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writing nonfiction

Good news! I haven’t blogged in almost two weeks because I’ve been busy on my latest book. As you may recall, I’ve been intermittently working on two projects [both involving Talmud], one another historical novel and the other nonfiction. For several reasons, notably that the nonfiction work is a short monograph based on talks I’ve already given and research I’ve already done, which means I can get it published more quickly, I’ve set the novel aside to concentrate on the monograph. Monograph sounds too scholarly, something Sherlock Holmes would write. Since my book is approximately 10,000 words long, plus some illustrations, maybe I will just call it a booklet.

No, you haven’t missed anything. I have not told you its title, or even its subject matter. What I can tell you is that the manuscript is complete enough that I have sent it off to a few friends/associates to edit, as well as to my book shepherd so we can get production started.

Yes, I’m planning to crank up good old Banot Press and go the self-publishing route again. Eleven years ago, using the same book shepherd, I started my own small press and published Rashi’s Daughters: Book I – Joheved. Back then e-books were barely on the horizon, so I didn’t even bother with the format. Now, with my latest novels selling 50% as e-versions, my new booklet should be ideal for a short, snappy, inexpensive, screen read.

Not to worry – when I decide to announce the title, which should make the subject obvious, you will be among the first to know.

In the Land of Armadillos

In the Land of Armadillos: Stories by Helen Maryles Shankman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Actually I give this 4 1/2 stars. Populated with monsters and heroes [human and perhaps not], but mostly with ordinary people caught up in horrific events they neither understood nor controlled - this series of intersecting stories drew me in completely, making read them again to find all the connections I missed the first time ["Armadillos" reminded me of "Cloud Atlas" in that way]. Weaving a tapestry of history and fantasy, Helen Shankman has brought us face to face with both the daily humiliations and terrors, and the occasional close calls and acts of goodness, the Jewish population experienced in this Polish village. The writing is literally fantastic, with flashbacks and flash-forwards mixed in so well I marvel at Shankman's literary skills. For those, like me, weary of Holocaust fiction focused on the death camps, this book is something different, focused primarily on the survivors who, coincidently or magically, were painted by a Jewish artist as cafe patrons in a child's room mural in the first story.



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Aftermath movie

I am about to recommend AFTERMATH, a compelling 2012 Polish movie I recently watched on Netflix knowing little more than it was a Los Angeles Times Critic's Pick [“One of the Best Films of the Year! "Gripping, excellent. A bombshell disguised as a thriller] and had received an 83% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. But my husband and I are always interested in discovering overlooked foreign film gems [that's how we found the fabulous French MICMACS, one of our all-time favorites].

By the way, AFTERMATH is streaming now on Netflix and seems to be available on Amazon, Hulu, iTunes, and probably other online sources. So no need to travel to some distant small theater that specializes in foreign films.

The Netflix description didn't say much: “Two decades after migrating to America, Chicagoan Franek returns to his native Poland only to find things deeply amiss in his family and town. With his brother, Jozek, who stayed behind, Franek sets out to discover the community's collective secret. Genre: mystery, suspense, foreign thriller.” I assumed it would be a modern take on the classic “Bad Day at Black Rock” town-with-a-secret genre, which it was. But it was much more, especially for Jewish viewers.

I don't want to give away the plot with spoilers, because like with all great thrillers, not knowing what’s coming and experiencing all the twists and turns as the characters do is what keeps us at the edge of our seats. The denouement, which is both awful and awe-full, is most powerful if you don't expect it, so I strongly advise you not to check it out on Wikipedia. Indeed, the less you know about the movie, the more impact it will have. Still, knowing that some of you might want to know more and maybe read a few reviews, here’s a link to the film’s website.

Rview of "Get What's Yours"

Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security by Laurence J. Kotlikoff

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Written in simple English, with lots of examples [real & imaginary], this book explains and offers advice on how to maximize Social Security benefits in almost every possible family scenario. Yes, the authors repeat themselves, and they know it, but they want to make sure readers understand and remember their best strategy. For in many cases, those who make the wrong decision will leave lots of $$$ on the table. My only complaint is that they didn't completely address an increasingly common scenario - those who continue working after age 70 - and how income taxes on Social Security income complicates retirement plans.



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Busy Sukkot

Sukkot is a busy time for me since we use the 9 days as an opportunity to host friends who haven't been to our home recently, possibly not since last Sukkot. Also this is my chance to reciprocate those who have hosted us throughout the year. We have a large lattice-covered patio, two walls provided by our house, that rather easily converts to a sukkah when we hang up some fruit-decorated fabric for a third wall and throw some palm fronds from our garden on top. Living in West Los Angeles, a little more than a mile from the beach, we are blessed with pretty much perfect weather for al fresco dining.

I say all this, not only to brag, but to partially excuse myself for not blogging for over two weeks. I don’t want to get into details about my attack of diverticulitis, or as a friend delicately called the “travails of my entrails,” only that I was nearly hospitalized. I’ve been pretty whipped even after finishing the nasty antibiotic regimen, still have occasional abdominal pain, and remain on a restricted diet [thankfully I'm allowed dark chocolate].

Now to answer the important question: Yes, I am writing. In fact I am working on two books, one nonfiction and one novel. But after hearing a TED Talk about how discussing a project in advance actually lessens the chances of finishing it, I've decided to keep mum about them until they're close to complete. This certainly worked for me in getting the first volume of "Rashi's Daughters" written. What I can say is that they both involve Talmud [no surprise] and that I don't have a publishing contract for either.