Eight nights, four books: recommended reads make good gifts this Chanukah
Looking for a great holiday present? Best bet is a book
Thinking about a Chanukah gift? Might as well lean in. Here are a few recommended reads for the people of the book.
Nothing Vast: A Novel, by Moshe Marvit (Acre Books, 2024)
Moshe Marvit’s debut novel takes readers on a 40-year path of Jewish migration. Characters cross Poland, France, Morocco, the U.S. and Israel in search of truths and better lives. The story relies upon the traditions and tales of Marvit’s own half-Arab Jewish family. By delving into Israel, statehood and religion, Marvit offers readers ample opportunity for reflection and discussion.
Jewish Book Council described the work as “vast in both scope and message.”
Those looking to promote landsmen while giving meaningful Chanukah gifts are in luck. Marvit is a Pittsburgh resident.
Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities, by Emily Tamkin (Harper, 2022)
Since this book was published, Israel has been enmeshed in war, the U.S. has experienced a divisive election and Jewish WhatsApp groups have exploded with in-fighting, accusations and endless links convincing family and friends to adopt positions on nearly everything and everyone. Given recent history, Emily Tamkin’s 2022 review of the weaponizing words “Bad Jew” deserves another look. Tamkin’s text reminds readers that history, culture and identity shape the Jewish experience. But when the elements diverge, what happens to peoplehood?
Publisher’s Weekly called Tamkin’s text “heartfelt, nuanced and empathetic,” and said, “This revelatory ethnography is a must-read.”
Tamkin delighted Pittsburghers with a talk at the 2023 Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. Gifting this book is a fantastic way to continue the conversation.
How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?: Wild Facts about Animals and the Scientists Who Study Them, by Brooke Barker (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022)
Learning is a lifelong journey regardless of one’s species. Brooke Barker’s “How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?” lets young readers know there’s a lot to learn for marsupials, meerkats and people alike. Through delightful illustrations, endearing word bubbles and accessible facts, Barker enjoyably informs readers about animals and researchers. Whether the information leads one beneath the ocean or to the highest treetops, Barker’s book ignites a process the best of Jewish writers have spurred for generations: the outcome of a great question isn’t only an answer but a better question.
Kirkus Reviews described the book as “a pleasing and informative collection of animal facts —and the scientists responsible for unearthing them.”
Check out this Congregation Beth Shalom member’s work and ask yourself something: What does it take to learn more?
Gen X Pittsburgh: The Beehive and the ’90s Scene, by David Rullo (The History Press, 2023)
Chronicle readers know that the paper’s senior staff writer David Rullo is a master of words. Fewer readers realize the award-winning journalist is an expert in local coffeehouse lore. Rullo’s 2023 work follows a generational relationship with the Beehive Coffehouse and Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. Stories of artists, writers and bands are captivatingly told in an effort to detail a space’s contributions to regional history.
Goodreads gave “Gen X Pittsburgh” overwhelmingly positive reviews. One user wrote, “Social media often notes that the 90’s were the pinnacle of humanity. This book reaffirms that.”
Pittsburgh’s technological advancements haven’t yet yielded a time machine. In its absence is Rullo’s book — a gentle reminder that although readers age, memories remain. PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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