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5.4 - In the Shadows
Pollock's wife, Lee Krasner, was a talented abstract artist in her own right, but her work was often overlooked. Krasner was brought up in an orthodox Jewish home. Read a book with a Jewish main character, about Jewish culture or about the Jewish experience, or one that is written by a Jewish author.
Required: If the connection is not obvious, explain how your book fits the task when you post.

These books and series work:
Sex, Murder And A Double Latte and other Sophie Katz mysteries
People of the Book
Invisible City and others in the Rebekah Roberts series
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late and others in the Rabbi Small Mysteries series
Girl in the Blue Coat
Inventing Memory
The Book Thief
Murder in the Marais
The Golem and the Jinni

Jewish Authors: Any book by these authors will work

Anita Diamant
Leigh Bardugo
Franz Kafka
Helene Hanff
Neil Gaiman
Sheryl Sandberg

This list might help:

This thread is now open!

Please confirm Sex, Murder And A Double Latte for Jewish character. I think the author is Jewish as well but can't find a confirmed reference on her site.

According to the author's website, the main character, Sophie Katz, is a half-Black, half-Jewish mystery writer who lives in San Francisco, California.

Slightly obscure question. Can the "main character" be an inanimate object. In People of the Book, a Jewish prayer book called the Sarajevo Haggadah is the main focus of the story: we see it in the modern day, but it's also the link that ties together 600 years of history, while it's being restored by a woman called Hanna Heath (who I half remember might be Jewish, but I don't recall for sure as I first read it when it came out). The novel, itself, was nominated for the National Jewish Book Award in 2008.

In the series Rebekah Roberts the main character (Rebekah Roberts)
has a Jewish mother. However, she has not followed the faith of her mother. She is a reporter for a New York newspaper and her stories follow the Jewish Orthodox community in New York of which her mother was once a member. Would this be acceptable. I have provided the names of both books but would like to use the second book.

Invisible City

Run You Down

Lauren wrote: "Please confirm Sex, Murder And A Double Latte for Jewish character. I think the author is Jewish as well but can't find a confirmed reference on her site.

According to the author's ..."

Yes, Sophie Katz would work as a Jewish character.

Trish wrote: "Slightly obscure question. Can the "main character" be an inanimate object. In People of the Book, a Jewish prayer book called the Sarajevo Haggadah is the main focus of the story: w..."

The author of People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks, is Jewish herself, if that helps.

Trish wrote: "Slightly obscure question. Can the "main character" be an inanimate object. In People of the Book, a Jewish prayer book called the Sarajevo Haggadah is the main focus of the story: w..."

That works. The intent of the task is to explore Jewish culture a bit and this book certainly does that! I'll tweak the task wording to make that clear.

Wanda wrote: "In the series Rebekah Roberts the main character (Rebekah Roberts)
has a Jewish mother. However, she has not followed the faith of her mother. She is a reporter for a New York newspaper and her st..."

That works. Looks like a really interesting series, too! Another one for the old TBR pile.... ;-)

Kristina Simon wrote: "That works. The intent of the task is to explore Jewish culture a bit and this book certainly does that! I'll tweak the task wording to make that clear. "

Perfect. Thank you.

How about the Rabbi Small mysteries? The first is . The author is an actual Jewish scholar who was supposed to write a guidebook to the Jewish faith but ended up writing murder mysteries instead. I really like the whole series.

Paula wrote: "How about the Rabbi Small mysteries? The first is . The author is an actual Jewish scholar who was supposed to write a guidebook to the Jewish faith bu..."

That certainly works. Thanks for the recommendation!

Looks like Anita Diamant is Jewish and her latest book The Boston Girl would work?

Susan wrote: "Looks like Anita Diamant is Jewish and her latest book The Boston Girl would work?"

Yes, anything by Anita Diamant would work. Looks like the main character in The Boston Girl is Jewish, too, so that definitely works.

I searching for confirmation that Anita Diamant was Jewish, I came across a list of Jewish American novelist. I'll add that to post 3 above.

can i ask about Girl in the Blue Coat - from the description, it seems maybe the jewish girl plays a significant role?

Dee wrote: "can i ask about Girl in the Blue Coat - from the description, it seems maybe the jewish girl plays a significant role?"

It certainly sounds like it. And, from the reviews, it appears the book describes the experiences of the Dutch Jews during WWII. It works.

thanks!

Please confirm Leigh Bardugo as Jewish. Her GR page only lists her birthplace as Jerusalem, but she gave an interview for NewsOK in which she describes her Jewish heritage

Thanks.

Lauren wrote: "Please confirm Leigh Bardugo as Jewish. Her GR page only lists her birthplace as Jerusalem, but she gave an interview for NewsOK in which she describes her Jewish heritage ..."

Leigh Bardugo works.

