I’m currently recovering from the wonderful Sami Rohr Prize ceremony here in Jerusalem, an event that included Syrian food and a killer electric oud. And, of course, a literary crowd packed into the ballroom at the King David Hotel. You can read a bit more about it here, at the Times of Israel, and my speech is here. And I’ll …
To the Best of Our Knowledge
The mystery of the Aleppo Codex is featured on this week’s episode of the great US public radio show To the Best of Our Knowledge. The episode is devoted to the idea of the “magic book,” and is well worth a listen in its entirety: For the whole episode, click here. For the segment on the Aleppo Codex, click here. …
2014 Sami Rohr Prize
Some incredible news this evening (Nov. 7) from the Jewish Book Council: I have been awarded the 2014 Sami Rohr Prize for The Aleppo Codex. The Rohr Prize is the biggest Jewish literary award and one of the biggest in general. The previous winners are a distinguished group, it is a tremendous honor, and I am grateful to the judges, …
Q&A with the Jewish Book Council
The lovely folks at the Jewish Book Council are doing a Q&A with each of this year’s five Sami Rohr Prize finalists about writing nonfiction, inspiration, good reads, and other book-related things. A link to my Q&A is right here.
Religion Newswriters Association book award
The RNA — that would be the Religion Newswriters Association, not the Romantic Novelists’ Association, which I’m sure is also a wonderful organization — recently announced their annual awards, including one for the year’s best religion books. The Aleppo Codex picked up second place. It’s a pleasure to be recognized by pros, and I’m grateful to the judges for choosing my book. …
2014 Sami Rohr Prize finalists announced
The five finalists for the 2014 Sami Rohr Prize have been announced, and I was thrilled to hear that The Aleppo Codex is one of them. The Rohr Prize is the biggest in the world of Jewish literature, and one of the biggest in general. This year’s other finalists are Jews and Booze: Becoming American in the Age of Prohibition, by Marni …
New York Times review: ‘The Riddle of the Labyrinth’
My review in the New York Times of Margalit Fox’s excellent new book on the decipherment of an ancient language uncovered on Crete — right here.
New York: Park Avenue Synagogue, June 25
I’ll be speaking at the wonderful Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan on June 25, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., so come on over if you’re in or around the city that evening. Tickets are free, but you do have to register — right here.
2013 Canadian Jewish Book Award
I was thrilled be informed that The Aleppo Codex has been awarded the 2013 Canadian Jewish Book Award in the history category. The awards were announced in Toronto yesterday, May 2. Thanks to the judges and the folks behind the award; it’s lovely to have my work honored in my hometown. More on the award and the other winners here. …
Coming soon: The Aleppo Codex in paperback
The paperback edition of The Aleppo Codex is due out from Algonquin Books on May 14. It has a new cover, with a lovely image looking out over Aleppo’s Old City toward the Citadel, and even a (slightly) different title: