in their mouths. A note given to the hotel’s front desk for each person had the epitaph “May they never rest in peace.” Poirot begins an investigation together with Captain Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Could there possibly be a fourth victim?

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THE PARIS SHOWROOM

GENRE: FICTION

THE PARIS SHOWROOM by JULIET BLACKWELL. Capucine Benoit worked alongside her father to create accessories for fashion houses. Being widowed Capucine allowed her daughter Mathilde to be raised by her late husband’s parents who were Nazi supporters. When the Germans invaded in 1940, her father was betrayed and arrested for his political views. She was sent to a prison camp in the Lévitan department store in which prisoners sorted and sold goods looted from Jewish homes. After the arrest of Capucine, the now mature Mathilde joined the Resistance in the hope of finding her estranged mother.

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PAUL NEWMAN: The extraordinary life of an ordinary man

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

PAUL NEWMAN: The extraordinary life of an ordinary man by PAUL NEWMAN. The editor David Rosenthal has interspersed snippets of Newman’s life. He has included a foreword by Melissa Newman, Paul’s daughter as well as an afterword by his other daughter Clea Soderlund. We see a man struggling with moral decisions and conflicted feelings about his work as a heartthrob Hollywood actor. Paul went through the tragedy of losing his son but there was no self-pity in him. Working around Paul’s own words, we read the words of his wife Woodward, his brother and director friend Roy Hill as well as a host of others in his circle.

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Rhoda: A Biography “Comrade Kadalie, you are out of order!”

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

Rhoda: A Biography “Comrade Kadalie, you are out of order!” by Joel B Pollak.

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So, for the record: Behind the headlines in an era of state capture

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

So, for the record: Behind the headlines in an era of state capture by Anton Harber.

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THE WORLD

GENRE: HISTORY

THE WORLD by SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE. Bestselling historian Montefiore has written an original global history of humanity. Starting with the footsteps of a family walking along a beach 900,000 years ago, Montefiore steers us through the interconnected world via palace intrigues, love affairs and family lives. He links the themes of war, migration, plagues, religion, medicine, and technology to the people at the heart of the human drama. From Alexander the Great to Putin and Zelensky this master storyteller takes the reader through the human story from caves to drones. A dramatic epic history as spellbinding as fiction.

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THE KENSINGTON KIDNAP

GENRE: FICTION

THE KENSINGTON KIDNAP by KATIE GAYLE. In the first book of this trilogy, we are introduced to Epiphany Bloom. She is down on her luck and cannot afford to mess up her latest temporary job. When she walks through the door of a private investigation firm, her new boss mistakes her for a missing persons expert. She is tasked with finding Matty Price, the teenage son of celebrities who has disappeared from his home. While searching for Matty she finds herself in the self-involved world of the rich and famous As she continues she is unsure whether Matty ran away voluntarily and whether he will be found alive. A light-hearted cosy mystery.

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UNLAWFUL KILLINGS

GENRE: CRIME/CORRUPTION/POLITICS

UNLAWFUL KILLINGS by WENDY JOSEPH. The author has presided over many high-profile cases as an Old Bailey judge but unlike most of us, a judge does not turn the page and move on. Nor does the defendant or family of the accused or of the victim. Discussing five dramatic murder and manslaughter cases Joseph removes the distinction between ‘them’ and ‘us’. With deep compassion, she describes how cases unfold, what it is like to be a murder trial judge and witness to good and bad. An attention-grabbing vignette accompanies each case. Her writing and observations are most interesting.

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THE WHISTLE BLOWERS

GENRE: CRIME/CORRUPTION/POLITICS

THE WHISTLE BLOWERS by MANDY WIENER. With corruption and fraud endemic in democratic South Africa, whistle-blowers have played a pivotal role in bringing wrongdoing to light. They have provided an invaluable service through disclosures about cover-ups, malfeasance, and wrongdoing. Their courageous acts resulted in the recovery of rands and improved transparency for office-bearers and politicians. However, in most cases the outcome for them is devastating –they lose their jobs and are ostracised. This book provides the evocative accounts of South African whistle-blowers in their own words and from their perspectives.

Latest Books for February 2023

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6:20 MAN

GENRE: FICTION

6:20 MAN by DAVID BALDACCI. Decorated veteran Travis Devine leaves the Army to begin a new job as an analyst at an investment bank in New York to appease his father. He takes the 6:20am train each day and passes the lavish homes of the very wealthy. His tedious routine is shattered when a co-worker and former girlfriend is found hanging in his office building. He is a suspect but a retired army general offers to assist at a price. Travis needs to help with a clandestine investigation into his firm Cowl and Comely. There are further deaths and he is unsure whom he may trust. A page-turning thriller.

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BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE by DENNIS ROSS & DAVID MAKOVSKY. The authors discuss the founding fathers who made bold leadership decisions when Israel was created in 1948. Ben Gurion helped establish a Zionist state magnified by the Holocaust although he realised the cost of a war with Arab neighbours. Begin made peace with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Rabin realised concessions needed to be made despite political consequences. Sharon, the early architect of settlements, made the controversial decision to withdraw from the Gaza strip. Their strength made them not just the political centre of the country but its moral compass.

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CANDIES FROM HEAVEN

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

CANDIES FROM HEAVEN by GIL HOVAV. This book includes twenty-two funny and heart-warming stories about the family that helped raise Gil Hovav. The nostalgic writing contains recipes to accompany each story as he shares his recollections about his colourful grandparents, aunts and uncles. Hovav is the great grandson of Eliezer ben-Yehuda, the reviver of the Hebrew Language. Hovav is considered the man who remad.e Israeli cuisine transforming it from a country of basic traditional foods into a “gourmet nation”. Gil’s writing should appeal to anyone who treasures good food and relationships built on love.

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DIALOGUES OF LOVE AND FEAR

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

DIALOGUES OF LOVE AND FEAR by SHARON ZEWDE SHALOM. The author’s life journey has taken him from shepherd to professor, from refugee to IDF officer and from student of a religious leader to rabbi of an Ashkenazi synagogue. The book not only brings the many facets of his identity into dialogue but also provides a window into the world of Ethiopian Jewry, their challenges, and the deep questions that every complex relationship carries with it. Covering a huge breadth of topics, this optimistic book offers a transformative perspective committed to Jewish tradition. A heart-warming book about integration written with insight and openness.

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EIN KEREM: Exploring & Cooking in Jerusalem’s Biblical Village

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

EIN KEREM: Exploring & Cooking in Jerusalem’s Biblical Village by PNINA EIN MOR, ATALYA EIN MOR & MICHAL FATTAL. The village of Ein Kerem in Jerusalem is reputed to be the birthplace of John the Baptist. This collection of stories and recipes is the work of three professionals who share their love and knowledge of their home in the Holy Land. Pnina takes the reader on a tour of the houses and alleyways revealing the legends behind them. Her daughter Atalya, a sought after chef, relates her experiences growing up there through delicious Mediterranean dishes. Michal whose work is in galleries worldwide captures the light of the place through photography. An infusion of flavours, sight and history.

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EUROPE AGAINST THE JEWS 1880-1945

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

EUROPE AGAINST THE JEWS 1880-1945 by GOTZ ALY. Historian Aly examines the way the Holocaust was made possible through the assistance of other countries. He mentions countries in Europe and as far flung as Romania who decades before the Nazis came to power fuelled antisemitism through the deadly combination of envy, competition and nationalism. They feared the intellectual and economic agility and overwhelming power of a small “foreign” group. This created the preconditions for the deportations and murder to come. Aly packs his account with statistics and analyses noting that the phrase anti-Semitism first appeared in 1880.

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EXODUS TOO

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

EXODUS TOO by GABRIEL TAMMAN. A memoir by one of the few remaining Egyptian Jews to remember the golden age of his community in Egypt. Gabriel Tamman provides unique insights that are moving and informative. He shows the fate of his family during the daunting years of their exile from Egypt in the 1940’s and 1950’s and how difficult it was to find refuge in Israel, the United Kingdom and Geneva. He illustrates a rich history and way of life that is no more and calls on Jews and Egyptians alike to explore their Middle Eastern heritage and to work to right the wrongs of the past.

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I BELIEVE

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

I BELIEVE by RABBI JONATHAN SACKS. This is the final cycle of Covenant & Conversation. There are fifty-four essays written before his untimely passing. The book has all the hallmarks of his erudition, thoughtfulness and cultural sensitivity. Rabbi Sack’s intricate commentaries on the weekly portion show us how his own beliefs were formed from an ongoing conversation between the Torah and his own life. There is a diversity of topics from why education is central to Judaism, to the need to speak out in the name of justice and to why giving to others shapes our sense of self. His conversations allow us to hear his beloved voice once again as he prompts the reader to seek out their own truths.

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LIVING TEHILLIM: Finding yourself in the songs of Tehillim

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

LIVING TEHILLIM: Finding yourself in the songs of Tehillim by RIVKA SEGAL

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MY THIRTY MINUTE BAR MITZVAH

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

MY THIRTY MINUTE BAR MITZVAH by DENIS HIRSON. The author describes the world as it looked to him when he grew up in Johannesburg in the 1960’s. Hirson describes his ‘Bar Mitzvah’, which lasted no more than thirty minutes and had few people in attendance. This was because his father was an activist and serving time. The Bar Mitzvah was his excuse to visit his father in prison as it was supposedly a special occasion. Sadly, Denis never had his desire fulfilled to celebrate his coming of age. Denis Hirson has lived in France since 1975 yet remained concerned with the memory of his apartheid years in South Africa.

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SURVIVORS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

SURVIVORS by REBECCA CLIFFORD. Using archival materials Professor Clifford uncovers the post war lives of the very youngest survivors of the Holocaust between 1930 and 1944. Clifford shares the heroism of Judith Hemmendinger, a social worker who took care of children liberated from Buchenwald’s Kinderblock 66 including amongst those Elie Wiesel and former Chief Rabbi Lau. She has attempted to provide the history of child survivors liberating them from obscurity by weaving their narratives and collective trauma. Many were fostered by non-Jewish families and lived in denial of who they were.

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THE THREAD COLLECTORS

GENRE: FICTION

THE THREAD COLLECTORS by SHAUNNA EDWARDS & ALYSON RICHMAN. Two intertwined stories of Jacob Kling a young Jewish Union soldier, trumpet player, and his wife Lily and William a gifted flute player who escapes slavery to join the Union Army. Stella who is secretly married to William embroiders intricate secret maps that help enslaved men in New Orleans flee north. When Lily hears nothing from Jacob after many months, she makes the perilous journey South to find him. During this brutal Civil War Stella and Lily’s paths converge in New Orleans where they discover that even the most delicate threads can save us. Rich with historical details.

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THREE MUSES

GENRE: FICTION

THREE MUSES by MARTHA ANNE TOLL. A love story between a dancer and a Holocaust survivor. John Curtis suffered lasting damage after having been forced to sing for the kommandant who murdered his family. He trains to be a psychiatrist in New York after the war. When he received a ticket to attend a ballet, he crosses paths with captivating prima ballerina Katya. She herself has been in an abusive relationship with her choreographer. Once they find each other, these two flawed characters must find a future they may now share to be able to heal by distancing themselves from their haunting pasts.

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TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW

GENRE: FICTION

TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW by GABRIELLE ZEVIN. The novel features three brilliant young students. Sam and Marx are roommates at Harvard and Sadie, who they both adore, is at MIT. Together they attempt to create contemporary video games and to improve on reality by creating a superior universe. Each protagonist has been subject to pain in his or her lives and the virtual world allows for the possibility of infinite rebirth and redemption. The novel spans thirty years and shares the lives of these intimate friends. ‘Tomorrow’ is always possible.

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UNBINDING ISAAC: The significance of the Akedah for modern Jewish thought

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

UNBINDING ISAAC: The significance of the Akedah for modern Jewish thought by AARON KOLLER.

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UNBREAKABLES

GENRE: FICTION

UNBREAKABLES by LISA BARR. On Sophie Bloom’s forty-second birthday, she discovers at a dinner party with close friends that her devoted, perfect husband has been on a secret online dating site for married couples. The site has been hacked and he is the top “cheater “in town. She flees to France to meet up with her teenage daughter who is studying abroad after her own personal heartbreak. Sophie begins working with a famous French artist who is dying. This fulfils her passionate ambition to sculpt once again and is her second chance to find love and to discover the truths to set her free.

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VICTORIOUS

GENRE: FICTION

VICTORIOUS by YISHAI SARID. Abigail, the narrator, is a military psychologist and single mother who spent her career in the Israeli Army as a leading expert in the psychology of combat. She helped soldiers negotiate the trauma of war and instructed commanders on killing with efficiency and resilience. As her son approaches the age of military service, she becomes increasingly involved in the lives of the army’s Chief of Staff and those of her patients. Her father, a psychologist himself, condemns the morality of her choice to aid Israel’s military machine. What price are we willing to pay for victory?

Latest Books for January 2023

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ABOVE US ONLY SKY

GENRE: ISRAEL/JUDAISM

ABOVE US ONLY SKY by MERAV HALPERIN. The uplifting story of the Ramon family- Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut and his son Asaf who followed his father’s example and became an F-16 pilot. Both men fulfilled their dreams in the sky but sadly lost their lives. The father in the 2003 space shuttle Columbia disaster and the son in a devastating training accident in 2009. They remain two of Israel’s heroes. After their tragic deaths Rona Ramon, wife of Ilan and mother of Asaf, decided to share their collection of diaries and letters with others.

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THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK

GENRE: ADDITIONAL CONTEMPORARY READS

THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK by BEN MEZRICH. A gripping account of how a group of private investors and internet trolls took down one of the biggest hedge funds on Wall Street. Mizrachi uses insider sources and testimonies to show how new investors are willing to lose their investments as long as they brought down the wealthy and powerful with them.

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AN ENGLISH GARDEN MURDER

GENRE: FICTION

AN ENGLISH GARDEN MURDER by KATIE GAYLE. Julia Bird left London to settle in a Cotswold village after her recent divorce and retirement. She is determined to have a perfect garden and has to tear down an old shed in the process. Unexpectedly she discovers a body apparently buried for decades. Julia cannot continue with her project until this case has been solved and as the police are taking too much time she decides to assist them. Her investigation begins and most of the local residents appear to have something to hide. When a second body is found Julia fears that the killer may murder again to keep their secret safe. A perfect mystery.

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JEWISH GIRL IN PARIS

GENRE: FICTION

JEWISH GIRL IN PARIS by MELANIE LEVENSOHN. Judith Goldemberg is a Jewish student at the Sorbonne working in its library. She meets Christian the son of wealthy Nazi sympathisers. As the Germans impose more restrictions in Paris the couple plan to flee but then Judith disappears. The narrative moves to Montreal in 1982 when Lica Grunberg confesses to his daughter Jacobina on his deathbed that she has an older half-sister Judith. Jacobina begins her search assisted by a young friend Beatrice and secrets are revealed. The novel is based on Melanie’s family history and her extensive research.

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MAD WOMAN

GENRE: FICTION

MAD WOMAN by LOUISA TREGER. This historical novel is based on the true story of Nellie Bly. In 1887, she set out for New York to further her career in journalism. Unable to find a paper to hire a female reporter she decided to fake insanity in order to be committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island. She hoped to uncover and document the conditions faced by the patients. However, once there she feared she might never be released to write her story and bring changes to how vulnerable people were treated. The reader will see how Nellie was ahead of her time and able to make her mark in a man’s world.

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MINDWANDERING

GENRE: ADDITIONAL CONTEMPORARY READS

MINDWANDERING by MOSHE BAR. Neuroscientist Moshe Bar combines decades of research to explain the benefits and possible costs of mindwandering within the context of psychology, psychiatry and philosophy. The book is filled with anecdotes that illustrate significant points. Moshe Bar maintains that a wandering mind may reveal untold or unexpected benefits.

