Posted on June 8, 2022 Leave a Comment
Maggie Anton’s new release was inspired by Chaim Potock’s classic writings. Anton re-imagines Potock’s characters as young adults, living in Brooklyn, in the 1950s. This time, the storyline tackles gender equality in Judaism as journalist, Hannah Eisin seeks instruction in the Talmud from Rabbi Nathan Mandel, a text considered forbidden to women. Meeting in secret creates more challenges for their budding relationship as they pursue their studies.
I’ve been a fan of Anton’s writing since I picked up her series, Rashi’s Daughters, and this newest work did not disappoint. Anton creates characters that push the boundaries of traditional Judaism and Hannah Eisin is no exception. This story reflects on women’s roles in the Jewish community, as do many of Anton’s earlier works.
Beyond the main feminist themes, the book also explores racism and sexual abuse. Some of these sections may be difficult for some readers. The inclusions of specific passages from the Talmud add a certain element of study to the story line, which I appreciated.
I was pleased to receive an advanced copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
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By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman The Grinburg family lives in a Polish shtetl. A young family, just started out, they are faced with a difficult choice. Pogroms against their little community at the turn of the century making decision about seeking safety elsewhere. Froyim, a shoemaker, leaves his wife and infant son, in order to start…
By Kenneth Wishnia and Chantelle Aimée Osman Jewish Noir II is a collection of twenty-four stories from a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish writers focusing on topics including the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the US, the influence of stereotypes about certain Jewish communities on anti-Semitic attitudes, Israel’s ongoing legacy of regional warfare, the Jewish role…
By Jem Lester Based on the author’s personal experiences, Shtum follows the story of Jewish father, Ben Jewell, is struggling to cope with the care of his ten-year-old son Jonah. Jonah is on the spectrum and non-verbal. Stress of his care and navigating the British social services system, which will decide Jonah’s placement for future…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Welcome to my April Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 75 titles for 2022. This month, I’ve reviewed six of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story…
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Posted on June 8, 2022 Leave a Comment
Set in the early 20th century, Brahin provides an account of her grandmother, Channa’s accounts of escaping the perils Ukraine as pogroms across the country took the lives of hundreds of thousands of Jews. traveling first through Russia and then Romania, Channa’s family traveled over the course of three years in a group of approximately eighty, guided by an American who returned to aid his own family in their escape from the violence.
Brahin crafts a biography that reads like a suspense novel. At times I found myself forgetting this was a true story. This history feels all the more essential given Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine. This period of history is often times forgotten and yet needs to be remembered in the lead up to the Shoah.
Brahin also does a lovely job of celebrating the work of historical researchers, librarians, and genealogists. These unsung heroes who do the essential work of preserving such important histories.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from the author.
Lisa Brahin is a Jewish genealogist and writer from New Jersey. Inspired as a young girl by Alex Haley’s ROOTS, she spent many summers audio taping the stories of her grandmother’s traumatic childhood during the 1917-1921 anti-Jewish pogroms in Ukraine. Those tapes were the primary source for her historical family saga, TEARS OVER RUSSIA: A Search for Family and the Legacy of Ukraine’s Pogroms.
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By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman The Grinburg family lives in a Polish shtetl. A young family, just started out, they are faced with a difficult choice. Pogroms against their little community at the turn of the century making decision about seeking safety elsewhere. Froyim, a shoemaker, leaves his wife and infant son, in order to start…
By Kenneth Wishnia and Chantelle Aimée Osman Jewish Noir II is a collection of twenty-four stories from a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish writers focusing on topics including the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the US, the influence of stereotypes about certain Jewish communities on anti-Semitic attitudes, Israel’s ongoing legacy of regional warfare, the Jewish role…
By Jem Lester Based on the author’s personal experiences, Shtum follows the story of Jewish father, Ben Jewell, is struggling to cope with the care of his ten-year-old son Jonah. Jonah is on the spectrum and non-verbal. Stress of his care and navigating the British social services system, which will decide Jonah’s placement for future…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Welcome to my April Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 75 titles for 2022. This month, I’ve reviewed six of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story…
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on June 7, 2022 Leave a Comment
Welcome to my May Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 94 titles for 2022.
