Our blog features essays, book reviews, coverage of FTB titles, and noteworthy news of American Jewish experience by our publisher.
The Spy Who Stayed Out of the Heat
Posted on November 5, 2025
The spy who stayed out of the heat Daniel Silva struck publishing gold with his overtly Israeli secret agent Gabriel Allon, but after October 7, that fictional spy’s file was inappropriately redacted AUG 5, 2025 Some of the many published books by Daniel Silva. For 26 years, readers have thrilled to the exploits of Gabriel Allon, […]
The White Man Who Pretended to Be Black to Get Published
Posted on October 3, 2025
A young poet pretended to be ‘a gender-fluid member of the Nigerian diaspora,’ and wrote intentionally bad poems. He says he got 47 of them published. But soon his prank spiraled out of control. By River Page 07.16.25 What you’re about to read is a poem. Its title is unmentionable, but I can tell you […]
The Death and Life of the Straight White Man’s Novel
Posted on September 4, 2025
The seeming decline of a certain type of novelist is much discussed and debated in the literary world. But the bigger question is whether it matters. By Marc Tracy July 3, 2025 A Los Angeles father, once an aspiring screenwriter and now a professional ticket-scalper, spends his spare hours calculating the extent to which younger […]
Shelf censorship: How US publishing boycotts Israel and its supporters
Posted on August 4, 2025
Influential figures in the American publishing industry face growing discrimination and blacklisting over their Jewish identity and support for Israel. by Liel Leibovitz Published on 12-26-2024 “Today it takes real courage to publish proudly Jewish authors or books about the Jewish experience” | Photo: Getty Images When Bernard-Henri Lévy landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Oct. […]
Are Jews Being Written Out of the Book World? – Hadassah Magazine
Posted on July 1, 2025
Watch as Hadassah Magazine Executive Editor Lisa Hostein and a panel of best-selling authors and publishing insiders discuss the increasing incidents of exclusion, antisemitism and anti-Israel bias in the book industry. Taking part in the discussion are Zibby Owens, podcaster, author, founder and CEO of Zibby Media and publisher and editor of the new anthology On Being Jewish Now; Lisa Barr, […]
Reporting Antisemitism in the Literary World – from the Jewish Book Council
Posted on June 2, 2025
If you know of a local bookstore that has questions about navigating difficult situations and creating a safe space for Jewish authors and readers, share the bookstore resource guide created by The Artists Against Antisemitism in partnership with Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is dedicated to supporting and uplifting Jewish and Jewish-interest books and authors through marketing […]
The publishing industry is canceling Jews
Posted on May 2, 2025
Following the path of old Hollywood, it is time to make our own successes. Books. Credit: Pixabay. ARNON Z. SHORR Arnon Z. Shorr is a master storyteller whose films, books and comics frequently delve into Jewish identity tradition and folklore, blending action-packed narratives with deep reflections on heritage. His latest comic book is The Beast […]
Essay from Actor Michael Rapaport: A Message to My Haters up North
Posted on April 1, 2025
A Canadian politician is trying to bar me from the country where I’m scheduled to perform a few gigs. I’m offering her front-row seats. MICHAEL RAPAPORT SPEAKS AT RALLY OUTSIDE ‘THE HOSTAGES AND MISSING SQUARE’ ON DECEMBER 16, 2023, IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL. (ALEXI J. ROSENFELD VIA GETTY IMAGES) By Michael Rapaport I’ve seen a […]
Jewish authors confront growing backlash in literary world
Posted on March 3, 2025
Calling Jewish writers Zionists as an epithet and the reason to be excluded from the annals of publishing unless we denounce our attachment to our identities is frightening. By Joan Leegant – December 21, 2024 In May, a color-coded Google spreadsheet titled “Is your fav author a Zionist???” began circulating online. Its creator scrutinized the […]
Blacklisted for Israel support, author draws strength from Holocaust survivor grandma
Posted on February 2, 2025
Bestselling writer Lisa Barr – targeted by hecklers and review bombers – vows that though she wants to ‘curl up in a ball’ after Oct. 7, she will ‘fight back constructively’ Bestselling author Lisa Barr never expected to call her newest novel “eerily relevant” to modern times. Historical fiction, “The Goddess of Warsaw” is a […]