New books on the block

Jewish Book Month is a celebration of Jewish books timed to take place during the 30 days preceding Chanukah. Begun as Jewish Book Week by Boston librarian Fanny Goldstein in the 1920s, its goal is to remind us that books make wonderful Chanukah gifts (even when the gifts are for yourself).  

Feeling like you could use a little break from the real world or a chance to see through someone else’s eyes? These new titles might be just what you need. 

Off the Record by Sara Goodman Confino 

It’s 1962 in this new romantic comedy by the author of Good Grief. Aspiring reporter Judy Greenberg is stuck in the typing pool despite her recently acquired journalism degree, until she inadvertently answers a line that’s not her own and the cryptic message she receives hints at a national story scoop. Greenberg partners with newsman Jack Fields to investigate, drawing them into a labyrinth of Cold War intrigue. They follow leads from a clandestine Washington, D.C.-hotel bar to an international world of secrets and spies, uncovering political malfeasance and earning them new roles that take full advantage of their ace detective skills.  

I found the romance predictable yet still fun to see unfold. But watch for unexpected plot twists from some of the characters, including Greenberg’s grandmother and Miss Kelly, the hard-nosed boss of the typing pool. 

The Gates of Midnight: A Novel of the Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker 

The widely anticipated conclusion to the award-winning Golem and the Jinni trilogy has arrived, again set against the backdrop of the brilliantly portrayed immigrant communities of early-20th century New York. For those who haven’t read the first two books, The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace, I suggest you start at the beginning, where you’ll meet the beautifully drawn characters of Chava and Ahmad.  

In this new book, it’s now 1930. Chava tends to her house and garden in Brooklyn, hoping to create a refuge. Ahmad had been working as an architect in Chicago, dreaming of building something monumental, until the stock market crash brings him back to New York. While they consider their futures, dangerous forces are in play. Chava’s treacherous creator is back, seeking to bind her to his will and re-enslave Ahmad. Friends and strangers, old and new, hold keys to the freedom Chava and Ahmad seek.  

The Way it Haunted Him by Laura R. Samotin 

Do you remember the Saturday Night Live sketches in which Bill Hader, as nightclub correspondent Stefon, describes hot new venues with outrageous, seemingly unrelated, sometimes dangerous attributes? Like those sketches, this book has everything! There is a demon-infested Institute of Judaic Studies, staffed by a brooding mysterious archivist who never leaves.  

There are cryptic texts, a grieving translator, a racy gay romance, and you might even encounter a dybbuk. This dark academic horror/fantasy/romance won’t be for everyone, but if it’s your thing, I suspect you’ll thoroughly enjoy it. I certainly did.   

Radiant as the Stars by Elaine Elinson 

Full disclosure: Author Elaine Eilinson is a long-lost cousin of mine who I first met when she was in Chicago doing research for Radiant as the Stars. The book, inspired by Ellinson’s grandmother’s diaries and drawing from historical events, centers on the rev­o­lu­tion­ary work of members of the Jew­ish Labor Bund in Russia and Ukraine. Although based on real life, its premise indeed seems improbable. As thousands of Jews flee Tsarist Russia for the promise of America, 20-year-old Anna Reader makes the journey in reverse, leaving her immigrant family in Chicago to join her cousin, Chava, undertaking clandestine work for the Jewish Labor Bund on the eve of the Russian revolution.  

The world she finds is even more threatening than she remembers, with violent attacks on Jewish committees, a climate of distrust even among childhood friends, and the risks of Chava’s increasingly dangerous assignments. When Chava is arrested, Reader must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for her cousin and her beliefs. 

Betsy Gomberg reads (and sometimes writes about) Jewish books.