Israeli hostage to discuss memoir in walk-up to MJCCA book festival
Reflecting the current state of the world, the 34th annual Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta spotlights some sobering topics this year. Its slate of high-profile authors will address the rise of antisemitism, the Israel-Hamas war, and attempts to bridge cultural and political divides among other subjects during the festival’s run Oct. 22-Nov. 16.
But first, leading up to the main event will be Prologue to the Book Festival, an appearance by Eli Sharabi, an Israeli man held captive for 491 days by Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. He will discuss his memoir “Hostage” (Harper Collins, $30) that details his captivity and the faith that sustained him. He appears Oct. 11.
Previously published in Hebrew, the English language version of “Hostage” comes out on the second anniversary of the attack that killed more than 1,000 people, including Sharabi’s wife and two daughters, and initiated the war in Gaza.
On Nov. 5, former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz discusses her new book, “As a Jew” (HarperOne, $32), tracking her journey from lapsed Jew to one who embraces her heritage at a time when antisemitism is on the rise. In a similar vein, on Nov. 2, Sen. Chuck Schumer discusses “Antisemitism in America: A Warning” (Grand Central Publishing, $28), an account of his growing understanding of an identity he once took lightly and an exploration of the rise in antisemitism.
Former Ohio governor John Kasich talks about “Heaven Help Us” (Zondervan, $29.99), his collection of stories about how various faith communities enrich their neighborhoods with good works, on Nov. 1. Among those he highlights are a student counselor who provides immigration services through her church and an Islamic cultural center leader who hosts an interfaith conference to foster relations with the Jewish community.
The festival also offers plenty of lighter fare. Atlanta’s own Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef and cookbook author Alton Brown will entertain with stories from “Food for Thought” (Gallery Books, $28.99), his essay collection about food, culture and life behind the scenes of his cooking show, Nov. 10.
Other culinary events include an appearance by James Beard Award winner Dorie Greenspan, who will talk about her book “Dorie’s Anytime Cakes” (Harvest, $35), as guests sample some of her creations Nov. 7.
While the festival skews toward nonfiction, fiction is well represented with one of the biggest names in the thriller genre, John Grisham. He kicks off the festival Oct. 22 with his first mystery novel, “The Widow” (Doubleday, $32), about a small-time lawyer who is on top of the world when he lands a big client with a secret inheritance. But when he winds up on trial for a murder he didn’t commit, he’s forced to figure out who did it to save himself from conviction.
Other participating novelists include Laura Dickerman, the Atlanta author of “Hot Desk” (Simon & Schuster, $29), a cutthroat, dual-timeline rom-com about ambition and rivalry in the Manhattan publishing industry. Dickerman will be joined by Catherine Mathis, author of “Ines: Queen of Portugal” (Histria Romance, $19.99) and Brian Schaefer, author of “Town & Country” (Simon & Schuster, $28) for the Debut Fiction Panel Nov. 4.
Additional highlights include:
• Molly Jong-Fast, daughter of the trailblazing feminist author Erica Jong (“Fear of Flying”). She discusses her memoir “How to Lose Your Mother” (Viking, $28) Nov. 6.
• Georgia Hunter, bestselling author of “We Were the Lucky Ones,” which was made into a miniseries on Hulu. Her new book, “One Good Thing” (Pamela Dorman Books, $30), is a WWII-era story about survival and friendship. She appears Nov. 12.
• Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper, fourth-generation co-owners of the iconic New York City market Russ & Daughters. They discuss their cookbook “Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing” (Flatiron Books, $29.99) over a bagel brunch Nov. 14.
Tickets for Book Festival of the MJCCA go on sale Sept. 10. For details, go to atlantajcc.org.
Suzanne Van Atten is a book critic and contributing editor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She may be reached at Suzanne.VanAtten@ajc.com.
