People of the Book
On People of the Book, award-winning author Meryl Ain chats with notable authors, and brings you the best in books with Jewish content. From novels to memoirs to short stories to scholarly tomes, we cover a wide range of reads. Our freewheeling conversations are thought provoking and intimate. They span historical themes, contemporary issues, the writing process, and the influences that inspire and empower writers to tell their stories and share them with the world.
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Jacqueline Friedland: fertility, inequality, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy in COUNTING BACKWARDS
Meryl chats with Jacqueline Friedland about her new novel, Counting Backwards (March 2025), a dual-timeline novel which explores fertility, inequality, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy. It’s told from the perspectives of Jessa Gidney, a modern-day lawyer fighting for her immigrant client, and also Carrie Buck w
Encore Presentation: STRADDLING BLACK AND WHITE: Kim Salzman's novel about the immigration of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel
Meryl chats with Kim Salzman about her historical fiction novel, Straddling Black and White, the story of fourteen-year-old Azmera, who takes part in the mass immigration of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel in the 1980s. Theyalso talk about the current war in Israel and its impact on Kim, her family,and friends. Kim was born
Alex Kor: A Blessing, Not a Burden, a memoir from the child of two holocaust survivors
Meryl chats with Alex Kor about his 2024 memoir, A Blessing, Not a Burden, which chronicles his incredible journey as the child of two Holocaust survivors to his present day mission of keeping alive his parents’ legacy. They also discuss his mother’s controversial decision, as a Mengele twin, to forgive the Nazis. Orig
Meryl chats with her bibliophile cousin, 99-year-old Arthur Fischman, about his love of reading. During the past three years, he’s read 235 books on audio due to diminished eyesight. They also talk about family, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude as we age. Arthur Fischman was born in Newark, New Jer
Michelle Cameron discusses her new novel, Napoleon's Mirage, sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon’s Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates and the themes she wanted to raise for readers. They also talk about the role of women in history, Napoleon and his relationship to the Jews, and antisemit
Bylines and Blessings: Judy Gruen's memoir about balancing career, family, and Jewish values
Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthodox lifestyle. They talk about balancing motherhood with both a career and a commitment to Jewish values. They also discuss the current wave of antisemitism and its impact
