Sophie Brody Award

And another nice piece of news… In the Mouth has just been selected as a finalist for the Sophy Brodie Medal, awarded by the American Library Association to an author whose work represents “the most distinguished contribution to Jewish literature for...

Edward Lewis Wallant Award, 2008

I’m very happy to announce that IN THE MOUTH has just been selected to receive the 2008 Edward Lewis Wallant Award for a significant contribution to Jewish literature. I’m especially proud to join a list of winners that includes some of the writers I most...

Pollack’s Hotel, Dining Room, early 1960s

Here’s a photo of the dining room at my family’s hotel, sent to me by Jeff Brown, who used to work as a waiter at Pollack’s (he now sells real estate in southern Florida). You can just hear Elvis on the record player that Jeff and his brother played...

THE GREAT SHTUP: BARRY, SARAH, MICHELE AND ME

Dear Barry, I know, your name is Barack. It’s just a bad habit. I love the name Barack! And I didn’t need Sarah S. to remind me that it means lightning in Hebrew. (That slut. She thought she was so hilarious with that “funny” proposition she...

St. Obama, Come Down My Chimney

When John Kerry lost in 2004, people left up their signs to signal that they were angry. They hadn’t voted for Bush and Cheney. They wouldn’t be responsible for whatever disaster happened next. This time, people kept Obama their signs on their lawns as a...