Authors on Tour (K – M)

Rodger Kamenetz

THE LOWERCASE JEW
96 pages. Northwestern University Press, 2003. $12.95.
 
Review

As dismissal and disdain of Jews speak through the art of some leading twentieth- century poets, so the poetry of Rodger Kamenetz artfully answers, framing in subtle terms the questions that haunt our culture- about the voices through which culture speaks, about the identity of poet and poetry, about the capacity of art to harm and to heal.
Local appearances: Ann Arbor, MI; Houston, TX; Rochester, NY; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; St. Paul, MN

Levana Kirschenbaum

LEVANA’S TABLE
Kosher Cooking for Everyone
208 pages. Stewart, Tabori & Chang. $35.

This cookbook, by the proprietor of the celebrated Levana Restaurant and Bakery in Manhattan, offers 150 recipes and 20 menus that are simple, nutritious, beautifully presented, and 100 percent kosher. Traditional kosher fare, including food for the holidays and entertaining is featured, along with recipes that reflect the author’s Moroccan, French, Asian and vegetarian influences.

 Local appearances: Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Deal, NJ; Richmond, VA; Rockville, MD; San Diego, CA; Tucson, AZ

Francine Klagsbrun

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
Remember the Sabbath Day
256 pages. Harmony Books. $24.

Excerpt

A contemporary look at one of the cornerstones of Jewish tradition—the Sabbath. This work illuminates its origins and purpose, its basis in Jewish texts and history in practice. Written for 21st century readers.

 Local appearance: Memphis, TN

Rochelle Krich

DREAM HOUSE
A Novel of Suspense
385 pages. Ballantine Books. $24.95.

While developing a story about vandalized homes, L.A. freelance reporter Molly Blume discovers there are fiery proponents, and equally fiery opponents of HARP - the Historical Architectural Restoration and Preservation board. As the warring factions collide, Molly investigates the various crime sites and is once again on the case!

 Local appearances: Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Deal, NJ; Jacksonville, FL; Norfolk, VA; Richmond, VA; Rockville, MD; St. Louis, MO; St. Paul, MN; Tucson, AZ

Harold Kushner

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
The Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm
192 pages. Knopf. $19.95.

From the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People comes an exposition on the healing power of the 23rd Psalm. Each chapter discusses one line of the psalm in the context of both the time it was written and the present day.

 Local appearances: Atlanta, GA; Cherry Hill, NJ; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; St. Louis, MO

Daniel Levitas

THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR
The Militia Movement and the Radical Right
416 pages. St. Martin’s Press, 2002. $27.50.

Audio

With so much attention focused on international terrorism, this book hits closer to home with an eye-opening look at potential domestic terrorist threats. Levitas explores the historic roots of Far Right hate groups in the U.S., how they have developed and evolved, and how the government has responded or failed to respond to this potent threat from within.

Local appearances: Berkeley, CA; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Deal, NJ; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Indianapolis, IN; Miami, FL; Rockville, MD; San Diego, CA; Stamford, CT; St. Paul, MN; Tulsa, OK

Alan Lew

THIS IS REAL AND YOU ARE COMPLETELY UNPREPARED
The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation
224 pages. Little, Brown & Co. $23.95.

Review

Rabbi Lew weaves together Torah readings, Buddhist parables, and Jewish fables and stories from his own life, to lay bare the meanings of this ancient Jewish passage. Drawing on both his rabbinical training and his scholarship in Buddhism, Lew leads readers on a journey from confusion to clarity, from doubt to belief, as he opens a path to self-discovery that is accessible to readers of all faiths.

Local appearances: Detroit, MI; Rochester, NY

Sherri Mandell

THE BLESSING OF A BROKEN HEART
233 pages. Toby Press. $19.95.

Excerpt

Koby Mandell was 13 years old in 2001 when he was brutally stoned to death in a cave in the Judean desert. How does the family cope with this? Koby’s mother, Sherri, has penned this absorbing, deeply painful and yet strangely beautiful account of her loss, sharing her thoughts and emotions through the stages of mourning.

 Local appearances: Cherry Hill, NJ; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Milwaukee, WI; Richmond, VA; Rockville, MD; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; W. Hartford, CT