About: Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik is a fictional comedic book. The story spans the globe and includes tyrants, professors and even… conservatives. 370 pages Publisher: Travelers’ Tales/Solas House Language: English ISBN-10: 1609520696 My rating for Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls – 3 Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format More Books by Gary Buslik Thoughts: I really don’t know what to think about Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik. Some parts I found really funny, others not so much, yet at times it seemed as if Larry David was in my face trying too hard to make me laugh. This is a wacky novel, as you can tell from the wonderful title; the good news is that it’s wacky on purpose. The plot is over the top and the dialog is mostly funny, some of the jokes were not akin to my humor, but many others were. I like the sarcastic sense of humor, absurd humor sometimes passes me by. While the characterization is good, there is not one nice, sympathetic or relatable person in the whole book. That’s what the author wanted to do, I believe, and that’s what we got but…

Article first published as Book Review: Man At a Machine by Stef Wertheimer on Blogcritics. About: Man At a Machine by Stef Wertheimer is an autobiography of the Israeli industrialist. My father has always admired Mr. Wertheimer, unfortunately he did not live long enough to read this book which I’m sure he would have loved. 383 pages Publisher: yediot sfarim (2011) Language: Hebrew ASIN: B00641DQDM My rating for Man at a Machine – 5 Buy this book in paper format. Thoughts: Man At a Machine by Stef Wertheimer is more than just a biography, it is an important document of what can be achieved with dedication and creativity. Mr. Wertheimer came to Israel as a boy after his family escaped Germany during the 1930’s and has became a successful entrepreneur and statesman. The self-made man, who built his first business with his own two hands believing in himself and his foresight, is not only one of the captains of Israeli industry but also a posses a unique ideology. Mr. Wertheimer’s views were shaped and solidified by his parents, who accurately forecasted Europe’s turmoil and managed to get out in 1936, when Stef was 10 years old. To this day, in his…

Flags Over the Warsaw Ghetto: The Untold Story of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by Moshe Arens, former Ambassador to the U.S., Israeli Defense Minister and Foreign Minister, tells the story of the uprising in Warsaw Ghetto which the history books have missed. Interestingly enough, the uprising started on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, a holiday known as celebrating liberation.

While the publishing industry has been going through a confusing sea change, and ways for a writer to get published are multiplying like weeds, some things never change. The first step toward selling and marketing a book is probably trying to find a good literary agent. If you have faith in your book, that is still the smartest thing to do. Not only does a reputable agent have the know-how and the contacts to make a good deal, but having someone in your corner when everything around you is in flux is beyond priceless. Not everyone comes to publishing as a seasoned national celebrity. The buzzword bandied about in publishing circles is “platform,” although once upon a time, building up an author’s visibility was a job undertaken by the publisher of a book. Now it is up to authors to find ways to enhance and promote their work. Now, the internet reaches out into the cosmos, providing both a challenge and an opportunity. Many writers today are more savvy than their publishers as to what to do, and how to do it. While I started out seriously technophobic, I acknowledged reality. Swept along by my desire to see my book…

Jean Naggar writes her childhood spent in Cairo and England as we all remember our childhood – a magical time in an enchanted world. Surrounded by a large, protective family members of the Cairo elites

Welcome to a new feature of my blog where I’d list books from a certain category which you can download for free. I call this feature Tightwad Tuesday because I’m a tightwad…and it’s Tuesday. For the Kindle: The Remnant – Stories of the Jewish Resistance in WWII (Boomer Book Series) by Othniel J. Seiden After researching the transcripts of the Nuremburg Trials and interviewing ‘The Remnant’ or Jewish survivors of the holocaust, many still living in Israel; Othniel Seiden was compelled to write their startling and remarkable stories of World War II. In this stunning and compelling historical novel about the Jews who were able to remain free and fight, Seiden documents their survival, their suffering, their missions and their guerrilla warfare tactics against the Nazi occupation forces. Also, well documented, the tragedy of Kiev and now infamous ravine of Babi Yar where it is thought that nearly a million people, Jews and non-Jews alike were massacred. These brave few escaped the certain death of their co-religionists by acts of bravery and sheer determination to live. The myth that the Jewish people ‘went to their deaths like sheep to slaughter. . .’ is put to rest forever in the stories of…

Like every other bookish person, I like bookends as well, especially ones that goes nicely with the books they hold in between even though, most likely, I’ll be the only person to ever notice. I was looking for bookends, not to buy but just to imagine when I noticed how many bookends of people there are. To be honest – they look good but I like the “Reading Sophisticates” one especially. Here are some of my favorites – which one is yours? Sterling Home Child Games Bookend Trio, 7-1/4-Inch Tall by Sterling Homedj 7-1/4-Inch tall bookend trio features young children playing hide-and-seek Makes a great gift for a teacher, parent, child care provider, or grandparent Crafted from durable composite material for long lasting beauty Antiqued finish Bookends can decorate a table or shelf or even use to hold up books Bey Berk Lady Justice Bookend by BEY BERK Dimensions: 4 inches x 3.75 inches x 8.5 inches (per side) and 9.5 pounds Blind justice guards the innocent daily in the court, now let her protect you books Cast in solid bronze and set upon solid marble Sterling Home Pair of Children Swinging Not Too High Bookends by Sterling Home Pair of not too…

Article first published as Book Review: Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen by India Edghill on Blogcritics. About: Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen by India Edghill is considered to be biblical fiction. I have studied the bible (both Jewish and Christian) and do enjoy biblical fiction very much. 384 pages Publisher: Picador; First Edition edition (November 2002) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312289197 My rating for Queenmaker – 3 Buy this book in paper for­mat through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account More books by India Edghill Thoughts: I enjoyed India Edghill’s (website) Delilah: A Novel (book review) very much so I figured I’ll pick up her novel Queenmaker as a follow-up. Queenmaker is a biblical fiction first person narrative of Michal, King David’s first wife (out of several) and the one to hold the title of Queen. The book follows the biblical books of Samuel and II Samuel from Michal’s perspective; from her humble beginning as a daughter of Saul, a humble farmer, through his ascension to king, wars and madness. After marrying her father’s harper / war hero David she helps him escapes her father and for her help gets sold to another man until David’s army goes back to reclaim /…

On 17 December, 1862 Major-General Ulysses S. Grant issued his infamous General Order No. 11 expelling all Jews from his military district

Article first published as Book Review: No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel on Blogcritics. About: No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel is a fictional book taking place during World War II. The book follows a small group of Jewish villagers who lives in a town on a river bank. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one advanced readers copy (ARC) of this book— enter at the end of the post. 336 pages Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover ISBN: 1594487944 My rating for No one is Here Except All of Us – 4 Great price on this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account Check out this & more World War II books on Man of la BookStore Thoughts: No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel (website) is a very lyrical and poetic book. The story flows, is unique and fascinating. Most of the time I read the book I felt as if I, or the protagonist, were dreaming, however, upon reading the author’s note it turned out that many of the events are based on what Ms.Ausubel’s great grandmother experienced during World War II. The premise of the book is interesting, something I haven’t read yet….