Thanksgiving Survival Guide

What to listen to, watch, and read to get through it!

Hi everyone! With Thanksgiving coming this week, you might have some free time or travel time to listen, watch, or read more, so here’s all you’ll need. If you can consume all of this in the next week, I’ll give you a prize. ;-) I’m also working on my gift guide, which I’ll try to send out by Wednesday.

If this week is already feeling oppressive due to grief, complicated relationships, logistics, parenting challenges, or whatever else, let my recommendations serve as an escape, a connection, and an inspiration to get through anything. You’re not alone. You can - and will - do it.

TO WATCH

I spent last weekend at the Miami Book Fair moderating three panels each with three authors. Yes, I was frantically reading for about 36 hours to make sure I knew every last thing about all of them. I learned so much from the conversations at the fair and the panels I attended — and so can you.

For example, Ariel Sullivan, author of Conform which is the first book of Jenna Bush Hager’s publishing company Thousand Voices said that when she’s worried about not being able to write something original, she reminds herself of the quote that every story has already been told. She said she tells herself, “I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I just have to make sure my wheels roll.” Loved that. I recorded my panels (okay, fine, my husband Kyle recorded them).

TO READ

If somehow you’ve missed reading the utterly devastating essay in the New Yorker by Tatiana Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, about her terminal cancer diagnosis you must. Tatiana was one of my campers when I worked at a day camp at age 18. I’ve been following her from afar ever since. This will take the wind of you. Read here.

TO PONDER

The National Book Awards celebration happened last week. As you may know, I withdrew my sponsorship of the prestigious National Book Foundation event two years ago just weeks after the attacks of October 7th. Doing so became international news (although, twisted by the media) and, in fact, set me off on a course to speak out about Jewish issues and has changed my life and sense of purpose.

Why Zibby Media Pulled Out of the National Book Awards

This year, almost every acceptance speech this year talked about “the genocide in Israel” according to a friend who watched online (I didn’t), not to mention the book that was awarded the main prize: One Day, Everyone Will Have Been Against This. Maya Angelou said it best: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

TO PLAN AND READ

Exciting news! My pop-up bookshop in NYC inside the Minnie Rose boutique on 73rd and Lex is now permanent! Thanks to Time Out for running a lovely article about it (and me!). We have frequent author events and a small, mighty selection of books I’ve handpicked. If you’re in NYC or visiting, please come by and attend at event! Here’s the complete listing. Read the books!

Read here.

Note: Julie Doar’s is TOMORROW (November 25th) at noon! She’s our December Zibby Publishing author whose debut novel The Gallagher Place has already been selected as the Library Reads top pick of the month, meaning all the librarians across the country picked it as their favorite upcoming book!! Come meet Julie! Register here.

Click here to register for any.

TO READ

Speaking of our books, Lihi Lapid’s novel I Wanted To Be Wonderful hit the USA Today bestseller list for two weeks straight. And my anthology, On Being Jewish Now, hit for the 25th week! If you haven’t read Lihi’s intimate, powerful, slim novel and have any interest in the concepts of motherhood and marriage, you absolutely must.

TO WATCH

And speaking of things you must do, my brother Teddy has another movie out now on Netflix with his company Black Bear which is getting rave reviews called “Train Dreams” starring William H. Macy and Joel Edgerton. I got to see an early version of it and am obsessed! If you’re looking for a movie to watch over Thanksgiving, make it “Train Dreams.”

TO LISTEN

Calling it now. The next (Jewish) Taylor Swift is Ada Pasternak. She played at the Lihi Lapid launch event at Zibby’s Bookshop x Minnie Rose and I was astounded by her talent. Listen to her music on Apple Music here. Start with “When You Know You Know” which she played for us and “Please Stay” which might be just what you need to hear. “I promise, it gets better. You won’t always feel this way. We’ll get through this together, there will come a brighter day. So please stay.”

TO LISTEN AND READ

Speaking of books (aren’t I always?!), have you listened to my recent podcasts on Totally Booked?

Last week:

This week:

Monday: Eli Frankel, Sisters in Death (out now!); Tuesday: Joe McGinnis, Damaged People; Wednesday: Brisa Carleton, Last Call at the Savoy; Thursday: Kelly Cervantes, The Luckiest; Friday: Penn and Kim Holderness, All You Can Be With ADHD

I was also on the podcast Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education. Listen here.

TO WATCH

Airing this week: I’ll be the featured guest on the hit show “And They’re Jewish” with Hen Mazzig. It comes out this Wednesday.

Did you catch my TV episode of “Totally Booked” with Michael Eisner on JBS Thursday night?! You can watch it here. Reminder that I have new episodes airing Thursdays at 7:30 pm!

TO READ AND BUY (OR GIFT)

Oh, did you join my new subscription book club? Now you can get my monthly pick delivered right to your door thanks to the Allstora platform! My December pick is Susan Orlean’s Joyride which was just featured in the New York Times Book Review yesterday. Sign up here. The first month is only $1!!

Have a great Thanksgiving if you don’t open my next email (haha!). I’m so grateful for YOU. If you love my content, upgrade to a paid subscription or gift one to a friend. You’ll get my next collection of essays as a gift published only for you! And you’ll support the work we’re doing at Zibby Media to uplift, connect, and inspire.

Warmly,

Zibby