Weekly Highlights for Book Lovers
March Madness
Hi everyone! I’m about to walk out the door for a whirlwind week of events in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Louisville, KY, and New Orleans, LA. Praying for on-time flights, easy connections, and fantastic conversations. I’m still swollen from yesterday’s flight, my rings indented into my skin. But no worries! Off I go because I want to see all of you across the country, have new experiences, and say yes while I can. Seize the day, right? Will be seizing my favorite Tumi suitcase, packing my backpack with books, and taking the show on the road! Follow along on Instagram.
Zibby’s Book Club
450 of you signed up for last week’s book club with Belle Burden! Loved seeing so many of you on the Zoom! My March Zibby’s Book Club pick is Allegra Goodman’s This is Not About Us. March 11th at 7 pm ET. Sign up here. (Note: Graca Tito will be manning the Q&A!)
Other Events This Week!
PALM BEACH, FL. Tuesday, March 10th from 10:30 am - 12 pm ET. Distinguished Author Series: “Resilience, Reinvented” with Annabelle Gurwitch, The End of My Life is Killing Me. The Mandel JCC in Palm Beach. Info here.
LOUISVILLE, KY. Wednesday, March 11th. 6 pm - 8 pm. Jewish Joy Annual Women’s Philanthropy Event at the Jewish Federation of Louisville, KY. Speaker at the cocktail reception. The Ice House, 226 E. Washington Street. Register here.
NEW ORLEANS, LA. Thursday, March 12th, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. New Orleans JCC - Uptown event with Meryl Poster. Register here.
NEW ORLEANS, LA. Friday, March 13th, 10 am - 10:45 am. The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University. “Don’t Miss the Plot: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Life Through Fiction” with John Kenney and Wally Lamb, moderated by me. Info here.
And Next Week…
NEW YORK. Monday, March 16th at 2:45 pm. ADL Heroes Against Hate Conference. “Parenting Through Antisemitism: Helping Children Face Hate with Strength and Empathy.” Moderating a conversation with Yonit Levi and Bianna Goldryga, Don’t Feed the Lion. Info here. Register here.
NEW YORK. Tuesday, March 17th at 9:00 am. ADL Heroes Against Hate Conference. Main Stage with other “Heroes” plus breakfast. Info here. Register here.
VIRTUAL. Tuesday, March 17th at 8 pm ET. The Braid Kick-off for members of the play “On Being Jewish Now.” More info here.
NEW YORK. Wednesday, March 18th: Israel Matters event with UJA New York. I’ll be moderating a conversation with Rabbi Raphael Shore, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Jew, and producer of the documentary, Tragic Awakening: A New Look at the Oldest Hatred, and Jonathan Tobin, Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish New Syndicate (JNS). 5:30 pm: Cocktails. 6:00 pm: Panel conversation. 7:00 pm: Film screening. Tickets here.
Totally Booked with Zibby
Monday: Former Actress now Author Deborah Goodrich Royce on That Best Boy
You might know Deborah Goodrich Royce for the amazing summer author series she hosts at the hotel she co-owns with her husband the Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I. (If you haven’t been, you must.) Or maybe it’s for her previous novels, Finding Mrs. Ford, Ruby Falls, or Reef Road. Perhaps it’s for her soap opera days, or from co-chairing the New York Public Library’s annual spring luncheon, or maybe just from listening to her on my podcast the last few years. We discussed her new book Best Boy, the authors-supporting-authors life and more.
Tuesday: My Kids’ Teacher Writes Another Novel
Aren’t teachers the best? When I found out that Ani Katz (“Miss Katz”), my kids’ former teacher, wrote another novel, Haven, I had to invite her on the podcast and to our Totally Booked: Live show. Hear from her about the teaching life, the pitfalls of writing fiction, and so much more.
Wednesday: Shocking News about Judy Blume
In Mark Oppenheimer’s new biography about Judy Blume, he reveals a number of surprising things, so much that I kept leaning over to my kids as I read going, “Did you know…” What the former “Unorthodox” podcast host really did was paint a portrait of one of the consummate literary leading ladies of our time. A must devour.
Thursday: Midlife Reinvention Mixed with ‘90s Princeton University - and Running
If you’re in the mood to commiserate with a couple of close friends about the indignities of aging, love in midlife, life at Princeton in the 90s, how to get in shape for running, and more, this is the book for you. Hear from the leading Black and Jewish co-author team Alli Frank and Asha Youmans who call themselves “the Will and Grace of race” in Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman.
Friday: A European Road Trip with Two Bad Ass Women
We published this “Thelma and Louise” meets “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” tale about a midlife recently catfished and humiliated woman and the young journalist determined to get revenge on her behalf. Travel all over Europe with them as they track down the con man who did this. Alexandra Potter is a massive bestselling author in the U.K. whose last novel was adapted into the TV show, “Not Dead Yet” on ABC. Check out So, I Met This Guy.
On Being Jewish Now
Our play, “On Being Jewish Now,” adapted and produced by The Braid, is opening this month in L.A. and next month in Northern California, plus on ZOOM! Come see it! Tickets here.
Item(s) of the Week
My kids are obsessed with Jellycats. Here are their recent favorites, also great for Easter! The carrot and oat fluffet bunny are adorable!
Watch: The “Totally Booked” TV Show on JBS
Did you miss all these episodes of my TV show? You can catch up! Click below. New episodes every Thursday at 7:30 pm ET on the JBS network.
Have a great week, everyone.
About Our Membership
You’re all part of my community! But if you want to go deeper, please do! Z.I.P. stands for Zibby’s Important People. It’s the membership community for readers who want exclusive podcasts and events, private content, book discounts, member pricing, and more. It’s also for anyone who wants to support what I’m doing — uplifting authors, connecting readers, and speaking up. This weekly newsletter will always be free for all subscribers. (I do include some affiliate links.)
At this point in our lives as women-
“Now I become myself. It’s taken time, many years and places.”
May Sarton
We will miss you this year at the Tucson Festival of Books! Safe travels!