FAVORITE JEWISH BOOKS OF 2023
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OUR  FAVORITE JEWISH BOOKS OF 2023 |
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"My Last Innocent Year,"
Daisy Alpert Florin: I’m a sucker for any campus novel, so when you throw in some
Jewish characters and a nuanced look at messy questions of consent and power
dynamics, I’m pretty much sold from the get-go. I listened to Florin’s debut
novel on audio and found myself staying up way past my bedtime (9 p.m.) to
percolate in this ‘90s-era, propulsive drama. — Molly Tolsky, Kveller editor "Emmett," LC Rosen: This YA book is actually the
best thing I read this year. Imagine if “Clueless” was both overtly Jewish
and queer, but equally as delightful, and you get “Emmett.” As a longtime fan
of both authentic Jewish representation and Jane Austen retellings (yes, both
“Clueless” and “Emmett” are based on “Emma”), this book was a much needed
dose of pure comfort — I inhaled it in one night. — Lior Zaltzman, Kveller
deputy managing editor "All Night Pharmacy,"
Ruth Madievsky: The author of this book is a poet, and you can tell by the way
she turns benign observations about everyday life into beautiful reflections.
This is a story about addiction, about family, about trying to claw your way
out of Jewish generational trauma. — Daci Platt, Kveller audience engagement
editor
"The Woman Beyond the
Sea," Sarit Yishai-Levi: Do you love “Beauty Queen of Jerusalem?” Well, dare I say that
this book, by the same author behind the Netflix hit, tells an even better,
more engrossing tale? If you need an epic family tale to escape into, read
this. — Lior "You, Again," Kate
Goldbeck: I’ve heard this rom-com described as a gender swapped “When Harry
Met Sally” and “Emily Henry for bad people.” Both of those feel right. This
is an enemies to friends to lovers book that doesn’t take itself too
seriously (and features a Jewish deli). — Daci "Death Valley," Melissa
Broder: By far the strangest book I read all year, this trippy exploration of
grief (and the anxiety that precludes grief) weaves some lovely thoughts on
Jewish mourning and culture into a plot that includes the narrator climbing
inside a cactus that may or may not exist. — Molly “Misfit” by Gary Gulman: For Gary Gulman, comedy is tikkun olam, and this book, which takes us
through his troubled Jewish childhood, will make fellow Jewish outsiders feel
seen. — Lior "The Possibilities," Yael
Goldstein-Love: When I first read the description of this multiverse thriller — about a
new Jewish mother who, after a traumatic birth, battles the constant anxiety
of losing her son, only to discover him missing from his crib one day — I
thought to myself: no thank
you. As a new mother myself, I didn’t think I could handle
something so close to home, but after reading Kveller’s interview with the author, and hearing her thoughts on
reframing Jewish mothers’ neuroses as our superpower, I was sold. The book
does not disappoint, offering a beautiful and unique portrayal of a mother’s
love and the dimensions we’ll traverse for our kids. — Molly “Marry Me By Midnight,” Felicia
Grossman: Since the pandemic, I’ve gotten really into regency romance. I
have to say, Grossman’s latest book holds up to many of the greats of the
genre — yes, even “Bridgerton” — but is also full of incredible Jewish
details that will transport you into Jewish London in regency times. — Lior "Hope," Andrew Ridker: A gossipy story about a Jewish
family in the suburbs of Boston, told by each of its four family members as
their predictable life unravels after the dad gets caught doing something
shady. This fell into one of my favorite genres — rich people problems,
although these characters aren't quite as
wealthy as those in, say, Pineapple
Street — but the details of the Jewish family added a layer of
interest for me. — Daci “Being Henry,” Henry Winkler: If you’d have told me a year ago
that I’d spend my quiet evenings with my husband after we put our kids to bed
listening to Henry Winkler talk about his sex life, I’d probably say, yeah,
that sounds about right. Truly, Henry Winkler’s new incredibly open and funny
autobiography needs to be consumed in audiobook form, if only for a surprise
appearance from Henry’s own wife, Stacey Weitzmann. — Lior "Once More With Feeling," Elissa Sussman: Imagine if
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake broke up after their cheating
scandal, went on to live relatively quiet lives for a few decades and
then Britney (who, in this hypothetical, is Jewish and neurotic and
sarcastic) fulfilled a dream to perform on Broadway — with Justin as the
play's director. Elissa Sussman writes the most fun celebrity-inspired
romances, and this is no exception — but I do have to give a bonus
recommendation for my favorite of her books, a YA novel about teens at a summer
animation internship. — Daci |
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