This month, I’ve reviewed five of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story and a reading list celebrating Asian-Jewish voices in literature.
Join the conversation. Comment on your favorites and make suggestions of books I should consider for my list.
Authors, are you interested in having your book reviewed? Interested in an interview about your work? Visit the Contact Me page and complete the form. Guest posts are also welcome. Visit the Contests page for submission guidelines. Requests receive a response within 48 hours.
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By Elan Barnehama Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his…
By Kenneth Wishnia and Chantelle Aimée Osman Jewish Noir II is a collection of twenty-four stories from a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish writers focusing on topics including the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the US, the influence of stereotypes about certain Jewish communities on anti-Semitic attitudes, Israel’s ongoing legacy of regional warfare, the Jewish role…
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By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman The Grinburg family lives in a Polish shtetl. A young family, just started out, they are faced with a difficult choice. Pogroms against their little community at the turn of the century making decision about seeking safety elsewhere. Froyim, a shoemaker, leaves his wife and infant son, in order to start…
By Jem Lester Based on the author’s personal experiences, Shtum follows the story of Jewish father, Ben Jewell, is struggling to cope with the care of his ten-year-old son Jonah. Jonah is on the spectrum and non-verbal. Stress of his care and navigating the British social services system, which will decide Jonah’s placement for future…
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
By Jules Brown In his third installment of his travel memoirs, Jules Brown regales his readers with anecdotes from his years of experiences. Taking inspiration from a travel diary he discovered, belonging to his grandfather, Brown incorporates a generational take in this book. This is my third book by Brown and I enjoy each one…
Make planning your next reading list fun and easy! Download a free copy of Reading Bingo! Thirty fun ideas for selecting your next read.
Monthly Short Story Feature One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book. My selection this month is just for fun.…
April is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. In celebrating diversity within our Jewish tribe, I’ve compiled a list of books by Asian Jews and featuring Asian Jewish characters. Join the conversation by adding your suggestions for other titles to check out in the comments. This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchases…
Are you an authority with a book you’d like to submit for review? Please visit Contact Me and submit your details.
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Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Welcome to my April Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 75 titles for 2022. This month, I’ve reviewed six of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story…
Posted on June 7, 2022 Leave a Comment
And just like that, it’s June! I hope you’re enjoying the warm weather of the summer. I am working my way back from my brief hiatus. If you are waiting on a response from me about a book review, I will be in contact shortly. I have a number of emails to work my way through at the moment but will be getting caught up this week.
I hope you’re continuing to visit MapleStreetStudioHRS to see all of the new items I’ve been adding. There are a number of new bookmarks, paper quilling art pieces, and new styles of tumblers and mugs. I’ve also added an option for custom orders.
My reading list this week is an interesting mix of literature. First up is book three in Sergio Olguin’s Veronica Rosenthal Mystery series. Currently available in Spanish, the English translation is set for release on
September 1, 2022. I very much enjoyed The Foreign Girls and was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of the third installment.
Also on my reading list, this week is Alabama Afternoons by Roy Hoffman. I was gifted a copy in recognition of my volunteer work with my synagogue’s Hebrew School. This is my third work by Roy and I’m looking forward to enjoying the collection of stories, on my patio in the evenings.
And finally, I am revisiting a title I attempted a while back but ended up putting aside. The Town Beyond the Wall by Elie Wiesel is a thin volume but a heady, existential story. This seems like a better time to attempt it than my last try.
Join the conversation! Tell me what you’re reading this week in the comments.
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The third in Olguin’s Buenos Aires thriller series starring the gutsy, raunchy investigative reporter Veronica Rosenthal.