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MR PERFECT ON PAPER

GENRE: FICTION

MR PERFECT ON PAPER by JEAN MELTZER. Dara Rabinowitz, the creator of a successful Jewish dating app is mortified when her grandmother reveals on national television that Dara does not have a love match. After this segment, newscaster Chris Steadfast convinces Dara to try dating on TV to boost his TV ratings as well as to help Dara find a partner. Despite Chris’s best intentions, Dara’s perfect match proves to be disastrous and the strongest connection she has is to Chris. Chris is widowed with a daughter and although he is not her ‘perfect match’, their relationship blooms. An appealing romance.

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THE MYSTERY OF THREE QUARTERS

GENRE: FICTION

THE MYSTERY OF THREE QUARTERS by SOPHIE HANNAH. A clever mystery featuring Hercule Poirot set in the London of the 1930’s. Poirot returns home to find an angry woman outside his door demanding to know why he accused her of murdering Barnabus Pandy. His shock deepens when another visitor claims he too has a letter from Poirot accusing him of the murder of Barnabus, an aging magistrate. Poirot wonders who would have murdered Pandy and who wrote these letters. He is further drawn into this mystery as four more letters have been sent. Another death will take place before Inspector Catchpool and Poirot find the answers.

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NORA EPHRON

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

NORA EPHRON by KRISTIN MARGUERITE DOIDGE. An in-depth biography of the life and career of Nora Ephron from her time at Wellesley College to her rise in journalism. Her comedic genius shone forth when she ventured into filmmaking. Doidge examines her private life, which she was able to balance with her insatiable ambition. Based on archival research and numerous interviews with close friends, family and colleagues as well as interviews. Doidge delves into the lingering sadness experienced by Ephron who despite all her achievements believed in her mother’s saying that “everything is copy.”

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ON REPENTENCE AND REPAIR

GENRE: ISRAEL/JUDAISM

ON REPENTENCE AND REPAIR by DANYA RUTTENBERG. In a time of war, poverty, violence, political and personal battles, the author poses the question whether we are able to face the harm we cause or allow. With her analytical eye, she points to ancient philosopher Maimonides as a guide to transform our society and ourselves. A person is not entitled to forgiveness if they have not made amends. Even if they have tried to atone to the best of their ability, they may still not be granted forgiveness. A book for anyone who has been hurt or is struggling to take responsibility for his or her mistakes.

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THE ONLY DAUGHTER

GENRE: FICTION

THE ONLY DAUGHTER by A. B. YEHOSHUA. In his final novella, Yehoshua sets his book in Padua, Italy. It illuminates a young girl’s crisis of faith and coming of age. Rachele Luzzato, whose father is gravely ill is about to have her Bat Mitzvah. Caught between spiritual poles and struggling with her father’s mortality she feels as if her life is unravelling. A diverse set of adults guide her through this including her charismatic Jewish grandfather, her maternal Catholic grandparents and an old teacher who hopes she may find solace in a nineteenth century novel. A portrait of a young girl at the cusp of her journey into adulthood.

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PATHS OF THE RIGHTEOUS: Stories of heroism, humanity and hope

GENRE: ISRAEL/JUDAISM

PATHS OF THE RIGHTEOUS: Stories of heroism, humanity and hope by ARI MITTLEMAN. The book highlights eight non-Jewish individuals who have contributed much to the Jewish community and Israel. Included in the book are Olga Meshoe Washington, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe’s daughter, a South African Zionist who campaigned against the BDS movement. In addition Holocaust lawyer Markus Stotzel, Zionist activist Chloe Valdary and Aston Bright, a firefighter with the Israeli Emergency Volunteers Project. These men and women have travelled unique paths, which are both inspiring and humbling.

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THE PRISON MINYAN

GENRE: FICTION

THE PRISON MINYAN by JONATHAN STONE. The novel is set in Otisville Prison, New York. This is the only prison with a kosher deli and the penitentiary of choice for white-collar Jewish offenders. These fraudsters, tax evaders, forgers discuss matters of right and wrong in a Talmudic study ‘minyan’ group led by a fellow convict who is a rabbi. They feel challenged on the arrival of a new celebrity as the regime is toughened to punish him. The prisoners have to undergo soul searching into their own lives and the reason they are there. Stone brings the sensibility of Saul Bellow and Philip Roth into his comic and profound book.

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SIDNEY REILLY: Master Spy

GENRE: FICTION

SIDNEY REILLY: Master Spy by BENNY MORRIS. Sidney Reilly was one of best-known spies of the twentieth century. Born as Sidney Rosenblum in southern Russia he was an inventive multilingual businessman. He worked at Scotland Yard and spent World War I in the United States brokering arms deals to Russia until he became a professional spy and joined MI6. He came close to helping overthrow the Bolshevik regime in Moscow but was lured back there and executed in 1925. He may have been the inspiration for the iconic James Bond character with his many wives and mistresses. A fascinating portrait of this intriguing figure.

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THE DAUGHTER OF AUSCHWITZ

GENRE: FICTION

THE DAUGHTER OF AUSCHWITZ by TOVA FRIEDMAN. Tova Friedman grew up in the Polish ghetto of Tomaszów Mazowiecki and at the age of four years was sent to a Nazi labour camp with her parents. Thereafter she was imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau with her mother while her father went to Dachau. Tova witnessed atrocities and escaped death numerous times. Through determination and courage, the family survived but the psychological effects would last a lifetime. Together with war reporter Malcolm Brabant, Tova has recreated her extraordinary story. Actor Ben Kingsley provides the foreword.

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THE DIAMOND EYE

GENRE: FICTION

THE DIAMOND EYE by KATE QUINN. A historical novel based on the true story of Mila Pavlichenko, a deadly female sniper. Mila lived in Kviv with her young son working in a library until Hitler’s invasion of the Ukraine sent her on another path. She became the lethal hunter of Nazis known as ‘Lady Death’ and a national heroine for the Red Army. She was sent on a goodwill tour to America and formed an unexpected friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. However, her life was endangered when a former enemy joined forces with a new foe. Quinn has written a thriller about World War II filled with adventure, love and loss.

Latest Books for December 2022

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THE BLOODY PRICE OF FREEDOM

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

THE BLOODY PRICE OF FREEDOM by RICHARD D. HEIDEMAN. Acclaimed attorney Heideman traces the battles that the democratic State of Israel has had to endure since 1948. Central to the book is the war that the Jewish people have had to fight on all fronts, be it terror or public opinion. Among some of the main issues are the evolution of Anti-Zionist boycotts targeting the denial of Jewish self-determination, poisonous dialogue surrounding the Arab/Palestinian conflict and false narratives used to delegitimize Israel. He includes the historic breakthroughs made between Israel and her Arab neighbours. If you are interested in Israel this book is highly recommended.

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COLDITZ: Prisoners of the Castle

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

COLDITZ: Prisoners of the Castle by BEN MACINTYRE. A riveting history of Nazi Germany’s most notorious POW camps. Colditz, a grim castle, was used to hold the most defiant Allied prisoners. These prisoners tested the castle’s guards with ingenious escape attempts. One of the prisoners was Christopher Clayton Hutton, an inventor hired by British intelligence to manufacture covert escape aids. He became the inspiration for the fictional character Q in the James Bond books and movies. Macintyre sheds light on how the prisoners relieved their boredom through theatrical productions, reading and writing poetry. An engrossing war story of intrigue.

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COME TO THIS COURT AND CRY

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

COME TO THIS COURT AND CRY by LINDA KINSTLER. A few years ago, Kinstler discovered that a former Nazi who had been dead for fifty years and belonged to the same killing unit as her grandfather was the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation in Latvia. The proceedings threatened to pardon this Nazi’s crimes putting facts about the Holocaust on the line when survivors, the last legal witnesses, are dying. Kinstler investigates her family story and examines what it takes to prove history when denialism and ultra-nationalism allow those who are guilty to be offered restitution in the courts.

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THE HIDDEN ORDER OF INTIMACY : Reflections on the Book of Leviticus

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

THE HIDDEN ORDER OF INTIMACY : Reflections on the Book of Leviticus by AVIVAH GOTTLIEB ZORNBERG.Torah scholar Zornberg takes the reader on a tour of the traditional and mystical readings of Leviticus. The image of the Golden Calf surrounds the commentaries of this book. Zornberg brings the rabbis of the Talmud, medieval commentators, Hasidic scholars and literary masters into her analysis. Her sources include Aristotle, Rashi, the Baal Shem Tov, Franz Rosenzweig, Sigmund Freud and George Eliot. She discusses the nature of reward and punishment, good and evil, continued guilt and man’s intricate encounter with the divine.

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THE INCANDESCENT THREADS

GENRE: FICTION

THE INCANDESCENT THREADS by RICHARD ZIMLER. Acclaimed author Zimler explores the Kabbalistic belief that people are linked across millennia. It is the riveting story of two cousins, Benni and Shelly Zarco, the only family members to survive the Holocaust in Poland. Narrators change and include extraordinary characters. Ewa, the Polish gentile piano teacher who shelters Benni after he escaped from Warsaw and George, part Jew and part Navajo, who befriends Shelly after the war. The book begins and ends with the narrative of Benni’s son Ethan who supplies the missing pieces of the puzzle connecting the Zarco family.

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ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS by MICHAEL FRANK. A remarkable story of the conversations between Michael Frank and ninety-nine year old Stella Levi over the course of six years in America. Michael met Stella to discuss her history as a Sephardic Jew on the island of Rhodes. Neither of them knew that this would last for one hundred Saturdays. As their friendship grew Stella shared what it was like to grow up on this island and be one of the 1,650 residents rounded up and sent to Auschwitz. The narrative is interspersed with illustrator Maira Kalman’s colour paintings of scenes from Stella’s courageous life.

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THE POLISH GIRL

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE POLISH GIRL by MALKA ADLER. When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Danusha and her family were forced to flee their home. Her mother Anna changed her name and secured a position as a housekeeper in a German doctor’s mansion in Krakow. This was to save the family but all Danusha could remember was loneliness, her mother’s estrangement and memories of her father after he left and never returned. Many years later when living in Haifa, Malka hears her mother tell of the family’s movements through Poland and begins to understand the heart-breaking details of the past.

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THE REAL MRS TOBIAS

GENRE: FICTION

THE REAL MRS TOBIAS by SALLY KOSLOW. An entertaining novel about three women in the Tobias family. Veronika is the matriarch and a psychotherapist as is her daughter in law Mel. Birdie is newly married to Mel’s son Mica and trying to deal with the culture shock of marrying into the Tobias family. Birdie is pushed beyond her limit when her husband does something irresponsible. She returns to her family in Iowa with her daughter Alice. Will these three women linked by marriage ever find a way to connect and reconsider their relationships. The characters are portrayed with all their flaws and shortcomings.

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Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin: the inside story by Getzel Rubashkin.

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin: the inside story by Getzel Rubashkin. This eye-opening account of the struggle of Sholom Rubashkin from his survival in a tough federal prison to his release through his faith in Hashem.

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SOUTH AFRICANS versus ROMMEL

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

SOUTH AFRICANS versus ROMMEL by DAVID BROCK KATZ. In 1939 South Africa, which was then part of the British Empire, declared war on Germany. Thrust by the British into the campaign against Erwin Rommel’s German Afrika Korps in North Africa, the South Africans fought with some defeats followed by some successes. The Battle of El Alamein halted Rommel’s advance, preventing him from entering Egypt and leading to the fall of Tobruk. Historian Katz examines the role of the South African Defence Force in this desert war interpreting complex issues. He includes historic black and white images.

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SUMMER PEOPLE

GENRE: FICTION

SUMMER PEOPLE by JULIE COHEN. Vee Ellis returns to her childhood home Unity Island on the Maine coast. She is now one of the wealthy “summer people” and visits with the hope of restoring her relationship with her successful husband Mike. She is anxious to see her childhood best friend Sterling as she abandoned him in his time of need. When she meets Sterling’s wife Rachel while shopping at their store she feels a spark of passion that she cannot ignore. Written from the alternating perspectives of Vee, Mike, Sterling and Rachel the author immerses the reader in their friendships, loves, desires and fears.

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THE LATECOMER

GENRE: FICTION

THE LATECOMER by JEAN HANFF KORELITZ. The story of the wealthy New York Oppenheimer family. Salo and Johanna met under tragic circumstances, married and had triplets during the early days of in vitro fertilization. Their children Harrison, Lewyn and Sally have no familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways as their father is distant and their mother tries to keep them close. When they leave for college, Johanna decides she wants to have a fourth child using an extra frozen embryo. Phoebe is born and later charged with healing her family’s gaping wounds. A profound, witty family story with expert storylines and plot twists.

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THE MANDELA BRIEF: Sydney Kentridge and the Trials of Apartheid

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

THE MANDELA BRIEF: Sydney Kentridge and the Trials of Apartheid by THOMAS GRANT. A biography of Sir Sydney Kentridge who was South Africa’s prominent anti-apartheid advocate. His story is entwined with South Africa’s emergence from racial injustice and oppression. He is the only lawyer to have acted for three Nobel Prize winners-Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Albert Lutuli. He became world famous for landmark cases including the Treason Trial of Nelson Mandela and other ANC members, his inquiry into the Sharpeville massacre and death of Steve Biko. The author himself is a practising barrister.

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Thinking about God

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

Thinking about God by Rabbi Kari H. Tuling. Compelling and contrasting observations of thinking of God in Jewish tradition. The author highlights the interplay between texts from the biblical to the postmodern era.

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THE TWIST OF A KNIFE

GENRE: FICTION

THE TWIST OF A KNIFE by ANTHONY HOROWITZ. Anthony’s new play Mindgame opens in London. On the first night the critic of the Sunday Times, Harriet Throsby attends and gives the play a scathing review. She is found murdered the following day –stabbed with an ornamental dagger in her heart that belongs to Anthony. He is arrested and charged with murder. In desperation, he turns to Daniel Hawthorne for help to solve this crime by digging into the other cast members of the play and the life of Harriet herself. An expertly written mystery in the inventive style of Horowitz.

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WHAT IF 5? More Fascinating Halachic discussions for the Shabbos table

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

WHAT IF 5? More Fascinating Halachic discussions for the Shabbos table by RABBI MOSHE SHERROW. A book written with the intent to become part of the Shabbat meal for families. This book, one of a series, includes hundreds of real life halachic questions accompanied by a brief, practical scenario to illustrate the case and an analysis that is easy to follow. It will appeal to all ages and backgrounds and the response should hold the interest of even those well versed in Torah scholarship. What If 5 should make your conversation at the Shabbat table more meaningful and animated.

Latest Books for November 2022

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ALL THE SHINING PEOPLE

GENRE: FICTION

ALL THE SHINING PEOPLE by KATHY FRIEDMAN. Twelve stories revolving around a neighbourhood in Toronto, home to many Jewish South Africans. The characters are diverse depicting the search for human connection and the attempt to fit in far from home. They include a model searching the streets for her lover; a woman confronting secrets from her past in the new South Africa; a man grappling with the legacy of his father who was a former political prisoner. Each personal experience in this collection is different and moving. The author focuses on family, culture and identity.

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AN AFFAIR OF SPIES

GENRE: FICTION

AN AFFAIR OF SPIES by RONALD BALSON. In 1943 Nathan Silverman, a German Jew who escaped to America after Kristallnacht, enlists in the army to help fight the Nazi regime. He is immediately recruited to be part of a secret mission. Together with Dr Allison Fisher, a brilliant scientist, he returns to Germany posing as a Nazi officer. This is to help physicist Gunther Snyder, who knows details of Germany’s nuclear program, to defect to America to help the Allies develop a nuclear weapon before the Nazis. While Nathan and Allison attempt to smuggle him out of Europe their relationship deepens. An action-packed thriller.

