If you’re heading to Fire Island or you just want a beach read, On Fire Island by Jane Rosen is the prefect choice. I had the opportunity to meet authors Jane Rosen and Zibby Owens, author of Blank, at the recent Bagel and Book event at the JCC in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
What’s unique about On Fire Island is that the narrator is dead. As the narrator observes her spouse, family and friends from the afterlife, Rosen weaves in a story of community, overcoming mourning and humor. Yes, there are losses and grief, but the hilarious scenes, and the poignant prose make it enjoyable, fast-paced and uplifting.
In the photo below, I’m with Jane Rosen (right) and Zibby Owens in the middle. Owens is the author of Blank, about writer who has writer’s block and the twists and turns in her hectic life. Amazon describes the book as“a hilarious debut novel about family, friendship, success, and exhilarating self-(re)discovery.” Owens is an author, book publisher, podcaster and so much more. At a later date, I will devout an entire blog to post to her.
At the event I ran into some attendees with Detroit roots. What a pleasure to speak with the mother-daughter duo of Linda Warner (left) and her daughter Amanda Warner. Amanda met Zibby virtually through her podcasts.
Both novels On Fire Island and Blank are worth reading.
I recently attended an event for Impact Palm Beaches. It’s group of dynamic, philanthropic women devoted to creating change through strategic grant making. The luncheon, held at the Kravis Center for Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, featured author Diane Bergner.
Eileen Berman, a Palm Beach philanthropist and former financial advisor for UBS, interviewed Bergner about her former role as the vice president of philanthropy at the Kravis Center, and they discussed her book the Royal Coconut Beach Lunch Club. Bergner shared her philanthropy acumen. She also highlighted her debut novel where the protagonist is a fund raiser for a performing arts center. Many in the audience wanted to know if her novel was based on real people. Bergner will leave it to the readers of the Royal Coconut Beach Lunch Club to decide. Bergner also confesses “Fiction is a work of art where the imagination can go wild.”
President Lisa LaFrance of Impact Palm Beaches addressed the group, which is based on Impact100 founded by Wendy Steele. Members donate $1,000 annually and for every 100 women, the group gives a $100,000 donation to a local nonprofit.
Diane Bergner (left) is interviewed by Eileen Berman.
Diane Bergner flanks Karen Ruben, author of Ruff Riders, and myself at the Impact Palm Beaches event.
I had the opportunity to interview Guy Stern several years ago for my column in the Detroit Jewish News. This remarkable man passed away recently at the age of 101, just before his 102nd birthday. He came to the United States to stay with an uncle and escape Nazi Germany, hoping his family would follow. Unfortunately, his family perished in the Holocaust.
Guy Stern was honored as the “Veteran of the Game,” at the University of Michigan in October, 2018. This photo appeared in the December 21, 2023 edition the Detroit Jewish News. Michigan photography
His fluency in German and his intellectual prowess enabled him to be part of an elite intelligence unit called the Ritchie Boys. He was trained as a prisoner of war interrogator. In my interview, he relayed a chilling story about interviewing a member of his athletic team as a youngster. He disguised his voice and then asked questions revealing names of friends and family. The prisoner was astonished and frightened. He received the Bronze star for his service.
Since I was a language major from Wayne State University, we spoke about language and authors. He was a distinguished professor at Wayne State University in German literature and culture and an expert in the influential German writer Goethe.
His obituaries in the Detroit Jewish News and the New York Times tell of his illustrious life, numerous awards, charitable work and appearance on 60 minutes. Please click here to read the fascinating obituary by Detroiter Alan Muskovitz in the Detroit Jewish News.
What if you could take the road not travelled? What if you could follow your dream? Meet Alisha Fernandez Miranda (right) who chronicled her journey in the memoir My What if Year. She became an intern at age 40. She pens an upbeat, fun, life-changing adventure. She literarily takes a break from motherhood and her job to become an intern on Broadway. She also worked in fitness, art and the hotel world. Her book is inspiring. I had the opportunity to meet the author at the recent Celebrating Sisterhood Luncheon in North Palm Beach, Florida.
When I returned home from the luncheon I turned on my Linkedin app to read about someone who also followed her dream. A Detroit cardiologist I know took a three-month sabbatical and trekked to 12,000 feet in the Himalayas.