Haunted by nightmares of her past, Veronica is soon involved in a new investigation. Darío, the sole survivor of a car accident that supposedly killed all his family, is convinced that his wife and child have in fact survived and that his wife has abducted their child. Then a truck searched in the port of Buenos Aires on suspicion that it is carrying drugs, is revealed to be transporting human body parts. These seemingly separate incidents prove to be tied in a shadowy web of complicity involving political and religious authorities. This is a dazzling thriller but also a story about the possibilities of love, in which jealousy, eroticism, humor and even elusive moments of happiness make an appearance.
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A collection of portraits of many remarkable Alabamians, famous and obscure, profiled by award-winning journalist and novelist Roy Hoffman
Alabama Afternoons is a collection of portraits of many remarkable Alabamians, famous and obscure, profiled by award-winning journalist and novelist Roy Hoffman. Written as Sunday feature stories for the Mobile Press-Register with additional pieces from the New York Times, Preservation, and Garden & Gun, these profiles preserve the individual stories—and the individual voices within the stories—that help to define one of the most distinctive states in the union.
Hoffman recounts his personal visits with writer Mary Ward Brown in her library in Hamburg, with photographer William Christenberry in a field in Newbern, and with storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham and folk artist Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas at their neighboring houses in Selma. Also highlighted are the lives of numerous alumni of The University of Alabama—among them Mel Allen, the “Voice of the Yankees” from 1939 to 1964; Forrest Gump author Winston Groom; and Vivian Malone and James Hood, the two students who entered the schoolhouse door in 1963. Hoffman profiles distinguished Auburn University alumni as well, including Eugene Sledge, renowned World War II veteran and memoirist, and Neil Davis, the outspoken, nationally visible editor of the Lee County Bulletin.
Hoffman also profiles major and minor players in the civil rights movement, from Johnnie Carr, raised in segregated Montgomery and later president of the Montgomery Improvement Association; and George Wallace Jr., son of the four-time governor; to Theresa Burroughs, a Greensboro beautician trampled in the march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge; and Diane McWhorter, whose award- winning book explores the trouble- filled Birmingham civil rights experience. Juxtaposed with these are accounts of lesser-known individuals, such as Sarah Hamm, who attempts to preserve the fading Jewish culture in Eufaula; Edward Carl, who was butler and chauffeur to Bellingrath Gardens founder Walter Bellingrath in Theodore; and cousins William Bolton and Herbert Henson, caretakers of the coon dog cemetery in Russellville.
book for review, please visit Contact Me and complete the form. I’ll review your request and respond within 48 hours. I’m also happy to work with authors on interviews. To set up an interview, please use the same form.
Michael—a young man in his thirties, a concentration camp survivor—makes the difficult trip behind the Iron Curtain to the town of his birth in Hungary. He returns to find and confront “the face in the window”—the real and symbolic faces of all those who stood by and never interfered when the Jews of his town were deported. In an ironic turn of events, he is arrested and imprisoned by secret police as a foreign agent. Here he must confront his own links to humanity in a world still resistant to the lessons of the Holocaust.
