Episodios

  • Allison Epstein on Taking on One of Literature’s Most Notoriously Antisemitic Characters

    Allison Epstein on Taking on One of Literature’s Most Notoriously Antisemitic Characters
    May 6 2025
    Long before Oliver Twist stumbled onto the scene, Jacob Fagin was scratching out a life for himself in the dark alleys of nineteenth-century London. Born in the Jewish enclave of Stepney shortly after his father was executed as a thief, Jacob’s whole world is his open-minded mother, Leah. But Jacob’s prospects are forever altered when a light-fingered pickpocket takes Jacob under his wing and teaches him a trade that pays far better than the neighborhood boys could possibly dream. Fagin the Thief is a thrilling reimagining of the world of Charles Dickens, as seen through the eyes of the infamous Jacob Fagin. Colorfully written and wickedly funny, Allison Epstein breathes fresh life into the teeming streets of Dickensian London–reclaiming one of Victorian literature’s most notorious Jewish caricatures. In our conversation, we’ll discuss growing up in a mixed-faith household, finding truth in horror fiction, and writing more diverse historical fiction. We also delve into the incredible coda to Dickens’ antisemitic depiction and how he attempted to account for his caricature of a Jew. Allison Epstein’s Five Books: 1. The Carp in the Bathtub, by Barbara Cohen 2. The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker 3. Her Body and Other Parties, by Carmen Maria Machado 4. Hungerstone, by Kat Dunn 5. Fagin the Thief, by Allison Epstein The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Yehuda Kurtzer (host of Identity/Crisis), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Dara Horn (author of People Love Dead Jews.) Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod or on Facebook at The Five Books Podcast For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org For transcripts etc find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    47 m
  • Nicole Graev Lipson On the Attention, Intention, and Complexity of Mothers

    Nicole Graev Lipson On the Attention, Intention, and Complexity of Mothers
    Apr 29 2025
    What does it take to escape the plotlines mapped onto us? Searching for clues in the work of her literary foremothers, Lipson untangles what it means to be a girl, a woman, a lover, a partner, a daughter, and a mother in a world all too ready to reduce us to stock characters. Whether she’s testing the fragile borders of fidelity, embracing the taboo power of female friendship, escaping her family for the solitude of the mountains, grappling with what to do with her frozen embryos, or letting go of the children she imagined for the ones she’s raising, Lipson pushes beyond the easy, surface stories we tell about ourselves to brave less certain territory. Mothers and Other Fictional Characters is a shimmering love letter to our forgotten selves—and the ones we’re still becoming. Nicole Graev Lipson’s writing has been awarded a Pushcart Prize, selected for The Best American Essays anthology, and shortlisted for a National Magazine Award. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including the LA Review of Books, The Millions, Nylon, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. Nicole holds a BA from Cornell University and an MFA from Emerson College. Originally from New York City, she lives outside of Boston with her family. In our conversation, we’ll talk about how Nicole reconnected with Jewish tradition (beginning with a book!), the vital importance of bringing more complexity to the experience of motherhood, and Nicole’s tender and nuanced approach to parenting a child who doesn’t fit into gender norms. Nicole Graev Lipson's Five Books: 1. The Chosen by Chaim Potok 2. I and Thou by Martin Buber 3. Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution by Adrienne Rich 4. Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear by Erica Berry 5. Mothers and Other Fictional Characters by Nicole Graev Lipson The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Yehuda Kurtzer (host of Identity/Crisis), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Dara Horn (author of People Love Dead Jews.) Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod or on Facebook at The Five Books Podcast For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org For transcripts etc find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    51 m
  • Gayle Forman on Judy Blume, Taylor Swift, and the Innate Goodness of Young People