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ASHTON HALL

GENRE: FICTION

ASHTON HALL by LAUREN BELFER. Manhattan art historian Hannah Larson puts her career on hold to travel to Ashton Hall in England when her uncle falls ill. Soon after her arrival, her son Nicky finds the skeletal remains of a woman Isabella Cresham walled into part of the manor. Working from clues in centuries old ledgers, Hannah recreates the Ashton Hall of the Elizabethan era. As the secrets of Hannah’s own life unravels she finds the experiences of Ashton Hall’s women are not different from her own as mothers have always had to secure their independence and protect their children. For Anglophiles and Tudor history buffs, this novel is a delight.

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BAIT

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN NON-FICTION

BAIT by JANINE LAZARUS. Newspaper reporter Janine Lazarus has written a riveting crime memoir. It is set in the early 1990’s when rapist and serial killer Jacobus Petrus Geldenhuys terrorised the suburb of Norwood. The police used Lazarus as a decoy to hunt this killer. This book explores the fascinating newsroom ethics and questionable police procedures of the time while delving into the relationship between a reporter, editor and serial killer. Bait reveals the difference in news reporting when authenticity counted and fake news guaranteed you lost your job as opposed to now.

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DAUGHTERS OF THE OCCUPATION

GENRE: FICTION

DAUGHTERS OF THE OCCUPATION by SHELLY SANDERS. Miriam Talan’s life is shattered in 1940 when the Soviets invade Latvia. They confiscate her husband’s business looting all their possessions. Then the Nazis arrive and fearing for her children’s safety Miriam asks her loyal housekeeper to hide them. Three decades later in Chicago, Sarah Bryne, who never knew of her Jewish identity, meets her estranged grandmother Miriam at her mother Ilana’s funeral. Shocking family secrets about the past lead Sarah on a journey to find someone her mother and grandmother had spent their lives seeking.

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FRUIT OF A POISONED TREE

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN NON-FICTION

FRUIT OF A POISONED TREE by ANTONY ALTBEKER. An updated version of the events that followed the judge’s verdict at the sensational and controversial trial of Fred van der Vyver. His lawyers sought to turn the tables on the police by accusing them of fabricating evidence and lying to the judge in spite of the forensic evidence that seemed to prove the accused’s guilt. Altbeker takes you into the courtroom as you read of this young actuary from a wealthy Eastern Cape farming family who was charged with murdering his girlfriend Inge Lotz by bludgeoning her to death with a hammer in 2005.

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FULL CIRCLE

GENRE: FICTION

FULL CIRCLE by GITA GORDON. Faigy and Pinchas Levine leave their shtetl in Lithuania to seek a better life in London. They need to adapt to this foreign drab new life in England. When Pinchas becomes critically ill they are advised to relocate to sunny South Africa for him to recuperate. Faigy’s courageous spirit resonates throughout as she places her family’s well-being behind all their decisions. Gita Gordon weaves the tale of the Levine’s journey as they struggle to merge their old way of life with a new one in a foreign land. A beautifully written saga, which has been well researched by the author.

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GENERAL JAN SMUTS

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN NON-FICTION

GENERAL JAN SMUTS by DAVID BROKE KATZ. A refreshing look at Jan Smuts during the First World War. Katz gets to the essence of the man drawing attention to his plan for a ‘Greater South Africa’ in which the borders are drawn as high as the equator.Smuts was one of South Africa’s most decorated generals being a military strategist and field commander. Katz examines the challenges facing Smuts in amalgamating Colonial British and Boer Forces into a unified fighting entity. He uses archival sources and official accounts of participants to provide the strategic aims of South Africa and the British Empire during this time.

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THE HUNT

GENRE: FICTION

THE HUNT by FAYE KELLERMAN. This Kellerman finale features Detective Peter Decker and his wife Rina. The Hunt has two alternating storylines. Decker’s effort to close his final homicide case and the terrible circumstances around the parents of their foster son Gabe. Teresa, the mother of Gabe has been attacked and her younger son kidnapped by her estranged ex-husband. She enlists the help of her first husband Chris Donatti, a high end criminal. Simultaneously Decker is still sorting out the unsolved case of a body found in the woods. The story ends happily for Decker and Rina but not for everyone they care about. A cleverly paced mystery.

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I KEPT WALKING

GENRE: MEMOIR/HISTORY

I KEPT WALKING by MINOU SOUMEKH MISCHLIN. A poignant account of Minou growing up in Iran with a disease that branded her as “less than.” As the story develops, we gain insight into the author’s Persian parents, siblings, relatives and friends. She had to flee from Iran and confront the psychological toll of her polio. Unwilling to be crushed by the conservative society into which she was born Minou had the courage to enter therapy and succeed in America in spite of her disability. From Tehran to a Jerusalem hospital room, she worked on her inner self, embraced her culture and defied its taboos to keep on walking.

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LIVES BETWEEN THE LINES

GENRE: NON-FICTION

LIVES BETWEEN THE LINES by MICHAEL VATIKIOTIS. The book recreates a world where the Middle East was a place to go to and not be forced to flee from. He reveals a period when this was a place of ethnic and cultural harmony where Jews and Arabs intermarried and shared family history. Vatikiotis traces the journey of his Greek and Italian family from Tuscany, Crete, Hydra and Rhodes as they made their way to Egypt and Palestine in search of opportunity. When lines were drawn, people were caught between clashing faiths and violent conflict. A memoir offering an understanding of the lost Levant.

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MAROR

GENRE: FICTION

MAROR by LAVIE TIDHAR. Israeli police intelligence officer Cohen loves his country and throughout this novel is our guide through the years after the 1967 Six Day War. He flits around time zones and locations from Lebanon to Mexico and Colombia. Ostensibly, to solve a series of beachfront rapes and murders while at the same time showing the reader the bitter herb behind the Jewish dream and exodus. Tidhar reminds us of Ben Gurion’s words: “We will know we have become a normal country when Jewish thieves and Jewish prostitutes conduct their business in Hebrew.” Written with cultural and political depth.

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THE POPE AT WAR

GENRE: NON-FICTION

THE POPE AT WAR by DAVID I. KERTZER. When Pope Pius XII died in 1958, his papers were sealed in the Vatican Secret Archives until 2020. David Kertzer, one of the world’s leading Vatican scholars, reveals how the pope set aside moral leadership to preserve his church’s power. A portrait of the pope’s silence as war was looming and the Nazis began their systematic mass murder of Europe’s Jews. The book shows how from 1939 -1945 Pius XII bent to the wills of Hitler and Mussolini. This meticulously researched book reveals the Catholic Church’s failure to remain neutral during the war

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ZABARS

GENRE: MEMOIR/HISTORY

ZABARS by LORI ZABAR. When Louis and Lilly Zabar rented a counter in a dairy store in Manhattan to sell smoked fish in 1934, they could not have imagined that it would eventually occupy half a block and become a beloved mecca for quality food of all kinds. A passion for excellence led four generations of Zabars to continue with a deli that would allow immigrants, New Yorkers and celebrities from Nora Ephron to Marlon Brando to rub shoulders. Lori uses family archives and interviews to share anecdotes of employees, eccentric customers and others to share this fascinating family history. Includes recipes.

Latest Books for October 2022

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HE GETS THAT FROM ME

GENRE: FICTION

HE GETS THAT FROM ME by JACQUELINE FRIEDLAND. Maggie Fisher works as a cashier and has always dreamt of becoming a teacher. When she sees an ad to be a surrogate mother, she decides to do this for financial gain. She carries the eggs of Chip and Donovan, a married couple from New York to full term. All goes well and she delivers twin babies to them, earns a degree and builds a family of her own. She cannot fathom why ten years later she is asked for a follow up DNA test from a fertility clinic. One of the twins could possibly belong to Maggie and her husband Nick. A contemporary and gripping story.

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AN ITALIAN GIRL IN BROOKLYN

GENRE: FICTION

AN ITALIAN GIRL IN BROOKLYN by SANTA MONTEFIORE. An epic story told across two times of Evelina’s life. The novel follows her early life in Italy up to the point when her world changed as the Second World War loomed. She became involved with a young Jewish man who later joined the Resistance. It then tells of her later life in Brooklyn after the war with her family. Throughout it includes flashbacks to her life in Italy. Despite her happy life in America, she remained Italian in her soul. A love story that is heart rendering and has a twist to surprise the reader.

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ANNA & DR HELMY

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

ANNA & DR HELMY by RONEN STEINKE. The remarkable story of an Egyptian doctor who risked his life to save Jewish Berliners from the Nazis. Dr Helmy had moved to Germany before Hitler came to power. He met Anna, the daughter of one of his Jewish patients, in 1936. When asked three years later to hide her he did so. He took her into his medical practice as his assistant, taught her some Muslim prayers and Arabic while claiming she was his niece. By impersonating the ideal pro-Nazi Arab, he saved his Jewish colleagues and others. Mohammed Helmy is the only Arab honoured as ‘Righteous among the Nations’

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BEYOND BITCOIN: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

BEYOND BITCOIN: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks by STEVEN BOYKEY SIDLEY & SIMON DINGLE. After more than a decade, the question has arisen what happens beyond Bitcoin. The authors aspire to explain in non-technological terms who will benefit from this and who it will it hurt should this happen. Financial experts Boykey Sidley and Dingle introduce the organisations driving the new industry- person-to-person dealing with financial transactions without the involvement of an institution. They explain what may displace respectable companies and industries. For anyone interested in money and its place in the world.

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BLOOD SUGAR

GENRE: FICTION

BLOOD SUGAR by SASCHA ROTHCHILD. Ruby Simon is accused of having killed her husband Jason. While being interrogated by Detective Keith Jackson he shows her photographs of four murder victims. He suspects she may have been involved in the circumstances surrounding these crimes too. Ruby appears to be a vigilante but as she gives her side of the story, the reader wonders whether she is an unrepentant killer or an innocent bystander. One begins to doubt her innocence as she confesses to drowning a seven-year-old boy who bullied her sister. A mesmerising debut thriller.

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CONVICTION

GENRE: FICTION

CONVICTION by D.A. MISHANI. Inspector Avi Avraham begins two investigations on the same day. One is when a new born baby is found in a bag outside a hospital. The woman responsible is captured a few hours later. The second is when a Swiss tourist disappears from a beach hotel near Tel Aviv. An inquiry shows he has been using a fake passport and two names. Could he be a Mossad agent? Both investigations spiral into a maze of deception threatening to put Avraham in conflict with the most powerful men in the country who technically do not exist. Fast paced and provocative political thriller.

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ELECTRIC GRAFFITI: Musings on a Facebook Wall

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

ELECTRIC GRAFFITI: Musings on a Facebook Wall by GUS SILBER. Gus Silber, well-known journalist and wordsmith has written over the last few years some extraordinary commentary pieces on his journeys around his neighbourhood in Johannesburg. He has posted his digital wanderings on Facebook. Gus’s followers know what insightful, frank and charming pieces he writes. This is a collection of over fifty of Gus’s most-loved social media posts. Gus covers everything from housebreaking habits of hadedas, stand-up comedy, the meaning of pathos, deciphering Johannesburg style and everything in between.

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THE ESCAPE ARTIST

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE ESCAPE ARTIST by JONATHAN FREEDLAND. A powerful story of a true hero. Journalist Friedland delivers the account of Rudolf Vrba, the first Jew to break out of Auschwitz in 1944. Vrba did this to reveal the truth about the camp and warn the last Jews of Europe about their future fate. After a gruelling walk to Slovakia, he smuggled the first full account of the camp. This detailed report reached Roosevelt, Churchill and the Pope. Some could not believe it while others chose to keep quiet. Vrba helped save 20,000 Jewish lives but he lived with the belief that he could have saved so many more.

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HITLER’S INTERPRETER

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

HITLER’S INTERPRETER by PAUL SCHMIDT. Paul Otto-Schmidt was an interpreter working in the German foreign ministry and this book provides an insight into the Third Reich thinking and planning.

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SHADOWS OF BERLIN

GENRE: FICTION

SHADOWS OF BERLIN by DAVID R. GILLHAM. This compelling novel takes the reader from New York City in 1955 back to war torn Germany. Rachel struggles with her past as a Holocaust survivor while her American husband Aaron feels guilty because he served the war in safety. When her uncle Fritz discovers a painting by Rachel’s mother in a pawnshop, her memories begin to terrorize her. In Germany, she survived the war by hiding in plain sight as a non-Jew. When caught, she had to make the heart wrenching decision whether or not to help the Nazis. Gillham’s descriptions of Berlin and New York are superb as well as her sprinkling of Yiddish in the rich text.

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THE TICKET COLLECTOR FROM BELARUS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE TICKET COLLECTOR FROM BELARUS by MIKE ANDERSON. The United Kingdom’s only war crimes trial took place in 1999. It brought Andrei Sawoniuk, a retired ticket inspector charged with murdering Jews during the Nazi occupation of Belarus, face to face with Ben-Zion Blustein, his former childhood friend and now a key witness for the prosecution. This confrontation took place after 50 years. Andrei Sawoniuk was not a ticket collector in Belarus but was alleged to have committed multiple murders. Mike Anderson decided to investigate this astonishing case. His discoveries prove to be remarkable.

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TRAGEDY & TRIUMPH

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

TRAGEDY & TRIUMPH by MICHAEL MEYERSON. The author describes the hundreds of Jewish Olympians from 1896 to the present day. This well researched book puts an end to the myth that Jews are not good at sport. Meyerson shares the athlete’s personal stories as well as snippets of history. He includes the men and women who would have competed at the ill-fated 1936 Berlin Olympics. Of interest is that five Jewish athletes survived incarceration by the Nazis and then competed at the Olympic Games with one of them winning a gold medal and three of them setting world records.

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VELKOM TO INKLANDT

GENRE: BOOKS OF THE MONTH

VELKOM TO INKLANDT by SOPHIE HERXHEIMER. Sophie writes dramatic monologues in the voice of her German Jewish grandmother. Liesel came to Britain with her husband who was a doctor in 1938. The author’s poems play on the difficulties of the English language and vocabulary as she tells of Liesel’s attempts to make her home in a new country at war with her own. Many poems will bring a lump to your throat. Sophie explains she has written “in a Lenkvitz that my ear remembers as the way my paternal grandmother spoke.” Contains black and white paper cuts in the fluctuating sections Inklandt (1938-1980) Chermenny (1920-1938) ze Afterlief (1980-present)

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THE WEALTHY

GENRE: FICTION

THE WEALTHY by HUMATAL BAR-YOSEF. This distinguished professor from Ben-Gurion University has written a historical narrative following six generations of the Heimstatt Jewish family. She provides rich and colourful descriptions of life in Prussia in the nineteenth century, Jewish life in Central Europe, the nuances of British royalty, the political world of Britain before and after the First World War. She includes the hidden ties between Arabs, Bedouins, British and Jews in Mandatory Palestine. The characters and period come alive as this family story illuminates the history of this century.

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AFTER: THE OBLIGATION OF BEAUTY

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

AFTER: THE OBLIGATION OF BEAUTY by MINDY WEISEL. This compelling memoir traces the author’s search for beauty in her life. She was born in the Bergen-Belsen’s Displaced Person’s Camp to parents who survived Auschwitz. After expresses the ‘obligation’ she feels in creating an anecdote to pain and suffering as a survivor’s daughter. Each chapter is accompanied by paintings relating to different periods in her life. The book includes Weisel’s art, poetry and journals. As the title suggests the book is less about the recreation of tragedy and more about the affirmation of life and in so doing finding fulfilment.

