BOOKLIST Deems THE BOOK OF STONE a “Rewarding Literary Thriller”
May 1, 2015
“Matthew Stone’s father was a celebrated judge who died disgraced because he went too easy on men who murdered Arabs. Now Matthew, the star of this rich, demanding novel, emerges as inheritor of his father’s books, money, and lethal hatred of Palestinians. Yes, this is a crime novel, but we spend much time in Matthew’s […]
HADASSAH Recommends PRAYERS FOR THE LIVING
April 29, 2015
“It is a pleasure to recommend a novel this good and this wise.”
Adam Kirsch on Our Reissue of Meyer Levin’s “Fascinating 1956 Novel”
April 16, 2015
“Leopold and Loeb seemed to present modernity with its own deformed image. In a strange way, their single crime encapsulates the moral anarchy that was responsible for so many millions of deaths, in war and revolution and Holocaust, during the 20th century. As in a laboratory experiment, they demonstrated on a small scale the forces that, unleashed, could destroy the world. Meyer Levin makes this suggestion repeatedly in Compulsion, his fascinating 1956 novel about the Leopold and Loeb case, which has just been reissued by the enterprising new Jewish publisher Fig Tree Books.”
Starred Review for THE BOOK OF STONE in LIBRARY JOURNAL
April 16, 2015
“This intelligent and timely thriller is told through a Jewish prism, but Papernick’s persuasive insights into the nature of fanaticism and its destructive consequences could be applied to any ideology. Highly recommended.”
On the “Timely and Poignant” Crime Story that is COMPULSION
April 14, 2015
“Though written nearly sixty years ago, Compulsion is as timely and poignant a crime story as anything you’re likely to find in contemporary literature. Not only did Levin show a fascination for the human mind (and our need to explore it), but also an awareness of issues such as self-identity and sexuality. Further, he had a keen understanding of how the proliferation of media and public sentiment could influence justice. That these are all topics that continue to inspire debate is the proof that he was ahead of his time—and that his work is ageless …”
Read the full review by John Valeri for the Hartford Books Examiner.
“An Intricate Tapestry of Love and Longing, Failure and Redemption”
April 2, 2015
“As Hope deftly juggles the various stories and backstories of her protagonists and the 600-year-old history of the sapphire brooch that Adam wishes to deliver to his grandfather’s mysterious lost love, the debut novelist, a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, weaves an intricate tapestry of love and longing, failure and redemption.”
“An Interesting, Intense and Unforgettable Read”
March 30, 2015
“The tragic story…makes for an interesting, intense and unforgettable read.”
“Minnie’s Commentary Will Resonate with the Reader”
March 30, 2015
“This is a family saga in which the family members stumble, but Minnie’s commentary will resonate with the reader.”
Read the rest of Sandee Brawarsky’s review in Jewish Woman magazine.
“As Haunting as It Is Entertaining” KIRKUS on PRAYERS FOR THE LIVING
March 25, 2015
“At its best, this story of a Jewish immigrant family tested by fate is as haunting as it is entertaining and as fresh as it was when it was first published nearly 30 years ago.”
Read the full review on the Kirkus website.
KIRKUS Notes Jessamyn Hope’s Debut Novel
March 25, 2015
The reviewer opines that “this solid novel achieves its strongest moments of emotional resonance in the presence of its older female characters.”