
Forgetting my own difficulties
LISTS & LINKS Sometimes life leads you down a William Landay rabbit hole. Landay is the author of Defending Jacob, a book I loved when it...

It's not the books, it's me.
I’ve had a rough reading stretch. Things I’d usually love I want to hurl across the room; things I wouldn’t normally read I’m adoring....

"The hope! The guilt! The quest for shelving!”
This morning I started State of the Union, Nick Hornby’s novel about a married couple in crisis. The husband has just turned and...


The Stores and Stories of a Southern Jewish Childhood
About a week ago, at an event for the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans, I shared some stories from my childhood...


Literary Life Lessons
This was not my idea. Gianfranco Lentini, the producer of the podcast that I co-host with Eve Yohalem, suggested that she and I record...


A Tonic for Our Times
I had a quiet birthday earlier this month with my husband and daughters, a chocolate Betty Crocker cake (hard to beat), and perhaps my...


Good News
It might be hard to believe, but there has been good news this year. I'm going to share some of mine now. It would bring me tremendous...


Book-Related Gems
Happy Days After Thanksgiving! I hope you’ve shaken off the turkey and pie plus more pie plus ice cream plus a little more pie, and...

Book Recs!
I don't know about you, but I've been thinking about holiday presents earlier than usual this year. Typically I buy them at the last...


Taking the Scenic Route
I’ve been re-reading favorite memoirs lately. Because (a) there’s nothing more comforting than re-reading a beloved book. You know...