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WILD RIDE: Inside Uber’s Quest for World Domination

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

WILD RIDE: Inside Uber’s Quest for World Domination by ADAM LASHINSKY. The untold story of Uber’s rise and the massive ambitions of its founder and CEO, Travis Kalanick.

Latest Books for September 2022

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BEIS HALEVI on BITACHON

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

BEIS HALEVI on BITACHON by RABBI DAVID SUTTON. Rav Yosef Soloveitchik is revered as the founder of the Brisker dynasty. Only now after his lifetime have his writings on trust in Hashem or bitachon been translated for all to read. It includes his original text and a wide-ranging commentary drawing on dozens of Torah sages. The book gives us answers to questions such as how a person should react in times of trouble, the place of fear in a Jew’s life as well as the benefits of bitachon in this world and the next. The book has an overview by Rabbi Nosson Scherman and valuable “insights” appear throughout.

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BITTERSWEET

GENRE: PSYCHOLOGY/PERSONAL GROWTH

BITTERSWEET by SUSAN CAIN. The author shows how a bittersweet state of mind may help us transcend our personal and collective pain. She traverses fields such as neuroscience, popular music, religion and business management to show how pain and longing can be transformed into fulfilment. Cain chronicles her personal experiences amidst those of C.S. Lewis, Maya Angelou and Leonard Cohen and others. The author suggests that if we do not acknowledge our own pain, we may inflict it on others. A beautifully written tribute to underappreciated emotions.

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Children in Mind

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

Children in Mind by Jenny Perkel. Clinical psychologist Perkel presents a well-researched book on the wellbeing of children and their mental health.

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THE CORSET MAKER

GENRE: FICTION

THE CORSET MAKER by ANNETTE LIBESKIND BERKOVITS. Born into an ultra-Orthodox home in Poland, Rifka Berg risked everything in a bold move for her time by opening a corset shop on a fashionable street in Warsaw with her teenage friend. The events of the 20th century take her on an unforgettable journey for survival and she becomes embroiled in the Jewish-Arab conflict in Palestine, the Spanish Civil war and the Nazi occupation of France. The story features a Parisian Count, a Moroccan arms smuggler and an orphaned Spanish boy who tugs at Rivka’s heart. Annette Berkovit’s mother and her close friends were the inspiration behind this historical novel.

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THE CUCKOO CLOCK

GENRE: FICTION

THE CUCKOO CLOCK by ESTHER RAPAPORT. A suspenseful story with true to life characters and plot twists. Eliyahu and Elisheva Potolsky are baffled at the mysterious windfalls that have recently surrounded them. A nameless buyer wants to pay a small fortune for an old broken cuckoo clock. An elderly grandfather who has no knowledge of his identity and background has his caregiver suddenly taking interest in his family. In an austere Catholic orphanage in Europe, a friendship develops between two lonely Jewish boys during World War 11. Did one boy commit an act of disloyalty against the other? Rapaport weaves this all together in this intriguing book.

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DRONE WARS

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

DRONE WARS by SETH J. FRANTZMAN. Journalist Frantzman has written an absorbing account on the past, present and future of drones. The development of drones began in the 1970’s and their role expanded from mere intelligence gathering to weapons capable of striking their targets with accuracy. Israel has been involved from the beginning and a young Israeli engineer Yair Dubester worked on building of the first unmanned aerial vehicle. Frantzman suggests that militaries may soon be spending more on drones than tanks and that future wars will be won by whoever has the most sophisticated technology.

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Taka wants to fly / Flap! Rattle! Stomp!

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

Taka wants to fly / Flap! Rattle! Stomp! by Irene Berman - beautifully illustrated children’s books.

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THE ISLAND OF EXTRAORDINARY CAPTIVES

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE ISLAND OF EXTRAORDINARY CAPTIVES by SIMON PARKIN. Following Kristallnacht in 1938, Peter Fleischmann a young orphan evaded the Gestapo roundups and escaped to England via the Kindertransport train. However, the British police suspected him of being a spy and shipped him off to the Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man. There he found himself amongst a most astonishing prison population: renowned professors, composers, journalists and artists. They welcomed Peter as their pupil and this changed his life forever. Parkin shows how creativity may flourish in the darkest circumstances.

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THE KILLINGS AT KINGFISHER HILL

GENRE: FICTION

THE KILLINGS AT KINGFISHER HILL by SOPHIE HANNAH. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Catchpool travel to Kingfisher Hall, an idyllic residential estate, after being summoned by Richard Davenport to investigate his brother Frank’s death. The brother’s fiancée Helen has confessed to his murder and is about to be hanged. Poirot is asked to investigate with the strange condition that he must conceal his identity from the family. Things become more complex once Poirot reaches the scene of the crime. Another murder follows and only the world’s best detective can unravel the deceit and solve the mystery. This book will appeal to all Agatha Christie fans.

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LAYERS: Personal Narratives of struggle, resilience and growth from Jewish women

GENRE: PSYCHOLOGY/PERSONAL GROWTH

LAYERS: Personal Narratives of struggle, resilience and growth from Jewish women by SHIRA LANKIN SHEPS. Layers is a collection of over thirty personal narratives featuring the challenges and triumphs of observant Jewish women living in Israel, many of whom made Aliyah. With topics such as pregnancy loss and infertility, physical and mental health, grief, conversion, disability, antisemitism, terrorism and more the narratives depict the diversity of background and commonality of experience that connects them all. Each unique chapter features stunning colour photographs taken by the author.

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MALA’S CAT

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

MALA’S CAT by MALA KACENBERG. A courageous story of Mala, who at the age of 15, was told that her family had been rounded up for deportation from her Polish hometown of Tarnogrod. She went into hiding accompanied by a stray cat she called Malach, Hebrew for angel, who appeared and vanished while she trying to remain hidden. As Mala was blonde and blue-eyed, she evaded capture by convincing the Nazis she was a Christian. After being torn apart from her family, she escaped to Germany where she remained until the war ended. Mala’s biography reveals her will to survive and remain hopeful throughout.

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MEANT TO BE MINE

GENRE: FICTION

MEANT TO BE MINE by HANNAH ORENSTEIN. In this contemporary romance New York stylist, Edie Meyer, believes she will meet her soulmate on an exact date predicted by her grandmother Gloria. Her grandmother was renowned to have had this ability. When the “magic” day arrived, Edie met Theo Larson, a magician and their chemistry was amazing. However as their relationship developed some differences became apparent and she began to suspect that he was not the perfect partner for her. Edie has to consider whether to trust fate or to follow her own feelings when finding her bashert.

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OUT OF THE CORNER

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

OUT OF THE CORNER by JENNIFER GREY. An intimate self-portrait of Jennifer’s experiences that shaped her from her childhood. The daughter of Broadway and film legend Joel Grey she set her sights on joining the family profession. She featured in the hit Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze and won Dancing with the Stars. She is frank when discussing her father’s sexuality and other painful incidents including the botched surgery of her “Jewish nose”. Though she had failed relationships, she found her own true north amidst a culture which imposes a narrow and unforgiving definition of female worth.

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SOMETHING WILD

GENRE: FICTION

SOMETHING WILD by HANNAH HALPERIN. The novel begins when Tanya and Nessa Bloom return to their childhood home in Boston to help their mother Lorraine and stepfather move. They are shocked to discover that their mother is in a violent and abusive relationship. Tanya wants her mother to obtain a restraining order against their stepfather whereas Nessa still has overriding fondness for him. The story is told providing alternating perspectives that interweave past and present. An unflinchingly honest portrait of how trauma reverberates over generations and how the sister’s intimate bond help them on this troubling journey.

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STRUGGLE, CHALLENGES AND TRADITION

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST/ISRAEL

STRUGGLE, CHALLENGES AND TRADITION by RABBI BEREL WEIN. After a century of assimilation and the horrors of the Holocaust, Torah Judaism remerged. Rabbi Wein explores World Jewry from 1820-1940. He writes of the forces, which ranged for and against Torah observance discussing which strategies helped rebuild Torah life. A vital book for anyone who cares about the future of Orthodox Judaism. To quote from Rabbi Wein’s introduction: “Without knowing the past, we are woefully ignorant about the present, and certainly have no clue as to what the future will be.”

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Taka wants to fly / Flap! Rattle! Stomp!

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

Taka wants to fly / Flap! Rattle! Stomp! by Irene Berman - beautifully illustrated children’s books.

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The Happiness Workout

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS BY SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORS

The Happiness Workout by Noa Belling. Bestselling psychologist Belling has designed a variety of happiness workouts to help you connect with your body for a sense of contentment.

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TO SERVE WITH LOVE

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

TO SERVE WITH LOVE by MARLENE BETHLEHEM. An amazing memoir of Marlene Bethlehem spanning her life of service to the community and her career in tennis. She had an unhappy childhood as her parents divorced when she was 11 and she attended boarding school. There she began playing tennis, which led to her winning at Wimbledon and becoming a professional coach. She was the official coach of the first black South African woman’s tennis team. After she married, she discovered a passion for community work. Marlene was elected as the first woman chairperson of the SAJBD. Her fascinating stories about interactions with Nelson Mandela, the Truth and Reconciliation commission and visiting far-flung Jewish communities will fascinate throughout.

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WHO BY FIRE

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

WHO BY FIRE by MATTI FRIEDMAN. The author shares Leonard Cohen’s visit to the Sinai desert in 1973. He inserted himself into the chaos and bloodshed of the war. Moving around with a guitar and local musicians, Leonard met hundreds of fighting men and women at the worst moment in their lives. His audiences heard him knowing his music may be the last thing they heard. Friedman uses amazing new material, interviews and rare photographs providing an intimate powerful portrait of the artist. The book brings the reader closer to one of the most brilliant and charismatic voices of our times.

Latest Books for August 2022

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ALICE’S BOOK: How the Nazis stole my grandmother’s cookbook

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

ALICE’S BOOK: How the Nazis stole my grandmother’s cookbook by KARINA URBACH. Alice Urbach had her own cookery school in Vienna but in 1938 she was forced to flee to England. Her youngest son was imprisoned in Dachau and her eldest son escaped to America becoming an intelligence officer in the struggle against the Nazis. Returning to the ruins of Vienna in the 1940’s she found her own bestselling cookbook “Cooking the Viennese way” published under the name of Rudolf Rösch. Despite this bitter injustice, Alice retained her love of Viennese cooking giving lessons until her nineties. Karina, her granddaughter uncovered her history and was able to restore the copyright to Alice.

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Be the Bubble

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

Be the Bubble by Bradley Dean Silberman-After suffering from a brutal attack as a young student Bradley almost died. In his inspirational book, Bradley shares his life changing lessons and his journey of discovery to becoming a speaker, coach and entrepreneur.

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BRAZEN

GENRE: MEMOIR

BRAZEN by JULIA HAART. Julia left her ultra-religious world and rose to fame as co-owner of a modelling agency. Ever since childhood, Julia followed an ultra-Orthodox way of life. She married and allowed her husband to control her life for twenty-three years. However when her youngest daughter questioned the reason she was not allowed to sing, run or ride a bike Julia was forced to take action. She looked at fashion magazines, designed clothes and dreamt of a world beyond hers. She secretly sold insurance to save money and at forty-two she escaped. She is now one of the most powerful woman in the fashion industry.

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A Cape Town Lawyer

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

A Cape Town Lawyer by Morris Stern –A compilation of Morris Stein’s most interesting and high profile stories in his time as a lawyer. Morris has been practising law since 1976 and never looked back.

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CHASING MARIAN

GENRE: FICTION

CHASING MARIAN by AMY HEYDENRYCH, QARNITA LOXTON, GAIL SCHIMMEL & PAMELA POWER. Jess, Ginger, Queenie and Matt meet in a Facebook group dedicated to Marian Keyes fans. They hear Marian is about to attend a literary festival in South Africa and are delighted. Jess is a mother of two abandoned by her husband for a younger woman, Ginger is an elderly mom trying to prove she is still vibrant to her daughters. Queenie, a librarian, is in a fruitless relationship while Matt is in search of a partner. However, when Marian cancels they need to find a plan to meet their beloved Irish author. Their friendship grows and extends beyond their love of Marian. Highly entertaining.

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THE COUPLE AT THE TABLE

GENRE: FICTION

THE COUPLE AT THE TABLE by SOPHIE HANNAH. Detectives Simon Waterhouse and Charlie Zailer are taking a break at a luxury resort. However, they find themselves investigating a murder when one of the guests Jane Brinkwood is killed. Jane received an anonymous note warning her to “beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours.” Each of the other couples have an alibi and the murderer is not found. Simon cannot let this rest and months later together with Lucy, the woman whose husband left her for Jane, they attempt to find the guilty party. With everyone appearing to be hiding something, it seems impossible to solve.

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THE DISTANT SHORES

GENRE: FICTION

THE DISTANT SHORES by SANTA MONTEFIORE. The story of a family torn apart and a woman who will bring them back together. Margot Hunt travels to Ireland to write a biography on the famous Deverill family. She needs to speak to the current Lord Deverill to uncover the secrets of their past. He is a notorious recluse but she manages to form a bond with him. As he has had to sell the family castle, he is isolated and vulnerable. Margot may be able to help him together with his son Colm to restore the family fortune and to heal rifts centuries in the making. An epic romance with poignant moments.

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FREEZING ORDER

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

FREEZING ORDER by BILL BROWDER. In his follow up to Red Notice Browder, who initiated the Magnitsky act, following the killing of his own lawyer, gave authorities the power to freeze assets on individuals accused of human rights violations. He shares in this sequel the legal challenges and threats Browder and his team have faced as the Russian government have tried to intimidate them. Browder was arrested in Madrid on a Russian Interpol warrant and warned of a plot in London to kidnap him and take him to Moscow. He was calling for action to target illicit Russian money and assets in the West long before Russia invaded Ukraine. Fast paced and engaging it reads like a spy thriller.

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THE JEWS OF BIRŽAI

GENRE: JEWISH INTEREST

THE JEWS OF BIRŽAI by MICHAEL R BIEN. The book takes the reader into the Lithuanian town of Biržai where Jews and their neighbours lived peaceful, harmonious lives pre-World War 11. However all this changed as the winds of war grew. This book memorializes the lives of the families murdered in 1941 and honours them with positive stories from both the Jews who suffered through this time and the righteous Lithuanians who helped and saved some of them. A legacy of this shtetl and a memorial to the 2,400 who died there. A written commemoration of those lost in the Holocaust.

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MOTHER’S BOY

GENRE: MEMOIR

MOTHER’S BOY by HOWARD JACOBSON. Booker prize-winner Jacobson was forty when he published his first novel. In his autobiography, he traces the life that brought him there. Born to a working class family in Manchester in the 1940’s his mother, grandmother and aunt played a formative role in his life. Hence the title of his book. His father was a tailor amongst other occupations as well as a magician. Howard studied at Cambridge and landed up in Sydney as a maverick professor. His memoir is filled with bittersweet memories of his parents, his two marriages and the twist and turns his life took before becoming a writer.

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NAZI BILLIONAIRES

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

NAZI BILLIONAIRES by DAVID DE JONG. Journalist de Jong reveals the true story of how Germany’s wealthiest businesses amassed money by abetting the Third Reich. These tycoons such as Quandt whose empire today controls BMW, automaker Porsche and baking goods mogul Kaselowsky boosted their fortunes by acquiring Jewish owned businesses at below market price and used slave labour to grow wealthier. During the final years of the war, their activities were no secret to the Allies but the Nuremberg trials involved political figures and not owners. An account of the financial side of Nazi evil that resonates still today.

