The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    More interviews from Book Expo America 2009 , this time with authors who've written Jewish books for adults. Plus, we find the Jewish angle on the National Book Award and the Books on the Nightstand blog and podcast. Yiddish Yoga by Lisa Grunberger Harold Augenbraum of the National Book Foundation What Happened to Anna K? by Irina Reyn Ostrich Feathers by Miriam Romm From Shmear to Eternity by Fred Kogos Michael Kindness of Books on the Nightstand CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band Facebook fan page: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast Twitter: @bookoflifepod Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com !

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    In these interviews from the show floor at Book Expo America 2009 , we ask publishers to tell us about their new Jewish interest books for adults. Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish: The Heeb Storytelling Collection by Shana Liebman from Grand Central Publishing Sipping from the Nile: My Exodus from Egypt by Jean Naggar from Stony Creek Press The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb from W.W. Norton All Other Nights: A Novel by Dara Horn from W.W. Norton The Jerusalem File by Joel Stone from Europa Editions One Step Ahead of Hitler: A Jewish Child's Journey Through France by Fred Gross from Mercer University Press Elie Wiesel: A Religious Biography by Frederick Downing from Mercer University Press Struggling with God: An Introduction to the Pentateuch (Mercer Student Guide) by Mark McEntire from Mercer University Press The Hebrew Tutor of Bel Air by Allan Appel from Coffee House Press German for Travelers: A Novel in 95 Lessons

During the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Chicago, IL, I had the chance to visit the Planet Esme Bookroom , otherwise known as "the Gingerbread Apartment" because of its whimsical architecture. The Bookroom is a real treat for kidlit fans, stuffed to the gills with books, toys, and reading-related decorations. Every detail has been lovingly thought out to make visitors smile, from the wolf and sheep puppets lying peacefully together atop the photocopier, to the cuckoo clock that sings out the time. The Bookroom is the brainchild of Esme Raji Codell , author of Sydney Taylor Honor Book Vive la Paris , AJL Notable Book Hanukkah Shmanukkah , and the inspiring book for teachers, Educating Esme , among many others. It functions as a private salon where she hosts events that celebrate literature, like the wonderful pizza party she threw for lovers of Judaica during the AJL Convention. To see an album of photos from the Planet Esme Pizza Party, visit The Book of