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Read Along with Me Call it spring fever, call it a delayed nesting phase but I have been in the mood to do house projects. Nothing huge but I’m finding a few little things to refresh and improve my space. Like adding some smart features. It’s fun to ask Alexa to handle certain tasks! The…
Read Along with Me My to-do list around the house is getting shorter as I’m crossing projects off my list. It’s fun to make a few changes around the house. Still a couple of bigger tasks to get to but I’ll have them all finished by the end of the month (fingers crossed). If you…
Read Along with Me Hey Readers! I am taking some time for myself for a week or two. The first half of this year has been so incredibly busy so I’ve decided to take just a little break from a few things to make sure I’m keeping life in balance. I hung an “out of…
Posted on June 6, 2022 Leave a Comment
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the May Short Story Contest. The winning entry is:
Kyra’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: A trip with an unexpected outcome. Kyra Robinov is a Manhattan-based writer who works in many genres—fiction, non-fiction, musical theatre, and children’s literature. She draws much of her inspiration from the incredible stories she heard growing up about her family’s remarkable experiences. Learn more about her writing at KyraRobinov.com
It loomed before us, like the ship in that fateful movie, sixteen stories high, sleek
black hull banded with red, American and British flags snapping in the brisk British
breeze, life boats conspicuously dotting the mid-level exterior. I’d been anticipating our
Atlantic journey on this spanking new vessel with the excitement and glee of a major
celebration. The crowning glory of our year abroad, capping twelve months of travel and
adventure in high style on the high seas seemed an ideal choice. It wasn’t hard to
convince my mother who’d been on the maiden voyage of the original Queen Mary and
whose favorite mode of transport was cruising, but my husband hadn’t been such a
quick sell. Having never been on a boat before, David was more than a little tentative
about spending five days and six nights sailing across the vast, open ocean. The
children and I, veterans of a recent cruise, had waged a tremendous campaign,
assuring him of the ability of the ship’s stabilizers to keep the boat calm in all sorts of
weather. We extolled the various alluring onboard diversions—from basketball, ping
pong and movies to casinos and nightly shows. I kept returning to the romantic aspects,
noting the various dancing venues–from ballroom to disco. That isn’t what did the trick.
In the end, when all possible business excuses failed to come through, rather than fly to
New York separately while the rest of us sailed home, David finally succumbed. He
claimed he wanted to please us, but I suspect there was a twinge of curiosity sprinkled
in there as well.
The ship was enormous which we knew it would be. But what struck me most
were the large number of cabins in proportion to the relatively small number of
recreational rooms. This, I was later informed, was because the QM2 is not a cruise
ship at all. It’s an ocean liner. Yes, there was a library, health club and spa. There were
plenty of lounges and restaurants. But not many stores. And the ones they had were
extremely upscale. There was a movie theatre which served more as a lecture hall and
planetarium. And there were plenty of lectures. Being a British vessel serving a largely
British crowd, the ship’s programmers were targeting a different audience. Morning
agendas included bonnet making and napkin folding classes. Afternoon tea dances
were popular, but populated by the blue haired crowd swaying along to “Tea for Two” or
other such nostalgic fare. Not exactly a hipster crowd.
Flyers in our staterooms announced that the designer of the QM2 was sailing on
this crossing and would be giving a number of lectures. That may have sounded
appealing to some. To me, it evoked the movie, “Titanic.” The designer of that ship had
also been aboard, pushing the ship beyond its limits in order to break speed records
crossing the Atlantic. We all know how that story ended. I also found it extremely
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disconcerting that on a number of floors, opposite elevator landings, photographs of the
Titanic were prominently splayed. Alongside these, hung captioned quotes from the
crew calling for help on that fateful night. It seemed a little eerie, especially when I took
in the opulence of our ship, which, it could be pointed out, strongly resembled the
unlucky other one in interior design. I tried to put these unhealthy thoughts out of mind
as we headed for the late seating in the dining room the first evening.
What I was really looking forward to during our journey was some relaxing “me”
time, with everyone going their separate ways during the days and meeting up for
dinner at night. Mom kept herself busy with bridge lessons, duplicate tournaments and
visits to the library. At eighty-six, she was a mascot for youthful octogenarians. Our
children were thrilled to find the teen center populated with other kids their age. They
quickly made friends with whom they spent the majority of the trip. It was great to have
them occupied, though it left David without a basketball partner. He seemed lost. With
internet prices at a premium, there was no hope that he was going to bury himself in
work—as he usually does. But, fortunately there was a library with printouts of the Wall
Street Journal that occupied some of his time. Evenings were for David. After dinner, he
and I would see the show and then either visit the casino or go dancing. Romance at
last!