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THE NETANYAHUS

GENRE: FICTION

THE NETANYAHUS by JOSHUA COHEN. This Pulitzer winning novel is set in a college on the outskirts of New York in 1959. Ruben Blum, a Jewish professor, specializing in tax history is part of the committee deciding whether to hire Benzion Netanyahu, father of the future Israeli prime minister. Blum receives letters from colleagues and associates of the candidate telling him about the man and his work. He peruses Netanyahu’s scholarship in which he sees his strengths and contradictions. Cohen’s academic satire explores Jewish history, the history of Zionism, the history of anti-Semitism, status of Jews in higher education and assimilation. A witty, intelligent and brilliant book.

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PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN WOMAN

GENRE: FICTION

PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN WOMAN by DANIEL SILVA. Legendary spy maker and art restorer Gabriel Allon has settled quietly in Venice. When London art dealer Julian Isherwood contacts him, he is drawn into another deadly game. He begins to investigate the sale of a painting attributed to Sir Anthony van Dyck, which he is certain is a clever fake. Gabriel needs to find the person who painted it. In so doing, he uncovers how the world’s leading art experts are being fooled and lured into a syndicate of selling fake paintings for millions. For Gabriel to succeed he must become a mirror image of this forger and enter a world he has never known. Ingeniously plotted- Daniel Silva has no equal.

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THE SCHOOL THAT ESCAPED THE NAZIS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE SCHOOL THAT ESCAPED THE NAZIS by DEBORAH CADBURY. In 1933 Anna Essinger, the headmistress of a school in Germany saw the danger of Hitler’s ideologies. She devised a plan to bring her students to England to protect them from the horrors of life under Hitler. With help from local politicians, Quaker and Jewish groups she transformed an old manor house called Bunce Court into a school. Watching the devastating consequences for Jewish children left behind she began taking in orphans to offer these scarred children the love and security to rebuild their lives. Featuring first hand testimony from surviving pupils, diaries and present day interviews.

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THE SECRET OF CHABAD

GENRE: JEWISH INTEREST

THE SECRET OF CHABAD by DAVID ELIEZRIE. Rabbi Eliezrie, a Chabad shliach in California reveals the secrets of Chabad’s success. He begins with Rab¬bi Schneerson’s pre¬de¬ces¬sor and father-in-law Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneer¬sohn who escaped Russia to America in 1940 and established a yeshiva at 770 Eastern Parkway to strengthen Orthodox life in several American cities. His successor would build in America and internationally the Chabad movement dedicating itself to the aspirations of its visionary leader to create a worldwide Jewish renaissance. The book reveals the innovation, commitment and determination of these dynamic men and women.

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SHORT CUTS TO HAPPINESS

GENRE: MEMOIR

SHORT CUTS TO HAPPINESS by TAL BEN-SHAHAR. Bestselling author and psychologist Ben-Shahar needed a sympathetic ear and found this is in his long-time Israeli barber Avi. He distils two years of their conversation into forty chapters. A remarkable relationship emerged while Tal was having his haircut. Using the wide range of topics from everyday matters to life’s big themes, which they discussed, this book took shape. Avi reveals the secret to find lasting happiness and the meaning of life which he learnt by observing his customers sitting in his barber’s chair. Tal shares all this wisdom in this gem.

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THE SILENT CHILD

GENRE: FICTION

THE SILENT CHILD by J. G. KELLY. In 1944, Leo Stern arrives at the Nazi camp of Borek with this wife Irena and two daughters. In order to survive Leo has to make unimaginable choices. The book jumps to 1961 when Hanna, who was unable to remember her identity and how she was separated from her family after the war, discovers a letter among her late uncle’s possessions. On learning her real name is Hanna Stern she travels to Berlin with her former lover. However, Hanna is not the only one interested in piecing together her past and there is someone who would prefer Hanna to remain silent. A heart-breaking novel based on extensive research.

Latest Books for July 2022

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The Colours of Life: Living Blind

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

The Colours of Life: Living Blind by Lilly Skurnik. An inspirational memoir showing how Lilly lived a wonderful life despite losing her sight at an early age.

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A GOOD WINTER

GENRE: FICTION

A GOOD WINTER by GIGI FENSTER. Olga develops a friendship with Lara who has moved into the neighbourhood to assist her daughter Sophie. Sophie’s partner passed away after the birth of their baby and Sophie is now suffering from postnatal depression. Olga helps out and provides support to Lara’s daughter but beneath this she is obsessed with Lara and needs to be the centre of her new friend’s attention and affection. Olga is determined to maintain her connection to Lara at any cost. Fenster has written this psychological thriller with an incredible twist. Her narrative portrays a dark and complex mind.

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THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK by ROSEMARY SULLIVAN. Who betrayed Anne Frank’s family has been the subject of formal investigations before. In this book Rosemary Sullivan, a Dutch journalist and filmmaker together with a retired FBI agent opens this case again. Using data from scientists, historians, researchers and behavioural psychology they examine possible scenarios. It reflects an important truth that in dire circumstances anyone may have betrayed the Frank family perhaps even another Jew to save his own family. A thoughtful and provocative read. Their conclusion remains open to question.

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The Books of Jacob

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk. An epic historical novel about the rise of a mysterious messianic religious leader in 18th century Europe.

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CREATING A LIFE THAT MATTERS

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

CREATING A LIFE THAT MATTERS by MANIS FRIEDMAN & RIVKA GOLDSTEIN. The authors guide the reader on how to live life with peace of mind to find lasting happiness amidst the challenges of today’s complicated world. Their sections on marriage, parenting and teaching children respect are most insightful. They advocate we let go of the past and concern ourselves with others. In so doing we will be able to repair our world and raise generations to do the same. The authors state that we are all Jews no matter our level of observance and that we have the ability to make a difference.

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GATED PREY

GENRE: FICTION

GATED PREY by LEE GOLDBERG. Detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone have gone undercover masquerading as a wealthy couple to solve a series of robberies in a gated complex of palatial homes. They succeed and soon have three bodies to account for. Eve’s bosses want to close the case but for her there are too many unanswered questions. She is uncertain if a trap was set for her as payback for her public takedown of corrupt cops and whether there is a deadlier secret behind those opulent gates. This makes her the hunter and the prey.

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HIS FINAL MISSION

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

HIS FINAL MISSION by RABBI ABRAHAM TWERSKI. Rabbi Twerski addresses Internet addiction, which is breaking up families and causing enormous spiritual damage to people. His latest book is a comprehensive guide to help individuals and families combat addictions. He has filled this book with illuminating examples, practical techniques and inspiring testimonials. Rabbi Twerski’s articles and correspondence have helped many people find the way back to heal their souls once again. He equates this technological addiction to a pandemic for which there is no vaccine and which may cause many people despair.

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I CAME ALL THE WAY TO MEET YOU

GENRE: MEMOIR

I CAME ALL THE WAY TO MEET YOU by JAMI ATTENBERG. Jami takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of her life and her attempts to find a place in the world. Her memoir deals with the experiences of her youth, her self-funded book tours and the instability of her living conditions as she kept moving until middle aged. We read of her friends, lovers and family who helped her along the way. She eventually found an editor who believed in her work and this was a turning point in her career. This is a writer’s memoir in every sense. Ultimately, she finds her way home-emotionally, physically and artistically.

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Israeli Chefs Inspired by Architecture & Fashion Design

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

Israeli Chefs Inspired by Architecture & Fashion Design by Osnat Subah. This pictoral gem combines Israeli chefs, architecture, fashion designers providing a silhouette of contemporary Israeli society.

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I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE by SARA YOHEVED RIGLER. The author writes in her book that each of us is an immortal soul carrying the baggage of past lifetimes. Sara Rigler writes that people show definite indications that they have been reincarnated. They have Holocaust related torments with no prior exposure to the Shoah and are able to recall in vivid details their experiences though born years after. The book contains incredible true recollections of people reconnected with their past selves including attending a memorial lecture for themselves and giving a guided tour of a city which they have never been to before. An illuminating and fascinating well researched book.

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THE MAN WHO SOLD AIR IN THE HOLY LAND

GENRE: FICTION

THE MAN WHO SOLD AIR IN THE HOLY LAND by OMER FRIEDLANDER. In his debut short story collection, Friedlander uncovers Israeli society through the people who inhabit it. His imaginative stories take you to the alleyways of Jerusalem, Negev Desert and the orange groves of Jaffa. He touches upon checkpoints, mandatory conscription and the echo of the Shoah. The title is based on the story of a con artist and his daughter who sell empty bottles of “holy air” to credulous tourists. His vivid prose will evoke tears and laughter in equal measure as he shares the intimate life of characters struggling for connection.

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NEVER FORGET YOUR NAME

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

NEVER FORGET YOUR NAME by ALWIN MEYER. This work is the culmination of Meyer’s research and interviews with the children imprisoned in Auschwitz and their descendants. The author reconstructs their stories before, during and after liberation. Many of them were orphaned. Most forgot their names and ages and had fragmented understanding of where they came from. The book weaves together biographies of 27 survivors who were children up to the age of fifteen when they arrived in Auschwitz. Meyer’s book rescues the stories of these vulnerable victims from historical oblivion.

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PLAY FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

GENRE: FICTION

PLAY FOR THE END OF THE WORLD by JAI CHAKRABARTI. This novel spans three continents and three decades in the life of Jaryk Smith, a Holocaust survivor. His story combines his time in the Warsaw ghetto with his best friend Mishna; 1970 New York where Jaryk begins a new relationship with Lucy Gardner and a pilgrimage to India when he hears of Mishna’s death under mysterious circumstances. In India, he stages a play against the government, which is the same one he performed in as a child in Warsaw. Torn between his survivor’s guilt and his feelings for Lucy, Jaryk must decide how to honour the past and accept any happiness he now deserves.

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SLEDGEHAMMER

GENRE: POLITICAL/CONTEMPORARY

SLEDGEHAMMER by DAVID FRIEDMAN. This recently published book by former United States ambassador to Israel, David Freidman presents an insider view to understanding the strengthening of goals between Israel and America. Friedman as part of the Trump administration supported Israel’s long-term security needs and opened new avenues to bring peace and stability to the region. His inspiring achievements include moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan and facilitating the Abraham Accords. The book takes the reader behind the doors of the Oval Office.

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THROWN AMONG THE BONES

GENRE: MEMOIR

THROWN AMONG THE BONES by PATRICIA SCHONSTEIN. A candid account of Patricia’s life as a novelist. She has drawn on her own experiences to fuel her fiction. She reveals what defined her as a creative artist and the roles of people who shaped her imagination. Born to a Czechoslovakian father who had escaped the Holocaust and a Catholic mother who endured Italian fascism and the German occupation of Italy, she grew up with their sorrow. Her writing is in vignettes with annotated extracts from her novels and endnotes. A poignant, honest, intimate portrayal of a woman’s exploration for eternal hope.

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AN UGLY TRUTH

GENRE: POLITICAL/CONTEMPORARY

AN UGLY TRUTH by SHEERA FRENKEL & CECILIA KANG. New York Times reporters Frenkel and Kang provide an insider’s account of the scandalous and toxic culture at social media giant Facebook. Sharing interviews with former and current employees as well as investors, regulators and lawmakers, they offer a view of the company’s callous business practices. Focusing on the exploitation of user’s data and other controversial tactics this exposé offers the troubling aspects of Facebook’s rise to prominence. Despite this, the growth of this company has remained constant. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg refused to be interviewed for this book.

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WHEN IRISH EYES ARE NOT SMILING

GENRE: MEMOIR

WHEN IRISH EYES ARE NOT SMILING by ANNE LAPIDUS BREST. Once again, Anne Brest, author of Oy Vey My Child is Gay and a Drug Addict will hold the reader captivated by her writing. She provides a most interesting colourful account of her early life in Dublin and then details her experience of moving to Johannesburg in the 1960’s at the age of 14. She will enthral with many stories of her transition into this new country, which was at first so foreign to her and her family. She writes with wit and insight and the book will allow readers to recall and relive the memories of Jewish daily life in the 60’s and 70’s.

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YARDSTICKS

GENRE: FICTION

YARDSTICKS by ESTY HELLER. The author focuses on the topic of weddings. We are introduced to Heller’s multidimensional characters Mina, Yocheved and Yelena. Mina tries to make everyone happy working in the Lewin bridal boutique. She is caught between each kallah’s complicated narrative, her loyalty to her sister Yocheved who owns the boutique and her husband who is pushing to lower wedding standards. Yelena sews for the boutique but due to financial strain takes on a side business. The novel shares these three women’s difficult decisions as they battle with their own realities.

Latest Books for June 2022

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BAD LUCK BRIDESMAID

GENRE: FICTION

BAD LUCK BRIDESMAID by ALISON ROSE GREENBERG. For fans of romantic novels Greenberg’s unconventional love story is a bittersweet treat. Zoey Marks is convinced she is “the bad luck bridesmaid” because three weddings in which she served as a bridesmaid never made it down the aisle. She is an advertising executive determined to remain single until she meets her best friend Hannah’s cousin Ryan. He proposes to her but she declines. When Hannah is about to be married in Ireland Zoey attends as her bridesmaid knowing she will see Ryan and hoping the curse will not continue. A celebration of love in all its forms.

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BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS

GENRE: FICTION

BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS by AMY MEYERSON. Miranda Brooks grew up in her uncle’s bookstore solving the scavenger hunts he invented for her. When she turned twelve, he disappeared from her life after her mother had a disagreement with him. Sixteen years later she learnt of his death and that the bookshop had been left to her. She resigns from her teaching position in Philadelphia and returns to find the store is almost bankrupt. He has left her one final riddle to solve in obscure books scattered in the shop. Meyerson finds out some life altering family secrets and needs to make her own life decisions. A novel of forgiveness amidst new beginnings.

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DECEPTION

GENRE: FICTION

DECEPTION by LIBBY LAZEWNIK. This mystery thriller is filled with intrigue and suspense. Nina Hochman is an ER nurse who is dedicated and caring. She cannot understand why so many of her most vulnerable patients are so quickly and inexplicably landing up in the cardiology unit. Her compassion for these lonely individuals leads to her personal investigation in search of the truth. Her desire for justice could result in her risking her own life. A spellbinding book by an extraordinary author.

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GAGMAN

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

GAGMAN by DOV FELDER. This book took veteran South African cartoonist Dov thirty-five years to complete. Though titled Gagman it is not filled with political and satirical cartoons but is a Holocaust story with a difference. It is about a comedian in a concentration camp who survived by entertaining the commandant. Fedler battled to tell a story, which was not his own experience, even though the Holocaust played a role in his life and his family had suffered from collective trauma. In this creative work there are few illustrations. Dov brings his own Jewish experience and history into this unique work.

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THE GLOBAL MERCHANTS

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

THE GLOBAL MERCHANTS by JOSEPH SASSOON. Unlike the Rothschild’s the Sassoons were not bankers but traders specializing in opium, cotton and oil. They were wealthy merchants whose influence stretched from Shanghai, Bombay, London, Lancashire to the United States. Their fortune was one of the wonders of the industrialized world. However, their descendants lacked their financial acumen and were not able to transition from active business to philanthropy. Joseph Sassoon, a history professor, points out that this led to their decline as they lacked the administrative brilliance of the original Sassoons.

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IN THE SHADOW OF PARIS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

IN THE SHADOW OF PARIS by ANNE SINCLAIR. A personal journey by Anne Sinclair to find answers about her life and that of her grandfather Léonce Schwartz that had always haunted her. This is part memoir and documentation of the tragedy of the mass arrests by the Nazis of prominent French Jews and their imprisonment at the “camp of slow death” fifty miles from Paris. In 1941 influential doctors, professors, artists and others from the upper echelons of society were sent to Compiegne-Royallieu concentration camp. Those who did not perish there were sent to Auschwitz. A few escaped their fate and her grandfather was amongst them.

