By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Every author, consciously or unconsciously, chooses a writing style when deciding how to tell a story. That’s true of fiction and nonfiction, and can play a major role in how readers feel about the exposition and characters. Some novels contain lush descriptions o…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
What the stories our family tell – or decide not to tell – can influence how we view our lives and the world around us. Sometimes our reactions to the past are positive, which makes us want to preserve and continue the culture/customs with which we grew up. Oth…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
A friend and I frequently disagree when it comes to judging the books we’ve read. There are authors I love whom she finds herself unable to read. Last year, one of her favorite novels made my “wish I hadn’t bothered to read this” list. We still enjoy talking…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
I enjoy reading and reviewing books with similar subject matter because they often complement each other, giving me more insight into the topic than either would alone. That’s why, after receiving a review copy of Scott D. Seligman’s “The Great Christmas Boyco…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“Kaplan’s Plot”
At first, I wondered why such a fuss had been made about “Kaplan’s Plot” by Jason Diamond (Flatiron Books). The novel made several “most anticipated books of the year” lists, which is one of the reasons I asked for a review copy. How…