On the second night, as everyone was falling into a comfortable rhythm, Michael
and Larissa were off socializing and Mom had gone to bed in the cabin she shared with
them. David and I danced a bit, then headed to our room, heady to be alone. As we
were nodding off, around 2:30 a.m., a jolt jarred us back to consciousness. The ship had
become very still. “It couldn’t have been an earthquake,” David surmised as he sat up in
bed, “…being as we’re on water.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” I told him. “It was probably a big wave or something.”
He went to the porthole and peered out. The sea was calm. “It doesn’t seem like
we’re moving. This is strange”
“Not really. Ships slow down at night,” I said, recalling previous cruises I’d taken.
On those, the amount of sea which had to be covered each night between ports was so
minimal that it wasn’t unusual for the ship to just drift at times. It was cheaper than
paying docking fees.
“This is different,” David insisted. “We’re not cruising.”
I had to admit he was right. “Don’t worry. I’m sure there’s no problem,” I assured
him, getting up to go to the bathroom now that I was awake. Only, when I opened the
bathroom door, there was no light. That’s when I realized there was a blackout on the
ship.
I opened the cabin door and peered into the hallway. It wasn’t dark out there, but
it wasn’t as light as usual. The emergency strip lights on the floor–the ones we’d been
alerted to use if the ship lost power—were illuminated, as were a few other intermittent
fixtures. What was going on?!
Other passengers were sticking their heads out of rooms, looking for answers.
David and I put on some clothes and joined our neighbors in the hall. While we were
busy conjecturing, a young man came down the hall, on his way back to his room from
an evening in the disco. “Do you know what happened?” We all jumped on him.
“They say we may have hit a whale,” was his reply. “I was in the lounge when
suddenly we felt a thump and all the lights went out. They said it was nothing…but….”
“But what?” we all wanted to know. “They say there’s a back-up engine and
they’re working on fixing everything right now.” He continued on his way. We looked
after him, as unconvinced by his explanation as he himself seemed to be.
Nobody wanted to go back into their cabins for fear of missing announcements or
news. We’d tried calling the front desk but nobody could get through. Trying to mask our
anxiety, people chattered away and made jokes. David wanted to see what was going
on for himself, but I didn’t want him to leave. And I didn’t want to go with him and leave
Mom and the children behind. They were fast asleep in the next room; I didn’t want to
wake or scare them.
An hour passed. Nothing. Crew members passed through the halls, trying to
calm the ever escalating number of questioning travelers. But nothing they could say
would assuage us. At four a.m., the captain got on the loudspeaker and announced that
the engines had, in fact, lost power. Engineers were studying the problem and would
correct it within six hours, he promised. (“Six hours?”) He told us not to worry. The seas
were calm. There was a second set of engines. We should all go back to sleep and if
there were any further problems, he’d let us know. Now, how reassuring did that sound?
At this point, Mom and the children popped their heads into the hall. Trying to
downplay our nervousness so as not to frighten our 12-year old daughter, David and I
laughed off the problem and returned to our beds. Little did we know that Mom had
already verbalized her own fears that pirates were the cause of this mishap and might
be boarding momentarily. It was clear the stabilizers had turned off with the electricity
because, however calm the sea, the ship had begun to bounce as morning waves
picked up. All I could think of was how top heavy we were at some sixteen stories high.
Tossing and turning, David and I got a few broken hours of sleep before the sun rose,
but we woke to find that we were still not moving.
“This is ridiculous!” David was angry.
“We’re lucky it’s calm out,” I reminded him.
“We’re 700 miles into the ocean,” he reminded me. “That’s a bit far to swim back!
And those life boats…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence.
We went to breakfast, knowing sleep would not come. Finally, around 8 a.m., the
captain announced that the situation had been righted and we were about to continue
on course. He promised we would still be arriving in New York as scheduled. I had been
thinking to myself that, under the circumstances, maybe they would send us back to
Southampton and fly us home. After all, it would be safer than risking that something
else might occur even further out into the Atlantic. David pointed out that option would
be too costly. He did tell me he was going to attend the lecture by the ship’s builder
scheduled—ironically–for that morning.