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THE INSIDER

GENRE: MEMOIR

THE INSIDER by RABBI NACHMAN SELTZER. The unforgettable memoir of Reb Yisroel Katzover reads like a thriller as well as a secret history and is a most inspirational read. Reb Katzover was one of Israel’s premier military journalists and served as an unofficial liaison between the military and politicians. He is one of the gedolei Torah. In this biography, Rabbi Seltzer includes personalities Reb Katzover met as well as his influence on the world of Jewish music and the way he promoted the careers of some of today’s most preeminent musicians. An unforgettable “insider story”.

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JEANNOT’S WAR: A novel of the Boer War

GENRE: FICTION

JEANNOT’S WAR: A novel of the Boer War by PETER WEINBERG. The book is about a young immigrant to South Africa who settled in Bloemfontein and became involved in fighting on behalf of the Orange Free State Republic against the British Empire from 1899 to 1902. It centres around the main character Jeannot Weinberg’s letters from the battlefields of the Boer War and the prison camps in which he was incarcerated. It reflects the courage and steadfastness displayed by Jeannot who is actually Peter Weinberg’s grandfather. He describes the inhumane actions of the British to civilians.

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MENSCHES IN THE TRENCHES

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN INTEREST

MENSCHES IN THE TRENCHES by JONATHAN ANCER. A book filled with unrecorded stories of individuals who played an essential role in bringing freedom and justice to South Africa. Some achieved fame and recognition for their contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle yet others were unsung heroes who helped bring about meaningful change. These courageous and principled activists came from all walks of life and backgrounds and were part of the Jewish community. Their stories are told in this noteworthy collection which will endure as a legacy to them all.

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A TALE OF TWO OMARS

GENRE: MEMOIR

A TALE OF TWO OMARS by OMAR SHARIF Jr. As the grandson of Hollywood royalty on his father’s side and Holocaust survivors on his mother’s the author spent his childhood moving between two different worlds. He was always protected by iconic name until he submitted a letter to the Advocate in 2012 stating that he was gay. This led to his exile from Egypt despite the fact that his famous grandfather had accepted his lifestyle unconditionally. He maintains his hope in humanity and calls for tolerance and dialogue in Middle Eastern politics. A moving memoir revealing the author’s struggles and successes.

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THE JUST

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE JUST by JAN BROKKEN. In the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, Jan Zwartendijk, the new Dutch consul, took it upon himself to save as many refugees as he could by issuing visas for them to travel to the colony of Curacao in the Caribbean. In the same town Chiune Sugihara, consul of Japan, was helping Jewish refugees to escape. In a unique collaboration, these two men helped Jews escape the war by Sugihara issuing second visas for them to travel to Shanghai to reach their destination safely. Brokken has written an important account of these heroes including documents that had been sealed and interviews with survivors.

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THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME

GENRE: MEMOIR

THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME by ROBERT IGER. In his memoir, Iger shares the origins of his career and the ideas he used to reinvent the Walt Disney Company as its CEO. Iger gained many leadership skills after 45 years of working for different organisations. He changed Disney into the largest media company in the world by acquiring Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. He shifted Disney’s future by embracing technology and thinking globally. His lessons are that leaders need to have the courage to innovate, avoid indecisiveness and listen to others with some humility. Iger inspired the people who bring the magic to life.

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THE TRUTH AND OTHER HIDDEN THINGS

GENRE: FICTION

THE TRUTH AND OTHER HIDDEN THINGS by LEA GELLER. Bells Walker learns she is pregnant on the same day her husband accepts a new professorship. She is not looking forward to caring for a baby alongside her demanding teenagers after moving to New York’s Hudson Valley. Once there she begins an anonymous gossipy blog about life in her new town. As her posts become more scandalous focusing on her neighbours romantic flings, competitive parents and the hipster lifestyle they go viral. She now runs the risk of someone uncovering that she is the County Dutchess and losing all she treasures.

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WOMAN ON FIRE

GENRE: FICTION

WOMAN ON FIRE by LISA BARR. In this multi-faceted thriller, reporter Jules Roth begins a job working for Dan Mansfield. Dan needs her to track down Women on Fire, the last work of the murdered Expressionist artist Ernst Engel. This investigation is for world-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum. Ellis is nearing death and wants this painting stolen by the Nazis returned to him. His mother had posed for this masterpiece and it was in their home. However, there is another powerful person searching for this-the ruthless gallery owner Margaux de Laurent who will stop at nothing to possess it. Filled with intrigue, passion and deception.

Latest Books for May 2022

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BILLION DOLLAR LOSER

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

BILLION DOLLAR LOSER by REEVES WIEDEMAN. Journalist Wiedeman writes about the success and subsequent crash of WeWork. Envisioned by CEO Adam Neumann who had the idea of repurposing surplus office space for the burgeoning freelance class. However, the growth was untenable and Weideman recounts what happened between its launch in 2010 to its disaster as an IPO in 2019. Moving between New York real estate and Silicon Valley capital he takes the reader into every twist and turn of this corporate disaster. Wiedeman interviewed employees at all levels and `investors who bolstered the company’s rise.

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BONE CANYON

GENRE: FICTION

BONE CANYON by LEE GOLDBERG. In this fast-paced sequel to Lost Hills Detective Eve Ronin is plunged into a politically tense murder investigation. The discovery of a homicide victim’s bones are identified as those of a young woman who went missing six years previously after her friend and her had filed reports of both being gang raped on a beach. When evidence points to a secret clique of rogue cops Eve faces resentment. She has violated the unspoken code of silence that protects fellow officers thereby putting her own life at peril. A thriller with all the twists Goldberg knows to keep the reader turning the pages.

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BRIDGES ACROSS THE WORLD

GENRE: FICTION

BRIDGES ACROSS THE WORLD by RACHEL POMERANTZ. Ruth Robinson is a psychologist who converted to Judaism and moved to Jerusalem raising her twin daughters on her own. Her college roommate and best friend Karen has distanced herself from Ruth for over a decade as she disapproved of her choice. Karen herself faces the challenges of adopting an orphan while furthering her career as a mathematician. Pomerantz engages the reader as she writes of their reconnection as friends. An absorbing novel about the bonds of friendship and family extending as far as Britain, India and Japan.

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ESCAPE FROM THE GHETTO

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

ESCAPE FROM THE GHETTO by JOHN CARR. Henry Carr’s memoir written by his son John is extraordinary. Born Chaim Herszman he was forced to flee from the Lodz ghetto in 1940 at thirteen after he was caught stealing food for their family and killing a guard. He tried to find sanctuary in Russia but this did not happen. He travelled via Germany to France and Spain until a British diplomat saved him and he landed in Gibraltar. He served in the British army when it invaded Germany. His survival was due to his gift for languages, Aryan looks and his tough prowess after having lived on the streets in Lodz.

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HOW TO FIND YOUR WAY IN THE DARK

GENRE: FICTION

HOW TO FIND YOUR WAY IN THE DARK by DEREK B. MILLER. While Sheldon Horowitz is mourning his mother’s unnatural death his father is killed by a truck while driving with Sheldon. He is convinced this was not an accident. He has to leave his small town in rural Massachusetts and move in with his widowed uncle. Sheldon is Influenced by his teenage cousins and his friend Lenny to take revenge on his father’s killer even if it means taking illegal measures. An enjoyable coming of age story set against the current Nazi threat of looming war. The protagonist’s capers are most entertaining.

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INTO THE FOREST

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

INTO THE FOREST by REBECCA FRANKEL. In 1942, the Rabinowitz family escaped the ghetto in their Polish town and fled to the Bialowieza Forest. They survived through brutal winters, raids and typhus outbreaks. They were liberated by the Russian army in 1944, travelled across the Alps to Italy and immigrated to the United States. During the first ghetto massacre, Miriam Rabinowitz rescued an unaccompanied boy Philip from a ‘selection’ by pretending he was her son. A decade later she was reunited with him in Brooklyn and his marriage to her daughter Ruth in 1955 shows how this dangerous act of kindness impacted on their lives.

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JACOBOS’ RAINBOW

GENRE: FICTION

JACOBOS’ RAINBOW by DAVID HIRSCHBERG. In the early sixties, Jacobo Toledana left his tiny New Mexican town to begin his new life at college. He was most naïve and easily persuaded to join the Free Speech Movement and the protests against the Vietnam War. He was convinced by their leaders to keep a journal to sketch happenings on the campus as well as confrontations. When a conflict occurred he tried to hide his incriminating notebook. He was arrested and allowed to leave on condition that he would be drafted. Antisemitism is a theme of this engaging, thoughtful novel of triumph over adversity.

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JANE IS TRYING

GENRE: FICTION

JANE IS TRYING by ISY SUTTIE. Jane flees from her successful job in London where she works writing radio scripts together with her fiancé Jonathan. This is after she discovered he was having an affair. She returns to her childhood home with her over protective parents and finds a job in a local bookshop where she is not well paid. Jane cannot escape from her past coupled with her current desperation to have a baby as she is in her thirties. Besides family and meddling friends, she suffers from OCD. Jane is charming and funny as she tactfully tries to navigate the well-meaning advice of all around her.

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LEONARD COHEN: The mystical roots of genius

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

LEONARD COHEN: The mystical roots of genius by HARRY FREEDMAN. This book looks deeply into the imagination of one of the greatest lyricists of our time- singer and poet Leonard Cohen. Freedman is a leading author of cultural and religious history and he explores the mystical and spiritual sources Cohen drew upon. He delves into each song showing how Cohen reworked myths and prayers, legends and allegories into them. Freedman examines Cohen’s Jewish background, his intimate knowledge of the Bible and his interest in mysticism. A broad insight into the mystical origins of his inimitable and profound lyrics.

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THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS JOB FOR HIS LIFE

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS JOB FOR HIS LIFE by NAOMI SHRAGAI. Business psychotherapist Naomi Shragai will transform how you think about yourself and your job through intimate stories, engaging insights and provocative questions. She believes that when it comes to work we are all trapped in the patterns of behaviour from our formative years. Based on thirty years of experience she provides a revolutionary approach to understanding the emotional dynamics within our working lives. The author tackles the issues that cause us problems from imposter syndrome and fear of conflict to perfectionism and anxiety.

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ON CONSOLATION

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

ON CONSOLATION by MICHAEL IGNATIEFF. This noted academic examines the nature of consolation as a means of helping us accept the tragic reality of our lives. When we suffer loss or defeat or when catastrophe strikes we search for consolation. In this series of meditations on writers, artists, musicians and their works- from the books of Job and Psalms to Albert Camus and Primo Levi -Ignatieff shows how humanity in extremity have looked to each other across time to recover hope and resilience. He features Cicely Saunders, the founder of the hospice movement and concludes that consolation is a species of grace.

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RATIONALITY

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY

RATIONALITY by STEVEN PINKER. In this inspiring, enlightening book Harvard psychologist Pinker investigates the nature of straight thinking and the ways it is distorted. We discovered the laws of nature, enriched and lengthened our lives and set the benchmark for rationality itself. However, we fail to take advantage of the powerful tool of reasoning built up over millennia: critical thinking, probability, casual inference and decision making under uncertainty. Rationality leads to better choices and logic and statistics will dissect the common fallacies that violate them. Brimming with insight and humour.

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TO REPAIR A BROKEN WORLD: The Life of Henrietta Szold

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

TO REPAIR A BROKEN WORLD: The Life of Henrietta Szold by DVORA HACOHEN. An Inspiring biography of Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah. Hacohen bases her book on letters and personal diaries to provide a portrait of the woman who devoted her life to the disadvantaged. She provides an insight into the early years of the Jewish Community in pre-Israel Palestine including the story of the first nurses and doctors sent to Jerusalem. In later years she immersed herself in convincing the kibbutz leaders to house children who were rescued from the Nazis and sent to Palestine thus founding the Youth Aliyah network.

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SIMPLY: Simple Gourmet, Every Day

NEW BOOKS GENEROUSLY DONATED BY KOCOSA

SIMPLY: Simple Gourmet, Every Day by RIVKY KLEIMAN.

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TOUCHED BY HIS BLESSING: The Beauty of Bircas HaMazon through Stories and Insights

NEW BOOKS GENEROUSLY DONATED BY KOCOSA

TOUCHED BY HIS BLESSING: The Beauty of Bircas HaMazon through Stories and Insights by RABBI YECHIEL SPERO

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VANISHED COLLECTION

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

VANISHED COLLECTION by PAULINE BAER de PERIGNON. The author grew up knowing very little about her great grand-father Jules Strauss. A chance encounter with a cousin raised the possibilities that his collection of art and antiques were stolen by the Nazis. With the assistance of researchers, museum curators and even Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano she began piecing together her family’s lost treasures. The bonds she forms along the way including relatives with whom she previously had little contact are heartening. Her eventual request that two tracked items be returned make for riveting reading.

Latest Books for April 2022

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BELONGING AND BETRAYAL

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

BELONGING AND BETRAYAL by CHARLES DELLHEIM. This book showcases the surprisingly large and influential pre Second World War Jewish dealers, connoisseurs and collectors of art and thereafter the fate of their collections. One example is Paul Rosenberg who was forced to flee Paris after the Nazi invasion in 1940 leaving four hundred works behind. Dellheim attributes the prominence of Jews as collectors of art as a means to find respectability. He narrates the vast contribution of Jews who changed the early twentieth century art world highlighting their fates, fortunes and some of their devastating betrayal.

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CAN WE TALK ABOUT ISRAEL: A guide for the curious, confused and conflicted

GENRE: ISRAEL

CAN WE TALK ABOUT ISRAEL: A guide for the curious, confused and conflicted by DANIEL SOKATCH. The author provides a detailed history of Israel from ancient to present time. He deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over territory and why Israel inspires such extreme feelings. He questions why so many intelligent, educated people hold such strong convictions about this country. He includes first person accounts by Arab and Jewish activists who have made a “common commitment to work for a different, better, shared future for Israel.” Enhanced by Christopher Noxon’s illustrations.

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IN THE MIDST OF CIVILIZED EUROPE

GENRE: HISTORY

IN THE MIDST OF CIVILIZED EUROPE by JEFFREY VEIDLINGER. Acclaimed historian Veidlinger repositions the pogroms as a defining moment in the twentieth century. Between 1918 and 1921 over a hundred thousand Jews were murdered in the Ukraine. These pogroms dominated international headlines and Jewish refugee relief programs warned that the Jews were in danger of complete extermination. Twenty years later these predictions came true as right wing politics galvanized into the Holocaust. Veidlinger draws on archival materials, witness testimonies and official records.

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A KNOCK AT THE DOOR

GENRE: ISRAEL

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR by ORY SLONIM. The story of Ory Slonim who for two decades was known in Israel as the ‘door knocker’. He had a private law practice until asked by the government to undertake in secret negotiations to find out the whereabouts of soldiers taken captive by terrorist groups. His mission was to bring them home dead or alive. His capacity as negotiator will take you into the worlds of the Mossad, minds of terrorists and the traumatized lives of parents whose children never came home from battle. The book shows Ory’s resilience and compassion doing his amazing work.

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THE LAST ROSE OF SHANGHAI

GENRE: FICTION

THE LAST ROSE OF SHANGHAI by WEINA DAI RANDEL. The narrative is split between Aiyi, a young successful nightclub owner who is engaged to her wealthy cousin and Ernest, a German Jewish refugee who seeks work in Shanghai to provide for himself and his sister. Ernest is hired to play the piano at Aiyi’s club and this causes a sensation. His musical talent is recognized by all and soon both characters find they share more than a passion for jazz. As the war escalates choices are made that will change their lives forever. A well-researched historical novel of love and redemption.