    Gayle Forman on Judy Blume, Taylor Swift, and the Innate Goodness of Young People
    Apr 22 2025
    To say Alex has had it rough is an understatement. His father's gone, his mother is struggling with mental health issues, and he's now living with an aunt and uncle who are less than excited to have him. Almost everyone treats him as though he doesn't matter at all, like he's nothing. So when a kid at school actually tells him he's nothing, Alex snaps, and gets violent. Fortunately, his social worker pulls some strings and gets him a job at a nursing home for the summer rather than being sent to juvie. There, he meets Josey, the 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who stopped bothering to talk years ago. And when Alex and Josey form an unlikely bond, with Josey confiding in him, Alex starts to believe he can make a difference--a good difference--in the world. If he can truly feel he matters, Alex may be able to finally rise to the occasion of his own life. Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels, including those in the Just One Day series, Where She Went, and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than forty languages and was adapted into a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz. Her first middle grade novel, Frankie & Bug, was a New York Times best children’s book of the year. In our conversation, we’ll discuss the link between anxiety and creativity, Judaism's instructions for living with loss, and how all of us are capable of rising to the occasion of our lives. Gayle Forman's Five Books: 1. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume 2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon 3. The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt 4. Orbital by Samantha Harvey 5. Not Nothing by Gayle Forman Other Books Mentioned: Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Successful, Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children by Marjorie Ingall The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy by Anand Giridharadas Doppelganger by Naomi Klein North Woods by Daniel Mason Playground by Richard Powers Getting to Sorry by by Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Yehuda Kurtzer (host of Identity/Crisis), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Dara Horn (author of People Love Dead Jews.) Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod or on Facebook at The Five Books Podcast For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org For transcripts etc find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    1 h y 1 m
  • Jennifer Weiner on Pushing Back Against De-Jewified Last Names, “Women’s Fiction,” and Activism in the Face of Despair

    Jennifer Weiner on Pushing Back Against De-Jewified Last Names, “Women’s Fiction,” and Activism in the Face of Despair
    Apr 15 2025
    Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were thrust into the spotlight as The Griffin Sisters, a pop duo that defined the aughts. Together, they skyrocketed to the top, gracing MTV, SNL, and the cover of Rolling Stone. Cassie, a musical genius who never felt at ease in her own skin, preferred to stay in the shadows. Zoe, full of confidence and craving fame, lived for the stage. But fame has a price, and after one turbulent year, the band abruptly broke up. Now, two decades later, the sisters couldn’t be further apart. Zoe is a suburban mom warning her daughter Cherry to avoid the spotlight, while Cassie has disappeared from public life entirely. But when Cherry begins unearthing the truth behind their breathtaking rise and infamous breakup, long-buried secrets surface, forcing all three women to confront their choices, their desires, and their complicated bonds. Jennifer Weiner’s books have spent over five years on the New York Times bestseller list, including several times at #1. She has written over a dozen works of fiction and the nonfiction collection Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing (2016), which was a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Opinion section in addition to numerous other publications. Her novel “In Her Shoes” was turned into a movie starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. Jennifer graduated from Princeton University in 1991 and lives in Philadelphia with her family. In our conversation, we’ll discuss Jennifer’s feminism, raising daughters, and why she has never felt more Jewish than right now. Jennifer Weiner's Five Books: 1. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor 2. Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth 3. Dark Tower by Stephen King 4. Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley 5. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Yehuda Kurtzer (host of Identity/Crisis), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Dara Horn (author of People Love Dead Jews.) Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod or on Facebook at The Five Books Podcast For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org For transcripts etc find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    54 m
  • BONUS: Dara Horn on Tevye the Dairyman

    BONUS: Dara Horn on Tevye the Dairyman
    Apr 8 2025
    Award-winning author Dara Horn is also a professor of Jewish literature. In discussing the Tevye story, she went into a deep dive, explaining each of the daughters’ marriages as a confrontation with a different political challenge to Russian Jews. I was riveted and wanted to share with you as well!
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    7 m
  • Dara Horn on Being the Lorax at Her Seder Table

