The Shiksa Syndrome
by Laurie Graff
Broadway, 2009
ISBN10: 0767927621
It’s been two weeks since my conversion to Judaism became complete. Coincidentally, I was invited to join a bus tour of Jewish Portland this morning, and our very first stop was the same mikvah where I’d been exactly fourteen days earlier to meet with the Ben Din and then immerse in the ritual bath.
Later in the afternoon, I was on the phone with a friend in New York City. He told me that when he’d mentioned my conversion to one of his co-workers, the man had replied, “Cool! Is she [...]
The Faith Club: A Muslim, a Christian, a Jew — Three Women Search for Understanding
by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner
Free Press, 2007
ISBN13: 9780743290487
ISBN10: 0743290488
It took me a few years, but I finally made time to read The Faith Club written by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner. Just a few pages in, I found myself wondering why I’d put this off for so long.
In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, three women — a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew — began meeting in hopes of writing a children’s [...]
Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality
Barbara Bradley Hagerty
Riverhead Books: May 14, 2009
ISBN-10: 1594488770
It’s been nearly a week since I finished reading this book by NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty, on “the search for the science of spirituality.”
When I was only about a quarter of the way into the book, I sat down with two fellow writers to talk shop, and mentioned what I was reading. I surprised myself by admitting to these two ladies — whom I like and respect, but whom I don’t know very well — that I had cried my [...]
THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS:
One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World
Eric Weiner
TWELVE, 2008
ISBN: 9780446580267
Hot on the heels of recent academic studies of the world’s happiest places, former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner set out on a global road trip to find out for himself what makes a place — and a people — happy or unhappy.
“The Geography of Bliss” is the thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny result of his personal happiness adventure.
When I’d heard the result of one of these happiness research studies — that Denmark [...]
SUDDENLY JEWISH
Jews Raised as Gentiles Discover Their Jewish Roots
Barbara Kessel
Brandeis University Press, 2000
ISBN: 978-1584656203
Over the space of 15 months, Barbara Kessel interviewed the men and women who responded to her advertisement seeking people who had been raised non-Jews but who had discovered Jewish roots. She posted her notices in the New York Times Book Review, on adoption websites, genealogy sites, and the like. Kessel wanted to find out what happens to your sense of self when it turns out your family is not who you thought they were.
When [...]
NEXT
Michael Crichton
HarperCollins, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-06-087298-4
I’ve been reading plenty of books in the 18 months or so since I last posted a “book blog” entry. I’ve been a lazy blogger. I admit it.
After waiting for my number to come up for this book on loan from the library, I began reading “NEXT” late Thursday night. Actually, I only read the introduction and then went to sleep. Then I picked it up the next afternoon. This book became my Friday night date, and I finished it Saturday morning.
“NEXT” is a well-timed book [...]
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America
Barbara Ehrenreich
Owl Books (May 1, 2002)
ISBN: 0805063897
Not quite a week ago, I caught an episode of Morgan Spurlock’s new “30 Days” television series on FX. In this particular episode, Spurlock and his fiancée attempted to live on minimum wage for a month. I found this hour-long program to offer such an eye-opening window on the lives of the working poor in my own backyard that I immediately e-mailed almost everyone I know to try to get them to watch [...]
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Now available!
Valhalla: A YA urban fantasy romp through the Pacific Northwest with Norse gods, hungry Berserkers, a teenaged witch, a mystical tree and even some Voodoo Doughnuts!
"Jennifer is a dream to work with. I've worked with her on myriad assignments and I've always been delighted with her writing. She's creative at coming up with her own ideas as well as excellent at taking direction and suggestions. Her work is crisp, clean and delivered on time and in the correct format and she responds quickly and professionally to any questions. I highly recommend her for any sort of writing project."
Audrey Van Buskirk
Former Editor, The Portland Tribune
Former Editor, The Portland Physician Scribe
Recent articles
- I was anti-gun, until I got stalked
Salon.com.
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- Voodoo Sisterhood
Skirt! Magazine. National.
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- Day camp teaches bike skills alongside eco-friendly field trips
The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon.
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- Shades of the Shoah
Aish Hatorah. Jerusalem, Israel / International.
[PDF] [HTML]
- Goodbye Green Guilt, Hello Change
Christian Science Monitor. National.
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- St. Lucia Day greets cyclists with treats
The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon.
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- Displaced by March Madness [PDF] [HTML]
Christian Science Monitor. National.
- Class Mixes Snow Caves, Sisterhood
Portland Tribune. Portland, Oregon.
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- Noses Know the Score
Portland Tribune. Portland, Oregon.
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