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MOTHER, DAUGHTER, WIDOW, WIFE

GENRE: FICTION

MOTHER, DAUGHTER, WIDOW, WIFE by ROBIN WASSERMAN. Wendy Doe found on a bus to Philadelphia has total amnesia. Once admitted to the Meadowlark Institute she is treated as a voluntary patient by Dr Benjamin Strauss. Lizzie Epstein, an ambitious student, assists him. The story flashes forward two decades when Alice the daughter of Wendy arrives at Lizzie’s house. Lizzie who had married Benjamin is now widowed. Alice hopes to find her mother who has disappeared once again by understanding her past. A multi-voiced narrative of discovery, identity and memory.

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OTHER PEOPLE’S PETS

GENRE: FICTION

OTHER PEOPLE’S PETS by R.L. MAIZES. La La Fine is able to relate better to animals than people. Her father Zev had raised her as her mother abandoned them when she was a child. Zev is a locksmith by profession but used his skills for burglary and so from a young age she became his accomplice. La La began studying to be a vet but when her father was imprisoned for theft, she needed to pay for his legal expenses. Her life begins to unravel and she robs houses where pets seem to be in need of care. A thief who leaves behind medicine for pets puzzles the police. A quirky debut novel.

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THE OTTOMANS

GENRE: HISTORY

THE OTTOMANS by MARC DAVID BAER. A portrait of seven centuries of the Ottoman Empire. Baer places the dynasty where it belongs at the centre of European history and its impact on the world. The Ottomans were bound up in European affairs and full participants in the Age of Discovery and the Renaissance. Baer traces their debts to their Turkish, Mongolian, Islamic and Byzantine heritage as well as how in the nineteenth century their exclusivity lead to ethnic cleansing and genocide. Baer’s wide range of topics and rich vignettes include the roles played by women and minorities in Ottoman society.

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THE SANEST GUY IN THE ROOM

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

THE SANEST GUY IN THE ROOM by DON BLACK. The author has written some of the twentieth century’s greatest musical numbers. Born in Britain to Ukrainian Jewish parents he became one of the world’s greatest lyricists. His lifelong passion was music and he worked with artists such as Matt Monro, Shirley Bassey, Michael Jackson, Henry Mancini, Barbara Streisand and the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber. Interwoven with the stories behind his songs such as ‘Diamonds are Forever’, ‘Thunderball’ and ‘Born Free’ are vignettes of his life with his beloved late wife Shirley. His musical journey looks at those who inspired him.

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SAPIENS - PART 1

GENRE: GRAPHIC NOVEL

SAPIENS - PART 1 by YUVAL NOAH HARARI

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SAPIENS

GENRE: GRAPHIC NOVEL

SAPIENS - PART 2 by YUVAL NOAH HARARI

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THE FATHER: A Revenge

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

THE FATHER: A Revenge by NIKLAS FRANK. An updated version of ‘In the Shadow of the Reich’ with foreword by Philippe Sands. Niklas was seven years old when his father Hans was executed. His mother had turned a blind eye to her husband’s construction of the Jewish ghettos in Krakow during the Nazi occupation. Under Han’s administration, most of the Polish Jews were shot in the ghettos or sent to concentration camps. He was held accountable at Nuremberg though he tried to blame the SS and this was not under his jurisdiction. Niklas provides his own evidence of his father’s complicity using his anti-Semitic public speeches, official Nazi documents and personal diary entries.

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TWO HITLER’S and a MARILYN: An Autograph Hunter’s Escape from Suburbia

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

TWO HITLER’S and a MARILYN: An Autograph Hunter’s Escape from Suburbia by ADAM ANDRUSIER. The author is a professional dealer in rare and valuable autographs. He spent his childhood in pursuit of these writing to every famous person he could think of from Frank Sinatra to Colonel Gaddafi. His father had been obsessed with finding photos and postcards of synagogues destroyed during the Holocaust. As he matured, he joined the paparazzi at stage doors to meet celebrities. Each chapter chronicles his search for an authentic famous person’s autograph. Intertwined in this memoir is the saga of his family.

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VICTORIA PARK

GENRE: FICTION

VICTORIA PARK by GEMMA REEVES. Set over the course of one year the author takes the reader on encounters with twelve people living in Victoria Park. Structured into their stories is a many-layered portrait of a community changing to accommodate incomers. We meet Mona and Wolfie, Holocaust survivors who have lived there for fifty years. Mona’s health is slowly declining. The author allows different individual stories to shine each month as she weaves a tapestry of resilience, love and loss and sometimes as their lives intersect unknowingly. A thought provoking and uplifting debut novel.

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THE WHISTLE BLOWER

GENRE: FICTION

THE WHISTLE BLOWER by ROBERT PESTON. This thriller is set in London in 1997. Journalist Gil Peck would sell his grandmother for a scoop. He is tactless and self-obsessed until his estranged sister Claire is knocked down and killed. Gil believes this was deliberate, as she knew sensitive secrets about the government. This pushes him to find out some uncomfortable home truths. The plot is enlivened by his cynicism of the worlds of politics and newspapers. The characters are well portrayed. Preston’s portrayal of London of the 1990’s and his exposure of a deadly conspiracy makes this a compelling read.

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THE WOMEN OF ROTHSCHILD

GENRE: HISTORY

THE WOMEN OF ROTHSCHILD by NATALIE LIVINGSTONE. This book reveals the role of the Rothschild women whose visions and tenacity shaped history. Livingstone focuses on 15 of these women beginning in the 1800’s in the Frankfurt Ghetto with Gutle the matriarch to the early 21st century. She follows the English branch of the family and their influence in British society and the Jewish community. Their significance in politics, philanthropy, art, literature, and music is not overshadowed by the contribution of the Rothschild men. These extraordinary women used their privilege to create their own platforms.

Latest Books for March 2022

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ALL ABOUT ME

GENRE: MEMOIRS

ALL ABOUT ME by MEL BROOKS. At 95, this legendary winner of Emmy, Grammy and Oscar awards shares his story. Brook’s autobiography charts his rise from his childhood in Brooklyn to being the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. It offers fans insight into the inspirational ideas behind his work and details about his close friendships and collaborations with many including Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock and the love of his life Anne Bancroft. The reader will gain an insight into one of the most beloved and accomplished entertainers in history.

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BLUSH

GENRE: FICTION

BLUSH by JAMIE BRENNER. Three generations of women meet up at the Hollander family’s winery which is facing financial ruin. Vivian, the matriarch resents her husband’s unwillingness to include her in decisions, their daughter Leah harbours anger that her father would not let her run the winery and Leah’s daughter Sadie is struggling to write her thesis. They start a “trashy” book club reading romance novels from the 1980’s found in the winery library. The women learn secrets about the family and the estate which could mean new beginnings in both business and love. Read this with a glass of wine.

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THE BURNING

GENRE: FICTION

THE BURNING by JONATHAN AND JESSE KELLERMAN. A wealthy man has been found murdered during the wildfire season in California in his palatial hilltop home. Deputy coroner Clay Edison is sent in to examine the crime scene. He is horrified to discover a link to his brother Luke who has been recently released from prison. Clay has to cross professional and ethical borders as he tries to locate Luke whose car was in the victim’s garage. He is forced to conduct his own clandestine investigation to see whether his brother is a killer or victim. Another riveting thriller by the Kellerman father and son team.

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COME AND HEAR

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

COME AND HEAR by ADAM KIRSCH. Poet and literary critic Kirsch embarked on a study of the Talmud every day for seven and a half years. He shares his reactions to the texts, which cover practical religious questions as well as analyses of rabbinic law. He gives the reader a taste of his reading and engaging with the Talmud, which is most enticing. Being a secular Jew and a student of Jewish literature and history he realised he needed grounding in the Talmud. He shares the Talmud’s “moments of strangeness and profundity” providing insight into ancient debates and the rabbinic mindset behind them.

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THE FALL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

GENRE: ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READS

THE FALL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN by DAVID BENATAR

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HER HIDDEN GENIUS

GENRE: FICTION

HER HIDDEN GENIUS by MARIE BENEDICT. In her latest novel Benedict shines a light on Rosalind Franklin, the British scientist, who sacrificed her life to discover the nature of DNA. She began researching X-rays in 1947 in Paris after enduring sexism in England. After she finds that the head of the lab whom she had feelings for was married she returns to England. There she discovers prejudice once again. Disregarded for her methods she has her work stolen by rivals. Tragically she dies of cancer at a young age and other researchers claim the glory for her ground-breaking work. Her genius was hidden by the men around her.

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THE HIDDEN NAZI

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE HIDDEN NAZI by DEAN REUTER, COLM LOWERY & KEITH CHESTER. Hans Kammler, the subject of this book was responsible for the construction of Hitler’s labour sites and concentration camps. He was declared dead after the war. However, the aide who testified to his “suicide” never produced any proof. The authors have spent decades on the trail of this elusive Nazi and discovered that he was in American custody for months after the war. They pose the question whether he cooperated with Nuremberg prosecutors or assisted the United States with his knowledge of the Nazi rocket program and Germany’s secret weapons.

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HOPE STORIES

GENRE: ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READS

HOPE STORIES by LESLEY WATERKEYN, SANDY VAN DIJK & DAWN NATHAN-JONES

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LILY’S PROMISE

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

LILY’S PROMISE by LILY EBERT. With a foreword by the Prince of Wales, Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert chronicles her life in her inspiring autobiography. She had a happy childhood in Hungary until she was thrown into the ghetto and sent to Auschwitz. With a casual gesture, Mengele sent her mother and two younger sisters to their instant death while she and her two older sisters survived. Lily was liberated and went to Israel and then London. She promised to tell everyone about the camps by writing her story. Lily would like to share her message “As long as you have life, you have a future. So carry on.”

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LITTLE PIECES OF ME

GENRE: FICTION

LITTLE PIECES OF ME by ALISON HAMMER. When Paige Meyer gets an email from a DNA testing website announcing her father is a man she has never met she is convinced this is a mistake. She always felt herself to be the odd child growing up but was closely connected to her late father Mark. This overwhelms her and she questions her identity. When her mother cannot give her answers, she goes looking for the only person who can. Hammer writes in chapters alternating from current times to the early 1970’s when Paige’s parents met. Long buried secrets emerge as Paige digs into her past.

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LOST HILLS

GENRE: FICTION

LOST HILLS by LEE GOLDBERG. Eve Ronin becomes the youngest female detective promoted in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department after a YouTube video of her arresting an abusive Hollywood actor went viral. Together with her experienced partner they need to solve the disappearance of a single mother and her two children. Blood splatters found in the house suggest they may have been killed and dismembered. Eve uses her instincts to find the bodies and the killer amidst pressure from the media, her bosses and the bereaved family. An exhilarating thriller.

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NOT JUST A SURVIVOR

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

NOT JUST A SURVIVOR by ROCHY MILLER. A most remarkable memoir of Lea Leibowitz told by her daughter Rochy. Lea survived the Holocaust despite having lost her husband and four-year-old son. She landed up after liberation in South Africa where she married and began a new family. She tried her whole life to make sense of the inexplicable trauma that ruled her life and decimated her past. Rochy shows how Lea experienced the Holocaust physically, lived it emotionally and studied it intellectually. The book ends with the touching recollections of her grandchildren and the way they perceived their beloved grandmother.

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THE PASSENGER

GENRE: FICTION

THE PASSENGER by ULRICH ALEXANDER BOSCHWITZ. A brilliant novel rediscovered in 2015 in Britain providing an early depiction of the aftermath of Kristallnacht. The author wrote the book when he was 23 and died on a transport ship which came under German bombardment in 1942. He features businessman Otto Silbermann who slips out of his house to evade arrest in 1938. Not knowing where to go he rides trains aimlessly and his journey is endless. He loses all hope of escape. Boschwitz provides a rare insight into the Germans who call the camps” rather novel and quaint”. A chilling account of the time.

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THE POWER OF IDEAS

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

THE POWER OF IDEAS by RABBI JONATHAN SACKS. From his appointment as Chief Rabbi in 1991 to his death in 2020, Rabbi Sacks made a contribution not just to the religious life of the Jewish community but to global conversations on ethics and morality. This volume brings together a selection of his radio broadcasts, columns from The Times and other newspapers along with his House of Lords speeches and lectures. These pieces reveal his deep insights into faith and philosophy. His words of wisdom shine an enduring light in our conflicted cultural climate and prove the timeless nature of his thoughts and teachings.

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FALL

GENRE: MEMOIRS

FALL by JOHN PRESTON. A well-researched and engrossing account of the rise and fall of notorious business tycoon Robert Maxwell. Born an Orthodox Jew he escaped the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, fought in the Second World War and managed to construct a successful media empire in Britain. After his body was discovered floating near his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, news broke of his greed and unscrupulousness. The magnitude of his crimes caused Preston to examine whether his death was due to accidental drowning or suicide. A definitive account of Maxwell’s life and the mystery of his death.

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WE REFUSE TO BE ENEMIES

GENRE: RELIGIOUS INTEREST

WE REFUSE TO BE ENEMIES by WALTER RUBY AND SABEEBA REHMAN. Two American citizens, a Muslim woman and Jewish man concerned with the rise of intolerance in their country have written this book. Sabeeba who emigrated from Pakistan had never met a Jew before and her view was influenced by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Walter’s family fled from Berlin in 1938 and they landed up in New York. He had never met a Muslin and Leon Uris’s Exodus shaped his opinion. They found common areas within their faiths and a shared vision for reconciliation and support of religious freedom and human rights.

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WOODROW ON THE BENCH

GENRE: MEMOIRS

WOODROW ON THE BENCH by JENNA BLUM. In this beautiful memoir Jenna shares the last few months of her beloved Labrador Woodrow’s life. Woodrow had been at her side through many life transitions including her mother’s passing. Every day when he could no longer walk Jenna carried him to a bench near her apartment. On this park bench Woodrow and her neighbours taught Jenna lessons about love including the power of a community to carry one through troubled times. The anecdotes she shares are both heart-warming and heart-breaking. Their uplifting story will reaffirm your belief in unconditional love.

Latest Books for February 2022

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THE SOUL OF MISHNA

GENRE: HISTORY/RELIGIOUS INTEREST

THE SOUL OF MISHNA by RABBI YAAKOV NAGEN. The author explores over two hundred mishnayot identifying literary devices used by the sages to convey deeper meaning and reveal the ‘inner spirit. Rabbi Nagel’s approach provides a depth to understanding principals of everyday life such as God’s presence in the world, relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, social justice, the Temple, the land of Israel and more. The author’s reflections and interpretations provide a new perspective of the Mishna.

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AFTERMATH

GENRE: HISTORY/RELIGIOUS INTEREST

AFTERMATH by HAROLD JAHNER. In this engrossing book Jahner examines the decade that followed World War 11 when Germany raised itself out of the ashes of defeat and fascism and moved towards a democratic state. A probing overview of a country reeling from the consequences of being on the losing side of a horrendous war. Jahner chronicles events and weaves in personal accounts of ordinary citizens and eyewitness accounts of noted writers such as Hannah Arendt. The book includes black and white photographs and posters.

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CHARLOTTE

GENRE: FICTION

CHARLOTTE by DAVID FOENKINOS. The author has written a novel in tribute to the artist Charlotte Salomon. Foenkinos adds poignancy to the book as he walks in the footsteps of her short life while researching the book. Charlotte went to school in Germany, fled to France where she was interned in a work camp. After escaping she isolated herself to create a series of autobiographical art and musical scores. Tragically this creative genius she was sent to Auschwitz and died at 26.