“Want to join me?” he asked.
I preferred to go back and lie down…but I couldn’t wait to hear what was said.
It turned out the lecturer spoke all about the ship’s build, its safety, etc. but nary a
word about the previous night’s occurrence. The moment the lecture ended, he bolted
from the room before anyone could corner him with questions. So much for setting our
minds further at ease. By late afternoon, the ship had not only resumed its course, it
had also picked up speed considerably—no doubt to make up for lost time. Strains of
the Titanic? The fact that we were heading into stormy weather didn’t bode well to me
but who was I to advise?
That night all went smoothly and by morning, most of us were calmer. The seas,
however, were not. A tiny thought had latched onto the inside of my brain and wouldn’t
let go: we hadn’t even reached our half-way mark yet, meaning we were heading further
into the middle of the ocean by the minute.
To divert our minds, David and I decided to take a swing dance class. The swells
roiled and the ship rolled from side to side. It also went up and down so you never knew
(when you put your foot down) whether the ground would be higher or lower than
expected. Kind of like dancing in a moving elevator. It wasn’t easy to balance under
such conditions, but trying at least kept our minds off other things—like seasickness.
David was a great sport and we gave the class our all. But after a half an hour, we
decided that was enough. I had no desire to eat lunch in conditions like these and
returned to our room to read and rest until tea time. The captain kept urging us to look
out the windows and enjoy the splendor and majesty of the seas. He told us it wasn’t
likely we’d experience such a view again. Translated, that meant: “We’re in the midst of
a Class 11 storm, the intensity of which I [the Captain] haven’t seen in twenty years!”
Great! Just great. What if the engines were to go out again? Taking the stabilizers with
them?
I was feeling particularly badly for David, having promised him an ocean of glass.
But rather than complain, he was trying to keep my spirits up. After a nap, I decided to
join him for tea. I hadn’t eaten much all day and felt it might be better to get something
—even just a tea sandwich—into my stomach to settle the uproar within. I nibbled on a
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crustless watercress morsel while David relished some scones, cream and jam. I was
happy to see him enjoying, but couldn’t join in. Afterwards, we headed for the movie
theatre where “Elizabeth”, starring Cate Blanchett, was about to begin. I thought it would
keep my mind occupied. A notice on the theatre door announced the cancellation of a
previous lecture due to the illness of the speaker. Guess I wasn’t the only one feeling
unwell. I stepped in the ladies room, freshly sprayed with air freshener. That was all it
took. I told David I had to go back to the cabin…and I was lucky I made it there in time.
I wondered how the others were faring. Larissa confessed to feeling queasy.
“Maybe a little,” Michael conceded. Mom, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the
tumult. She said she found it a bit difficult to walk back to the cabin after bridge, but as
to her stomach, this was no big deal. She was ready for dinner. I marveled at the way
nothing ever daunted her. While the rest of us remained in our cabins, Mom hauled
Michael with her to the afternoon show. Later Michael told us that even the cast looked
green. But not Mom.
The following day, the sea was quieter. Hardly calm. But less violent. There were
two more days to go and everyone on board seemed anxious to reach shore. We’d
passed the half-way mark so at least we were getting closer to land. But we also passed
the exact spot where the Titanic went down, a point I didn’t think the ship needed to
publicize so strongly. It was still windy and rainy and all the outside decks were closed.
The pools were closed because the water in them sloshed in and out with every heave
of the ship. Tea had lost its appeal for me. Dancing, too. David and I entered a
Blackjack Tournament which used up a good part of the afternoon as well as our
gambling budget.
The final day onboard turned out to be beautiful. Sunshine, clear skies, wind—
but not enough to keep me off the decks. I managed to read a few chapters in the sun,
gazing out at sea. We passed several schools of dolphins, diving through the waves.