    Dara Horn on Being the Lorax at Her Seder Table
    Apr 8 2025
    Dara Horn is the award-winning author of six books, including the novels The World to Come, All Other Nights, and the essay collection People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present. Her latest book is the graphic novel One Little Goat. At the Passover seder, an out-of-control family cannot find their afikoman  and as a result, they are trapped at a seder that cannot end. Six months in, a wisecracking talking goat shows up at their door with bad news: Thousands of years of previous seders have accumulated underneath their seder, and their afikoman is stuck in one of them. Now the family’s ​“wise child” must travel down with the goat through centuries of previous Passovers to find it– and to discover the questions he needs to start asking. Dara Horn is also the recipient of three National Jewish Book Awards, among many other honors. Horn received her doctorate in comparative literature from Harvard University, studying Yiddish and Hebrew. She has taught courses in these subjects at Sarah Lawrence College and Yeshiva University, and held the Gerald Weinstock Visiting Professorship in Jewish Studies at Harvard. Dara Horn's Five Books: Mr. Mani by A B Yehoshua Tevye the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem The Last Consolation Vanished by Zalmen Gradowski Journey to the Land of No by Roya Hakakian One Little Goat by Dara Horn The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Yehuda Kurtzer (host of Identity/Crisis), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Gila Pfeffer (author of Nearly Departed.) Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod or Facebook at The Five Books Podcast For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org Find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    58 m
  • Georgia Hunter on Discovering her Family’s Jewish History and Kindness as Resistance

    Georgia Hunter on Discovering her Family’s Jewish History and Kindness as Resistance
    Apr 1 2025
    When Georgia Hunter was fifteen years old, she discovered that she came from a family of Holocaust survivors. Years later, she embarked on a journey of intensive research, determined to unearth and record her family’s remarkable story. The result is the New York Times best seller, We Were the Lucky Ones, which has been published in over 20 languages and adapted for television by Hulu as a highly acclaimed limited series. One Good Thing is Georgia’s second novel. In our conversation, Georgia will talk about the hold that multi-generational Holocaust stories have on her, about kindness as resistance, and her realization after publishing her family’s story that she could write another book. Georgia Hunter's Five Books: 1. Maus by Art Spiegelman 2. Send for Me by Lauren Fox 3. James by Percival Everett 4. The Lost Baker of Vienna (galley) by Sharon Kurtzman 5. One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org Find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    55 m
  • Rob Kutner on Writing for The Daily Show, Conan, and How Comedy and Judaism Overlap

    Rob Kutner on Writing for The Daily Show, Conan, and How Comedy and Judaism Overlap
    Mar 25 2025
    Rob Kutner’s new irreverent book on Jewish history, The Jews: 5000 Years and Counting covers every major moment in Jewish history from Adam and Eve to Tuesday’s rerun of Seinfeld. This book will make you laugh, it might inadvertently make you learn, and it might just be a balm for our times that you didn’t know you needed (Simon & Schuster). Rob Kutner is an Emmy, Peabody, Grammy, and TCA-winning writer for late-night TV including The Daily Show and TBS’ Conan. He is also the author of the humor books including Apocalypse How (Running Press, 2008) and the kids’ comedy-horror graphic novel Snot Goblins and Other Tasteless Tales (First Second, 2023). He has also written material for the Oscars, Emmys, and two White House Correspondents Dinners, and was named a “SuperJew” by Time Out New York. In our conversation, Rob will tell us about how going to a Christian school reinforced his own Judaism, how he made sure that the diversity of stories were included in his Jewish history, and his story about ordering a lulav and etrog to the Daily Show office. Rob Kutner’s Five Books: 1. The Big Book of Jewish Humor by Moshe Waldoks and William Novak 2. As a Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg 3. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo 4. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake 5. The Jews by Rob Kutner Find us on Instagram @fivebookspod For feedback or author recommendations please email us at team@fivebookspod.org Find us online at www.fivebookspod.org The Five Books has the advisory and promotional support of the Jewish Book Council. Jewish Book Council is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Jewish literature and supporting authors and readers. Stay up to date on the latest in Jewish literature! https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events/celebrate The Five Books is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen Produced by Odelia Rubin Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring Artwork by Dena Friedman Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.
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    43 m
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