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THE FRAN LEBOWITZ READER

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

THE FRAN LEBOWITZ READER by FRAN LEBOWITZ. This Reader brings together the two bestsellers of New York icon and satirist Fran Lebowitz -Metropolitan Life and Social Studies. Her essays are by turns wickedly entertaining, wry and acerbic. Lebowitz’s collection offers her views on current events and the media. She includes her pet peeves such as tourists, baggage-claim areas, after shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, landlords and more. An insightful social commentary on the vicissitudes of contemporary life.

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A GOOD MOTHER

GENRE: FICTION

A GOOD MOTHER by LARA BAZELON. Attorney Abby Rosenberg takes on the case of 19-year-old Luz Riviera Hollis who has admitted to stabbing her husband, a decorated combat veteran with a history of addiction and violence. She maintains it was in self defense and to protect her young daughter. Abby, a new mother herself wants to keep Luz out of prison but as the trial commences shocking evidence emerges. The defence of her client may require personal sacrifices from Abby as she and the jury consider what it means to be a good mother.

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IF ANYONE CALLS TELL THEM I DIED

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

IF ANYONE CALLS TELL THEM I DIED by EMANUEL ROSEN. In his memoir Emauel retraces the lives of his grandfather Hugo, an esteemed lawyer in Germany, his grandmother Lucie and his mother Mirjam. They escaped Germany and went to Tel Aviv. Hugo visited Germany in 1956 and on his return jumped to his death from an office building. Emanuel never knew of Hugo’s suicide until finding letters sent by his grandparents after their trip to Germany. He writes a poignant biography of his family including his own childhood recollections in Israel.

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THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY

GENRE: FICTION

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by AMOR TOWLES. Emmett Watson has served a year for involuntary manslaughter in Kansas. On returning home he intends to leave with his younger brother to try to find their mother who has disappeared. Their plans go awry when two escaped inmates from Emmett’s juvenile facility “borrow” their car. They pursue them on a long train journey where they encounter a host of amusing characters. The story is told from multiple points of view and is a mixture of sweetness and doom.

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MADAM

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

MADAM by DEBBY APPLEGATE. A vivid social history of Polly Adler whose Manhattan brothels in the twenties became places not just for men to have the company of women but where the cultured and elite mingled with violent figures of the underworld. As a struggling immigrant from Eastern Europe, Polly fulfilled her ambition to be the best madam in America. Her many clients included Roosevelt, the Marx brothers, Desi Arnaz, Frank Costello and Lucky Luciano. Being savvy and feisty, Adler protected herself, her ‘girls’ and her customers.

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THE MAGICIAN

GENRE: FICTION

THE MAGICIAN by COLM TOBIN. A fictional biography of Thomas Mann. This intimate portrait chronicles his life as the son of a conservative father and passionate Brazilian mother. Also his marriage to his magnificent wife Katia and his six children. The story spans different times from the First World War to the rise of Hitler, the cold war and then his life in exile. Throughout Tobin alludes to Mann’s sexuality as reflected in his work. An elegantly written novel tracing Mann’s literary grandeur.

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MARIENBAD

GENRE: HISTORY/RELIGIOUS INTEREST

MARIENBAD by DAVID LEITNER. In this unique book Leitner writes about his Hasidic family’s hotel in Marienbad, a Czech spa town. For more than a century great Torah scholars rubbed shoulders with celebrities there. The Jewish community built a synagogue and other institutions but after Kristallnacht everything was destroyed and they fled to Prague. The last congress held by Orthodox Jewry before the Holocaust was in this town. Leitner includes a picture gallery of bygone days as well as witness accounts from his family of the later atrocities.

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THE NAMELESS ONES

GENRE: FICTION

THE NAMELESS ONES by JOHN CONNOLLY. Thriller writer Connolly opens his book with the brutal murder of four people in Amsterdam. The massacre is committed by notorious Serbian war criminals who torture and murder De Jaager and three of his household. The murderers head back to their homeland unaware that they are being pursued by De Jaager’ s friend Louis and his partner Angel who are both assassins. They set off after the five murderers only to learn that there is a sixth killer more deadly than the others.

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RABBI FRAND ON THE PARASHAH 2

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

RABBI FRAND ON THE PARASHAH 2 by RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND

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A SMALL BOOK OF JEWISH COMEDIANS

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

A SMALL BOOK OF JEWISH COMEDIANS by BOBBY SLAYTON &TONY NORMAND. This book shines a light on Jewish comedians who dominated the comedy scene and brought joy to many. This collection includes Larry David, Mel Brooks, Garry Shandling, Jackie Mason, Groucho Marx, Jerry Lewis and George Burns. It includes rare glossy photographs of these comedians with a selection of their humorous gems. As you turn the pages you will see why they played a pivotal role within the American culture of Jewish humour.

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THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS

GENRE: FICTION

THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS by KRISTEN HARMEL. Yona was stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the wilderness of Eastern Europe. In 1941 she is suddenly alone after her kidnapper dies. She encounters a group of Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi terror and teaches them how to survive in the forest and they in turn teach her how to open her heart after years of isolation. However, when she is betrayed and escapes into a German occupied village her past and present collide and culminate in a terrifying climax.

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THREE SISTERS

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THREE SISTERS by HEATHER MORRIS. Written as a novel Heather Morris follows the lives of three sisters from childhood to old age. In Slovakia in 1929, Menachem Meller gathers his daughters before undergoing surgery to make them promise to always care for each other. Years later Livi aged 15 is taken to Auschwitz and Cibi aged 19 follows her there to keep this promise. Magda who had been hiding in the forest is transported there too and so the three are reunited. After liberation they began a new life in Israel. A story of courage based on real events.

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THE WARSAW GHETTO POLICE

GENRE: HOLOCAUST

THE WARSAW GHETTO POLICE by KATARZYNA PERSON. This well researched book shines a spotlight on the lawyers, engineers, yeshiva graduates and sons of businessmen who joined the Jewish Order Service in the 1940’s. They followed orders from the Jewish Council that ran the Warsaw Ghetto via the Nazi’s dictates. The author delves into their first person testimonies, memories of the ghetto residents and Polish and German archival documents. She includes their photographs leaving the reader to decide how to remember these men.

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WHY MAHLER: How one man and ten symphonies changed the world

GENRE: ADDITIONAL READS

WHY MAHLER: How one man and ten symphonies changed the world BY NORMAN LEBRECHT

Latest Books for January 2022

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AUTOPSY

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

AUTOPSY by RYAN BLUMENTHAL. Forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal has investigated thousands of deaths many of them bizarre and others fascinating. He shares some of his cases from necklacing, gunshot and knife wounds to electrocution and poisoning from traditional medicine. From veld fires and lightning strikes to road crashes and more, we learn how resilient yet fragile the human body can be. He takes the reader behind the scenes at the mortuary describing an actual autopsy and the instruments of the trade. Ryan, a medical detective makes you appreciate how precious life is.

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JEWISH PRIDE: Rebuilding a People

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

JEWISH PRIDE: Rebuilding a People by BEN M. FREEMAN. Internationally renowned educator Ben Freeman grew up in a Jewish home and went to university where he encountered a great deal of antisemitism for being a young Zionist. Now living in Hong Kong he aims to empower Jewish people to reject the shame of antisemitism imposed on them by others. Ben had to share his own sexuality with his family and he writes of his struggle with being gay and being Jewish. He urges the reader not to change their identity to fit in and make themselves acceptable. Instead, he suggests we proudly reclaim our pride in Jewish tradition and history. He writes “The only people to define Jewish identity are Jewish people.”

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EVERY DAY IS AN OPENING NIGHT

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN FLAVOUR

EVERY DAY IS AN OPENING NIGHT by DES AND DAWN LINDBERG. A deeply personal memoir tracing the duo’s 55-year career. This captivating book documents the joys and challenges of a lifetime of their achievements in South African theatres. As musicians, performers, songwriters they were legends of the entertainment industry. From singing folk songs in the Troubadour coffee bar to performing and producing major musicals including the multiracial production of Godspell. Reminiscences of celebrities such as Jeremy Taylor, Johnny Clegg, Pieter- Dirk Uys and Richard Clayderman are included. Tragically, Dawn never lived to see the manuscript published and this book honours her life and celebrates their time together.

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THE MIDAS GAME

GENRE: FICTION

THE MIDAS GAME by ABI SILVER. Once again, solicitor Constance Lamb teams up with criminal barrister Judith Burton to defend gamer and YouTube celebrity Jaden Dodds. Jayden is a suspect in the murder of eminent psychiatrist Liz Sullivan. He was the last person to see her alive. Elizabeth was carrying out research on the adverse effects of gaming, which had influenced her son and could be the motive for her death. The author tells the story from the perspective of the company making the games as well as the defence team. A fast paced thriller and courtroom mystery.

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MISS DIOR

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

MISS DIOR by JUSTINE PICARDIE. British novelist, fashion historian and memoirist Picardie focuses on Catherine Dior’s life. Catherine joined the French Resistance with her lover and gathered information on the movement of German troops and warships. Though Catherine was arrested and tortured, she never revealed the identities of others. In 1944 she was sent to Ravensbruck and after escaping from a death march made her way back to Paris. The book contains family and historical photographs intersecting fashion and war. Picardie introduces the reader to Catherine, a courageous woman who became a footnote to her brother despite him honouring her with his signature perfume.

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NEVER TELL A LIE

GENRE: FICTION

NEVER TELL A LIE by GAIL SCHIMMEL. Mary Wilson, widowed with a young son is very content with her life. However, on discovering an old postcard written by her late mother, which her father had kept hidden, she begins to question her past. She decides to attend a school reunion to distract her from this discovery. Mary connects with her old classmate April and others and her social life is reinvigorated. When she finds that April’s life and marriage may not be as perfect as it seems she begins to mistrust and suspect those whom she feels may have something to hide. A gripping psychological thriller.

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THE ORCHARD

GENRE: FICTION

THE ORCHARD by DAVID HOPEN. Ari Eden finds his life changed when his parents move from Brooklyn to Miami. Ari had dedicated his life in Brooklyn to study and religious rituals however when he enrols at his new opulent Jewish academy, his life is transformed. He is taken under the wing of golden boy Noah as well as Evan, a brooding genius and becomes part of their wayward group. These friends keep pushing moral boundaries and Ari is forced to consider new philosophical, social and religious norms. The novel is rich with literary allusions and Talmudic connections about belonging. A debut novel telling a universal story.

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THE RABBI OF BUCHENWALD

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

THE RABBI OF BUCHENWALD by RAFAEL MEDOFF. A biography of Rabbi Herschel Schacter, one of the first Americans to enter Buchenwald after the Germans fled. While Medoff devotes much of the book to his life after this and his important position in the American Orthodox community the chapter on Buchenwald highlights this unique rabbi. Schacter devoted two months of his young life to the survivors there. He smuggled out their mail; enabled teenage siblings not to be torn apart by Swiss bureaucrats and initiated a scheme known as ‘Kibbutz Buchenwald’ to prepare survivors for life in Israel. His experience there shaped his life and his extraordinary career.

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RACHEL TO THE RESCUE

GENRE: FICTION

RACHEL TO THE RESCUE by ELINOR LIPMAN. In this satirical novel, Rachel Klein is sacked from her job at the White House after she sends an email criticising Trump. A speeding car hits Rachel as she leaves and while in hospital she receives flowers and a financial offer from a lawyer. Her doting parents and roommates soothe Rachel’s recovery. She takes a job as a researcher for author Kirby Champion who wishes to write a book defaming Trump. She learns of Veronica Hyde-White, Trumps ‘personal friend’ and the driver of the vehicle that hit her. A bizarre love quadrangle emerges together with ensuing chaos as secrets leak amidst Rachel’s newfound happiness.

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STUDIES IN SPIRITUALITY: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible

GENRE: BOOK OF THE MONTH

STUDIES IN SPIRITUALITY: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible by RABBI JONATHAN SACKS. Rabbi Sacks continues his Covenant and Conversation series. In his introduction, he explains that spirituality is not the same as religion and he wanted the personal nature of the book to help the reader find their own way to the Divine Presence. His brilliant essays follow the weekly Parsha and he reveals the spiritual messages concealed at different levels in the sacred texts. Rabbi Sacks analyses the meaning of the Biblical narrative as he writes of the characters, their struggles and communion with God. According to him each one of us may find their own path to spirituality.

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THE TAMING OF THE JEW

GENRE: NOTEWORTHY NON-FICTION

THE TAMING OF THE JEW by TUVIA TENENBOM. Israeli author Tenenbom uses his fearless skills to interview people as he undertakes a six-month exploration of the UK and Ireland between 2018 and 2019. His purpose was to investigate British and Irish attitudes to Jews and Israel. He encountered very strong pro-Palestinian feeling in every corner of the British Isles and attributes this to falsehoods or frightening ignorance. Tenenbom finds, as he did when travelling through Israel and Germany in his previous books, that anti-Semitism is alive and flourishing in England. The theme is amusingly frank as he records his humorous encounters.

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A TASTE FOR LIFE

GENRE: SOUTH AFRICAN FLAVOUR

A TASTE FOR LIFE by ALLEN AMBOR. The inside story of entrepreneur Allen Ambor as he takes us on his personal and business journey in this absorbing biography. From being a waiter at the Seven Steer House of Steaks to opening the first Spur in 1967 to expanding his empire to include 500 franchises under the Spur, Panarottis, John Dory’s and RocoMamas brands. An inside look into how his franchising took off, how his menu was designed and other secrets. One includes how Allen aged 26 would tell diners that his aunt and uncle were in the kitchen to give the reassuring yet false impression it was a family business. For all Spur lovers this will give you a taste of Allen’s life.

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THE HIDDEN CHILD

GENRE: FICTION

THE HIDDEN CHILD by LOUISE FEIN. A historical novel set in England in 1928. Edward, a war hero is a leading figure in the Eugenics movement that would be later embraced by Hitler. When his four-year-old daughter Mabel suffers from epileptic seizures his world and that of his wife Eleanor is shattered. Mabel’s illness must be hidden and she is placed in an institution to protect Edwards’s work. Eleanor cannot endure this and her maternal instincts and love of Mabel will propel her to take matters into her own hands. A heart wrenching read inspired by Louise Fein’s experience as a parent of a child with epilepsy with a sobering thought about the past.

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THE MATZAH BALL

GENRE: FICTION

THE MATZAH BALL by JEAN MELTZER. Rabbi’s daughter Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has a secret: she loves Christmas. She has built her career writing Christmas romance novels under a pen name. Her success allows her to work from home and as she has a chronic illness. She is taken by surprise when her publisher asks her to write a Hanukkah romance. She feels uninspired and agrees to attend a soiree of Jewish music ‘The Matzah Ball’ organised by her former boyfriend Jacob Greenberg. She hopes that the holiday of lights will provide her with the literary spark she needs. Meltzer tells the story from the perspectives of Rachel’s religious experience and her illness.

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THIS MUCH IS TRUE

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

THIS MUCH IS TRUE by MIRIAM MARGOYLES. In her marvellous memoir Miriam, aged 80 writes a warm and honest story of her life with all its surprises. From declaring her love for Vanessa Redgrave to being told to be quiet by the Queen, from her theatre stories of Scorsese to Streisand, Leonardo di Caprio to Isiah Berlin she is inimitable. The list of famous actors, theatrical legends and work anecdotes are a highlight of the book. She describes her beloved family including her friends, colleagues and adored relatives. From Cambridge to Broadway and then to her life in Australia with her partner Heather with whom she had a private relationship for many years.