Can you please verify Alain de Botton as a Jewish writer?
His GR page doesn't mention it, but Wikipedia says he comes from Jewish families:

Pia wrote: "Can you please verify Alain de Botton as a Jewish writer?
His GR page doesn't mention it, but Wikipedia says he comes from Jewish families: "

No, sorry. Wikipedia goes on to say he received a secular upbringing. And, in , Botton clarifies that he was brought up in "a devoutly atheistic household." He appears to be an atheist to this day.

Kristina Simon wrote: "Pia wrote: "Can you please verify Alain de Botton as a Jewish writer?
His GR page doesn't mention it, but Wikipedia says he comes from Jewish families: ..."

Got it. I'll look for another author then

Thanks!

Would Inventing Memory or The Book Thief work?

I started reading Inventing Memory years ago and never finished it. It's about a woman tracing her Jewish heritage. It lists Jewish Literature as a main page genre and also is on the Listopia "Jews in Literature."

The Book Thief has a Jewish character, Max Vandenberg, and takes place during the Holocaust and WWII. Max isn't the primary character, but he and his situation play a major role in the story.

Kristen wrote: "Would Inventing Memory or The Book Thief work?

I started reading Inventing Memory years ago and never finished it. It's about a woman tracing her Jewish heritage. It lists..."

Yes, either one of those would work.

Would this book work for the task?
Last season I read 4 books in a row that would have fit this task, but now I'm having a hard time finding a book for it.

Pia wrote: "Would this book work for the task?
Last season I read 4 books in a row that would have fit this task, but now I'm having a hard time finding a book for it.

"

Yes, that would work. Looks good, too! Onto my TBR pile it goes..... ;-)

Kristina Simon wrote: "Pia wrote: "Would this book work for the task?
Last season I read 4 books in a row that would have fit this task, but now I'm having a hard time finding a book for it.

[bookcover:Murder in the Mar..."

Thanks!

Would one of Franz Kafka's (jewish author) novels work even if a couple are unfinished/translated. I've been wanting to read The Castle since travelling to Prague last year.

Would either of these work?
or

Nicola wrote: "Would one of Franz Kafka's (jewish author) novels work even if a couple are unfinished/translated. I've been wanting to read The Castle since travelling to Prague last year."

Yes, any book written by Franz Kafka would work.

Book Concierge wrote: "Would either of these work?
or "

The Golem and the Jinni definitely works.

It's hard to tell from the description of The Passover Murder whether or not Passover and the traditions that go along with it play a role in the story or if the holiday just sparks a renewed interest in finding the aunt that disappeared. If Jewish traditions play a role in the story it will work. If the disappearance just happens at that time of year and that's the only link to the title then it won't. If you decide to read it and it does work for the task, please be sure to explain how it fits when you post so DLMRose doesn't have to search for verification.

Would this work for this task?
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

I don't find any references to Hanff being Jewish in her GR author profile or Wikipedia but ... In the 5th letter in the book, from Hanff to the bookseller, she writes: I'ts nothing to me, I'm Jewish myself.

Book Concierge wrote: "Would this work for this task?
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

I don't find any references to Hanff being Jewish in her GR author profile or Wikipedia but ... ..."

If you can you find an outside link confirming that she's Jewish, include that link in your completed task post.

Okay ... I found this interview / article by Helene's niece ... in the last paragraph she comments about Helen's funeral service, her "shiva stool" and states "We were both such terrible Jews...


And this article

In the 5th paragraph she states: "In the 1920s Helene Hanff was a JEWISH stage-struck teenager ..."


And this Wikipedia list

Book Concierge wrote: "Okay ... I found this interview / article by Helene's niece ... in the last paragraph she comments about Helen's funeral service, her "shiva stool" and states "We were both such terrible Jews...
Te..."

That works. Just cite one (or more) of them when you claim the task.

Would Neil Gaiman work for this task? Wikipedia describes his family as "Jewish Scientologists," I found several sources where he references his Jewish heritage, and he's featured in this collection of Jewish science fiction and fantasy writers: People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy.
References:

Brooke wrote: "Would Neil Gaiman work for this task? Wikipedia describes his family as "Jewish Scientologists," I found several sources where he references his Jewish heritage, and he's featured in this collectio..."

That works. Just provide one of your references and/or mention that it was approved here when you post your task.

Would Isaac Asimov work for this task? Wikipedia says his parents were Jewish millers:

Thanks!

Pamela wrote: "Would Isaac Asimov work for this task? Wikipedia says his parents were Jewish millers:

Thanks!"

No, sorry. The article goes on to say that his parents did not force the religion on him and he, therefore, grew up without strong religious influences. In the end, he personally was an atheist, a humanist, and a rationalist, not Jewish.

Kristina Simon wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Would Isaac Asimov work for this task? Wikipedia says his parents were Jewish millers:

Thanks!"

No, sorry. The article goes on to say tha..."

Thanks! I wondered about that.

Would Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg work? The Jewish Post lists her as #3 on the list of The World's Most Influential Jews here .

Pamela wrote: "Would Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg work? The Jewish Post lists her as #3 on the list of The World's Most Influential Jews here ..."

Yes, that works.