They looked so tiny in comparison to our huge vessel. I never spotted an actual whale
but did see a number of fountain-like eruptions spouting from underwater. This was
definitely a highlight of the trip and I was pleased to be back on my feet to enjoy it.
Arrival in New York Harbor was scheduled for 4:30 the following morning. The
decks were packed even at that early hour and as we pulled under the Verrazano
Bridge in the dark silence of dawn, it was amazing that we were only nine feet shy of the
bottom level. I felt as if I could reach up and touch the cars above. Imagine what it must
have been like for the people in the cars looking down—or the early Staten Island Ferry
riders looking up–at this mammoth ship gliding by. The sun, a blazing coral disc,
illuminated the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Governor’s Island and all of lower
Manhattan as it rose above the horizon.
Goose bumps prickled across my skin. What a thrill to be back in New York. And
on land. I couldn’t believe we had actually arrived safely. As the crowning glory to our
year abroad, our high seas adventure hadn’t lacked excitement. But it had hardly been
the excitement I’d anticipated. As to future Atlantic crossings, much as I hate flying, I
suspect I may change my travel priorities from now on.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
Visit the Contests page for this month’s theme and full contest rules.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 USD. The winning entry receives a prize based on the number of entries, not less than $25.00 USD.
Don’t wait, enter today!
Posted on June 6, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, June 27th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of June. Read on for further guidelines.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 30, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, May 30th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of June. Read on for further guidelines.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 24, 2022 Leave a Comment
Hey Readers! I am taking some time for myself for a week or two. The first half of this year has been so incredibly busy so I’ve decided to take just a little break from a few things to make sure I’m keeping life in balance. I hung an “out of office” sign on my Instagram and I’m taking on a shorter reading list again this week.
So other things I’m doing for myself including spending more time in (finally clean and organized) art studio. I’ve been creating new items for MapleStreetStudioHRS, of course. But I’ve also been creating for myself. I’m also wrapping up the end of my house project list, which also feels really good.
So my list this week is also focused on cleaning up my Currently Reading
list on Goodreads. There are a couple of books that made it on my reading lists earlier this year but didn’t make it over to the Read list. Notes from the Warsaw Ghetto and Maus are two such titles I’m planning to get through this week. I am also reading the new release from Lisa Brahin, Tears Over Russia. This book is due out early next month and I’m really looking forward to reading an advanced copy.
Join the conversation! Tell me what you’re reading this week in the comments.
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A sweeping saga of a Jewish family and community fighting for survival against the ravages of history.
Set between events depicted in Fiddler on the Roof and Schindler’s List, Lisa Brahin’s Tears over Russia brings to life a piece of Jewish history that has never before been told.
Between 1917 and 1921, twenty years before the Holocaust began, an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 Jews were murdered in anti-Jewish pogroms across Ukraine. Lisa grew up transfixed by her grandmother Channa’s stories about her family being forced to flee their hometown of Stavishche, as armies and bandit groups raided village after village, killing Jewish residents. Channa described a perilous three-year journey through Russia and Romania, led at first by a gallant American who had snuck into Ukraine to save his immediate family and ended up leading an exodus of nearly eighty to safety.
With almost no published sources to validate her grandmother’s tales, Lisa embarked on her incredible journey to tell Channa’s story, forging connections with archivists around the world to find elusive documents to fill in the gaps of what happened in Stavishche. She also tapped into connections closer to home, gathering testimonies from her grandmother’s relatives, childhood friends and neighbors.
The result is a moving historical family narrative that speaks to universal human themes—the resilience and hope of ordinary people surviving the ravages of history and human cruelty. With the growing passage of time, it is unlikely that we will see another family saga emerge so richly detailing this forgotten time period. Tears Over Russia eloquently proves that true life is sometimes more compelling than fiction.
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A brutally moving work of art—widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written—Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.
Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history’s most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma.
book for review, please visit Contact Me and complete the form. I’ll review your request and respond within 48 hours. I’m also happy to work with authors on interviews. To set up an interview, please use the same form.
