Reading Jewish

I read a lot, although admittedly, my recreational reading time is generally about thirty minutes before I fall asleep each night. Something like a year (or more?) ago, I was going to write reviews of the books I was reading anyway. In fact, a publicist I know started sending me some of the books that crossed his desk, so I could have many from which to choose. Alas, I dropped that ball.

I read two of the books, The Godfile: 10 Approaches to Personalizing Prayer by Aryeh Ben David, and Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry by Scott A. Shay. I really liked them both and had things I wanted to say. But life has a way of happening and I never got around to writing them. I plan to change that. My apologies, Stuart!

I enjoy reading suspense/thriller/mysteries with even occasional Jewish references, and lately have been devouring books by Linda Fairstein and Paul Levine.

Then, by chance, I found The Shiksa Syndrome by Laurie Graff. I just finished it last night, wanting terribly to take the main character aside and give her a good talking-to. It was like a Jewish Grease gone wrong (for her), and a good read, about a Jewish woman pretending to be Not (eg: Not Jewish) in order to catch the attention of a Jewish man who is looking "outside the tribe." I'll write a full review shortly.

Tonight, I'm starting on a new book, both new to me and new to the world: The New Jew: An Unexpected Conversion by Sally Srok Friedes. There is actually a strong tie between finishing The Shiksa Syndrome and starting The New Jew: the idea that Judaism is big enough and strong enough (and similarly, that G-d is big enough and strong enough) to accommodate Jews with a wide variety of practices and beliefs.

Now I'm going to stop blogging so I can get to reading.

Warning: Cute Kid Story

Wow, I guess it's hasn't been as long as I thought since I posted last. I was on another blog that I've badly neglected and that kind of inspired me to write something, just to let my two readers know I'm still alive. So I thought I'd share a comment from Younger Son today. We were talking about a birthday party Older and Younger Sons will be attending tomorrow and how the invitation said to bring the "water weapon of your choice."

Younger Son: I can use my new water pump squirter at the party tomorrow.

Me: Yes, you can.

YS: Cool! I just hope it doesn't rain.

Me: It might; we could get a few showers tomorrow.

YS: I guess G-d has a water weapon too. And G-d will win. G-d always wins.


And for a relative change of subject, my best friend in high school also has two boys and has the awesome-est way to refer to them: Son the Elder and Son the Younger. I love this! So much that I think I may use it here in place of my less creative descriptions. So very First Century, the time of my favorite rabbis. Gotta love the history.