My friend Ruth Ellenson has just emailed me with some very exciting news: her first book hits the stands today! (How ironic, in light of the previous entry‘s gloomy assessment of modern American reading habits, but this isn’t the time for pessimism…)
Yes, it’s true, I happen to know a published author. (Imagine me gripping my lapels and looking smug as I say that.) Actually, she was the editor of this volume rather than the author, since it’s a collection of essays, but hey, it’s still her name on the cover, right? Close enough to famous for my money. Here’s the message she sent me:
Ever worried about worrying enough, failed to live up to the Zionist ideals of your parents, or contemplated getting a pedicure on Yom Kippur? Then do we have the book for you….
The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt, published Monday, August 22, explodes with truth, humor, and insight into what it means to be a Jewish woman at the dawn of the 21st century. The women in this anthology bravely invite you along as they struggle to strike a balance between their heritage and their modern lives. Whether it’s the pressure of hearing a grandmother’s biological clock start to tick, the horror of being outted as a lesbian at your mother’s Yiddish club, or the burden of being the only kid in Hebrew school who actually cares, their predicaments will make you laugh, cry, and howl in recognition.
Here’s what early reviews are saying:
“Wide-ranging and thought-provoking….fresh and funny.” –Publisher’s Weekly
“A lively and intelligent gathering…what Jewish essayists may have cornered is the ability to write exhaustively and entertainingly about the subject of guilt, as further evidenced by this hip, first-person girl-centric collection.” –Seattle Times
“Trust me, you’ll feel guilty if you don’t read this hilarious and poignant collection. Move over, Woody Allen.” –St. Petersburg Times
The book can be found in stores and online at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Powell’s
If you’d like to further ease your conscience, please join us on the road for the following readings, events, and festivities:
- Sept. 15 LOS ANGELES
Writer’s Bloc presents at the Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
7:30 PM
Aimee Bender, Lori Gottlieb, Gina Nahai and Ruth Andrew Ellenson
Moderated by Dan Futterman, author of the upcoming film “Capote”- Sept. 19 NEW YORK
Brandies House
12 E. 77th St.
7:00 PM
Elisa Albert, Pearl Gluck, Francesca Segre and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Sept. 20 NEW YORK
Barnes & Noble Village
396 Ave. of the Americ as
7:30 PM
Wendy Shanker, Susan Shapiro and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Sept. 25 LOS ANGELES
Dutton’s Brentwood
11975 San Vincente Blvd.
2:00 PM
Sharon Brous, Lori Gottlieb, Amy Klein, Francesca Segre and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Sept. 28 NEW YORK
Happy Endings Reading Series presents “Guilt Night”
302 Broome St
Between Forsyth and Eldridge
8:00 PM
Jennifer Bleyer, Baz Dreisinger, Wendy Shanker, Rebecca Walker and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Oct. 2 WEST HOLLYWOOD
West Hollywood Book Fair
8300 Santa Monica Blvd.
3:00 PM
Amy Klein, Gina Nahai and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Oct. 5 NEW YORK
Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette St.
Joint Performance with Nice Jewish Girl’s Gone Bad
9:30 PM
Elisa Albert, Wendy Shanker, Sheryl Zohn and Ruth Andrew Ellenson
featuring: Judy Gold, Vanessa , Goddess Perlman and Ophira Eisenberg- Oct. 6 NEW YORK
Upper West Side JCC
334 Amsterdam Avenue
8:00 PM
Rebecca Goldstein, Binnie Kirshenbaum, Daphne Merkin, Susan Shapiro and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Oct. 8 NEW YORK
Heeb Magazine Party
Mo Pitkins
34 Avenue A, b/w 2nd and 3rd Sts.
Featuring a performance by Pharoh’s Daughter’s Basya Schechter
7: 00 PM
Kera Bolonik, Pearl Gluck, Molly Jong-Fast, Cynthia Kaplan and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Oct. 14-15 BERKELEY
University of Calirofnia at Berkeley Hillel
Ayelet Waldman and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Oct. 20-21 OHIO
Ohio University Hillel
Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 6 SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco Jewish Community Center
3200 California St.
11:00 AM
Aimee Bender, Daphne Merkin, Rebecca Walker and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 8 CHERRY HILL, NJ
Katz Jewish Community Center
1301 Springdale Road
7: 00 PM
Lauren Grodstein, Wendy Shanker, Laurie Gwen Shapiro and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 9 SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center
7: 00 PM
Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 10 NEW YORK
Makor
35 W. 67th St.
7:00 PM
Elisa Albert, Jennifer Bleyer, Lauren Grodstein, Dara Horn, Molly Jong-Fast,
Amy Klein, Laurie Gwen Shapiro, Sheryl Zohn and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 13 WASHINGTON DC
DC Jewish Community Center
1529 16th St. NW
5:00 PM
TBA and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 16 SPRINGFIELD, MA
Springfield JCC
7:00 PM
http://www.springfieldjcc.org/
<http://www.springfieldjcc.org/><http://www.springfieldjcc.org/>
TBA and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 17 BOSTON
Brookline Booksmith
279 Harvard St.
7:00 PM
Rebecca Goldstein, Rachel Kadish, Tova Mirvis and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Nov. 30 PASADENA, CA
Pasadena Jewish Community Center
Cal Tech Anatheum
1200 E. California Blvd.
2:00 PM
Amy Klein, Gina Nahai and Ruth Andrew Ellenson- Dec. 6 LOS ANGELES
Wilshire Boulevard Temple
11661 W. Olympic Blvd.
7:00 PM
TBA and Ruth Andrew EllensonPlease pass this on to whomever you think would be interested.
Happy reading,
Ruthie
Curiously enough, I don’t see Salt Lake City on her book tour. Perhaps the publisher didn’t think there would be much of a market for it here?
In any event, I wish her much success with the book and sincerely hope she enjoys this experience. I intend to live vicariously through her for a while, since the closest I’ve come to publication is this little vanity project right here on the Web. If any of my three loyal readers have any interest in this subject matter, or if you just like the idea of supporting a new literary voice (who, I understand, is currently working on an actual novel), then please click one of the links above and buy a copy…
Jason–This is very sweet. We went out to the local B&N to ooh and aah and it was a big thrill. I hope your three loyal readers and the SLC Jewish community (yes, I know it’s there!) will follow your endorsement and persuade her to come out!
As one of the three loyal readers, I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Ruthie. What an accomplishment. And it would be great to see you in Salt Lake. 🙂
Jas – we’ll have to make a run to the B&N tonight.
That is so nice of you! But no one will be more shocked than I will if the Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt is carried at the Barnes & Noble in Salt Lake City! Unless they put it in the anthropology section.
I’ll let you know tomorrow if we find it. 🙂 If not, I’ll be ordering it tomorrow.
Geez, you go away for a few hours and a whole conversation takes place behind your back!
Robert and/or Ruthie, you’ll have to email and tell me all about it.
Anne, don’t make me go to B&N, no, please, not that… 🙂
Well my mother just called me and told me she bought a copy in Lynchburg, Virginia so I imagine it must be avialble at B&N in SLC
I’ve been waiting for Jas to put up a post, but since he hasn’t…
We got the book last night at the B&N in Sandy, UT. 🙂 They acutally had 2 copies.
You’re so impatient, darling. I was getting to it…