Notes from the Warsaw Ghetto is the moving account of the horror of the Warsaw Ghetto—written by the recognized archivist and historian of the area while he lived through it. Through anecdotes, stories, and notations—some as brief as was slapped today in Zlota Street,—there emerges the agonizing, eyewitness accounts of human beings caught in the furor of senseless, unrelenting brutality. In the Journal, there is the whole of life in the Ghetto, from the erection of the Wall, in November 1940, for hygienic reasons, through the brief period of deceptive calm to the eventual mass murders. It is a portrait of man tested by crisis, stained at times by the meanness of avarice and self-preservation, illumined more often by moments of nobility.
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Read Along with Me I hope everyone is recovering from their post-Passover carb-coma! Personally, I celebrated with a takeout order of pasta, breaded Mahi, and tiramisu. Oh, and barada with still warm bread for an appetizer. It was amazing! But enough about carb-comas and all that, let’s get to the books. This week, I’m looking…
Read Along with Me Call it spring fever, call it a delayed nesting phase but I have been in the mood to do house projects. Nothing huge but I’m finding a few little things to refresh and improve my space. Like adding some smart features. It’s fun to ask Alexa to handle certain tasks! The…
Read Along with Me My to-do list around the house is getting shorter as I’m crossing projects off my list. It’s fun to make a few changes around the house. Still a couple of bigger tasks to get to but I’ll have them all finished by the end of the month (fingers crossed). If you…
Posted on May 23, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, May 30th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of June. Read on for further guidelines.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 18, 2022 Leave a Comment
In his third installment of his travel memoirs, Jules Brown regales his readers with anecdotes from his years of experiences. Taking inspiration from a travel diary he discovered, belonging to his grandfather, Brown incorporates a generational take in this book.
This is my third book by Brown and I enjoy each one more than than the last. Brown brings a sharp wit to his writing that feels more like traveling with a friend than someone telling the reader about a place. This collection of stories spans Brown’s decades of experience as a travel writer. His stories move from humorous to touching in a way that kept me engaged as I moved from one to the next.
Brown closes out this collection with some helpful advice for travelers and tourists, as any good travel book should have. This is a relatable book for anyone who has traveled a great deal and a great entertainment for a quiet afternoon.
I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
By: Jules Brown Jules Brown is a veteran travel writer, working for Rough Guide. In Takoradi to the Stars, Brown blends his love of travel with a memoir, revisiting 35 destinations, including his home town in West Africa. Brown is not only a great traveler, he’s a brilliant storyteller. Each destination is described with a…
By: Jules Brown For my second Non-Fiction November selection, I joined Jules Brown on a 9 country in 9 days train trip across Europe…in the middle of a heatwave. This adventure travels through Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Liechtenstein, Zürich, and Milan. This is the second work by Jules Brown I’ve read and it…
Do you have a book in new of review? Would you like to be interviewed about your latest project? I’d like to work with you! Please visit my Contact Me page to complete the form with your details.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By Rachel Barenbaum Atomic Anna is the story of three incredible women spanning three generations. The first is Anna Berkova, a nuclear scientist, working the Soviet Union in 1986 when Chernobyl melts down. It is at this moment she accidentally discovers her ability to time jump and is reunited with her estranged daughter, Molly. Molly…
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman The Grinburg family lives in a Polish shtetl. A young family, just started out, they are faced with a difficult choice. Pogroms against their little community at the turn of the century making decision about seeking safety elsewhere. Froyim, a shoemaker, leaves his wife and infant son, in order to start…
By Kenneth Wishnia and Chantelle Aimée Osman Jewish Noir II is a collection of twenty-four stories from a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish writers focusing on topics including the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the US, the influence of stereotypes about certain Jewish communities on anti-Semitic attitudes, Israel’s ongoing legacy of regional warfare, the Jewish role…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Welcome to my April Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 75 titles for 2022. This month, I’ve reviewed six of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story…
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Heidi Slowinski 