JWOW! Book Club News and Book Reviews
Over the years, I’ve had friends who were members of book clubs, and I admired them for their commitment to read books and discuss regularly, but I never actually joined. I couldn’t imagine having the pressure to read a book in a set amount of time and then sharing my thoughts on it. I loved reading but didn’t want the pressure.
And then I became involved in JWOW! – or Jewish Women of Wisdom and we formed our own book club with women from all over the world, as well as other projects that are part of our midlife group of women. Our book club has really taken off, and I love being a part of it!
So far, our book club met four times and discussed non-fiction, fiction, and historical fiction. Our book club meets monthly on zoom and at each meeting we decide on the upcoming book for the following month.
At our first meeting, we discussed “Pride and Preference,” by Barbara Bensoussan. This is a book that explores a Jewish family of daughters and how the navigate the dating process. The author based her story loosely on the classic by Austen “Pride and Prejudice,” but even if one hasn’t read Austen’s book, you will love this modern take on a very universal theme. I loved the humor and realism as well as the fast paced story and valuable depictions of human nature.
Our second meeting covered “The Girl in the Red Boots,” a memoir by Judith Rabinor. This is a true story about Dr. Rabinor’s experiences with her own relationship with her mother. She is a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and mother-daughter relationships and her book reflects her insights from the point of view of her own relationship and that of her patients. I found it enlightening because of the common phenomenon as to how weight issues dovetail with mother-daughter relationships, and the self-esteem of growing young women. Additionally, this relationship of mother-daughter is often fraught with so many layers and Dr. Rabinor gets right into it with her wit and wisdom. I reviewd the book in full over here.
Our third meeting covered “Where is the Daughter I raised?” By Ester Zirkind, a first person telling of a medical drama. Mrs. Zirkind suffered through cancer and other life traumas and writes her story with insight and depth. My fellow readers and group members were inspired by her faith and strength throughout her trials.
Our fourth meeting covered “All Other Nights” by Dara Horn. This is a fictional story that takes place during the Civil War. A young man joins the Union Army and is positioned as a spy and other daring tasks, and while fulfilling his mission, the young man suffers many tribulations, ultimately coming to more self-awareness and growth. The story is full of twists and turns and is not for the faint of heart. Colorful characterization, themes of choice between good and evil and other concepts are explored.
Our upcoming meeting on December 7, 2022, will discuss “Kaaterskill Falls” by Allegra Goodman. I have not read this book yet so I can’t share it here but I look forward to seeing any friends who’d like to join on December 7!
Here are the details of joining JWOW!
If you are an Jewish woman in the midlife stage of life (50 plus!), and would like the camaraderie and connection of a cohesive online group, this group is for you. Take a look a Jewishwomenofwisdom.org for more about our organization.
To sign up for memberships go to Jewishwomenofwisdom.org/register
To reserve your space in the book club, email book@jewishwomenofwisdom.org or hello@jewishwomenofwisdom.org
Our book clubs are facilitated by famed authors Barabara Bensoussan and Ahava Ehrenpreis
See you there!