I’m sorry that there are so many books here, but you’re sure to find at least one you want to read! My favorites are Annie Bot and The Humans.
Amelia’s Shadow by Marie Benedict — This is part of a collection of short stories about trailblazing women. Pilot and best friend of Amelia Earhart, Ruth defies conventions of her era.
The Postcard by Anne Berest — Recommend. A friend recommended this one and it was excellent. An investigation into family secrets from the Holocaust and a good story about family relationships.
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens — 26-year-old girl wishes to fast-forward to “the good part” of her life and wakes up at 42. A lovely story about drawing meaning from every day.
Matters of Life and Death: A Jewish Approach to Modern Medical Ethics by Elliot Dorff — Read for Bioethics class – a little outdated but helpful.
Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant — Recommend. I read somewhere that Grant overcame his shyness and has become a motivational speaker. He tells stories about what makes people successful – all about character and opportunity to accomplish great things.
For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter between Judaism and Christianity by Irving Greenberg — Also for Pluralism course, and read out of curiosity because I’ve read a good amount of Yitz Greenberg’s work and have seen him speak a few times, mainly about his Holocaust theology on the stages of Covenant. A very approachable background to his lifetime of work on Christian/Jewish relations.
The Humans by Matt Haig — Definitely recommend. A visitor from a planet where everyone is eternal, yet unfeeling, arrives on earth to eliminate a mathematician who has solved a crucial theory. Assuming the appearance of this man, living with his family and bonding with his friends, he comes to understand human imperfection and love. A great examination of human emotion.
Judaism is About Love: Recovering the Heart of Jewish Life by Shai Held — Another that I was waiting for anxiously because it seemed that so many people got to read advanced copies. Many believe Christianity is about love and Judaism is about responsibility and law. Wrong! This deep dive into Judaism examines love as a code of action, as a way of seeing each other, and as emulating God, and it also gives thorough examination of many philosophers and theologians, both modern and from history.
Annie Bot by Sierra Greer — Highly recommend. Wow. Science fiction, but a very real story about what makes us human and what should be the limitation of technology. I read it in 2 days.
People of the Book: Canon, Meaning, and Authority by Moshe Halbertal — What makes a text part of a canon? How is it inclusive or exclusive of tradition in a text-centered community? Where does its meaning, authority, and value come from?
Who Are the Jews – And Who Can We Become? by Donniel Hartman — I’m a huge Donniel Hartman fan and a Shalom Hartman Institute admirer, so I read this on its publication day. Both build bridges between the denominational tribalism in American Judaism, as well as between diasporic Jews and Israel. His analogy of Genesis and Exodus Judaisms has been very helpful in my Pluralism course.
Piglet by Lottie Hazell — Planning a wedding when she learns of her fiancé’s betrayal, it takes our protagonist quite a while to wake up and realize that she deserves more… all told through her love of food. Rather strange, but affirming.
A Cat Named Darwin: Embracing the Bond Between Man and Pet by William Jordan — A man reluctantly adopts a stray cat and falls in love, leading him toward new revelations about life and love, vulnerability and interrelationship.
Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders by Joy Ladin — Highly recommend. I read this as background for a discussion of transgender in my recent bioethics course. This is an honest look into what one person struggled with as she becomes who she was meant to be, matching outsides with insides, and the lessons and hardships learned along the way.
Studies in Judaism and Pluralism: Honoring the 60th Anniversary of The Academy for Jewish Religion by Leonard Levin, editor — I really like the essays in this book. It was put together by my teacher for a mandatory course. The essays contemplate various theories of and experiences with pluralism in educational settings, congregational life, prayer, diversity in today’s world… it’s all about crossing boundaries and accepting and respecting differences.
Blank by Zibby Owens — I’ve been following Zibby Owens and her new publishing house, Zibby Books, as well as her podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. This is her first novel about the life of a struggling author who ultimately publishes a book with no words, just to see what happens.
True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America by Betsy Gaines Quammen — I’ll read anything about debunking myths, especially within America.
After Annie by Anna Quindlen — How a family, especially a young daughter, cope and evolve after the loss of their wife and mother. A true exploration of loss and grieving.
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos — Well-written novel of self-discovery and unlikely bonds. It spoke to my heart, but many reviews are not as favorable.