Detroiters Robert Taubman and Julie Reyes Taubman created an architectural legacy. They sought to renew modernist architecture in East Hampton with the team of architects Diller Scofidio +Renfro, builder Ed Bulgin, landscape architect and designer Michael Lewis.
Architecture Critic Paul Goldberger weaves the story of this remarkable home in the book Blue Dream and the Legacy of Modernism in the Hamptons published by Delmonico Books. Goldberger describes the significance of this extraordinary home. “In the end, the house the Taubmans built is important in three distinct ways: as a significant event in the architectural history of East Hampton, as a notable chapter in the development of Diller Scofidio +Renfro’s work, and as a major statement in the long history of distinguished and architecturally ambitious modern houses.” As you can see below, the complex design is daring. The home faces the ocean with no defined staircase and evokes a futuristic abode.
Unfortunately, Julie Reyes Taubman passed away before living in her dream home. But her vision survives. The Taubman’s love of architecture was inspired by Robert Taubman’s father, A. Alfred Taubman.
On a personal note, as a former Detroit journalist, I interviewed the senior Taubman several times. I met Julie Reyes Taubman at a Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit MOCAD event many years ago. She was an integral part of the founding and organized the first major fundraiser.
Goldberger mentions the name blue dream was a homage to her friend the late author, Elmore Leonard, who liked the strain of marijuana “blue dream.” Leonard was also a Detroiter. See my post My date with Elmore, on this blog.
Perhaps one day, architecture aficionados will view Blue Dream like they visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water.
I visited Maine for the first time. It’s a flora and fauna fantasyland with the bluest waters and an abundance of seafood. But as a Motown aficionado, I can describe it as Northern Michigan on steroids. Remember, the Michigan motto, “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” The state motto for Maine is neither as inviting nor catchy. It’s “I lead.”
Mottos aside, the trip was lovely. The hikes are glorious. In the photo below, I’m with my granddaughter on a winding path leading to the ocean. I must confess. I did not complete the final part of the hike where it was rocky, but the family members who finished said it was an impressive view.
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens with the Caterpillar Lab is a perennial favorite. I learned, along with my grandchildren, that inchworms are caterpillars. Please see the photo below on how the inchworm camouflaged on the branch of a tree.
This botanical site boasts beautiful gardens along with some interesting sculptures of trolls. Thomas Dambo, a recycle art activist, created the trolls that are scattered throughout the gardens.
We stopped at many small towns near Portland including Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor. The shopping and the ice cream were superb. Note the many ice cream flavors and the boutique shop.
For me personally, I really liked ME. What about you? Do you have a favorite ME town?
What if you were able to know how long you will live by the length of a string in a box you receive at your doorstep? That’s the premise of the book The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I had the opportunity to hear and meet this debut author at The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach.
The book is mesmerizing on many levels. It’s a fast read that delves into thought-provoking questions. Would you open the box? What will you do with the knowledge? Would you share the length of your string or keep it a secret?
It’s no wonder the book is now translated into 22 languages and this year’s book selection for incoming freshmen at Duke University. It’s a Read with Jenna choice and a New York Times bestseller.
The Measure is an intriguing allegory with unforgettable characters. Here’s the opening quote by Mary Oliver. “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I’m with author Nikki Erlick (left) at The Society of the Four Arts.
Whether you have the summer off or are working furiously, summer is still the best time to cozy up to new book. I just finished Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s light, fun and yes, romantic. If you are a fan of Saturday Night Live, you will love it. I read it with a mystery guest, and I will reveal who it is at the end of this post.
So if you don’t know what to read, I’ve compiled a list of sites to consult for your next reading adventure.
There are many celebrities who offer book suggestions. Of course, there’s Oprah. Here’s the complete list of her 100 choices to date. Click here. In addition to her, I especially likeReese Witherspoon’s picks (Reese’s Book Club) and Jenna Bush Hager’s choices (Read with Jenna).
If you are on Facebook, there are lots of reading groups to join where you can find some interesting books by genre. My favorite Facebook groups are: Friends and Fiction, Renee’s Reading Club and The Girlfriend Book Club.
Then, there’s the media sites. NPR picks are here. The Wall Street Journal has a summer beach reading list. The New York Times offers several lists with different genres. These sites sometimes are blocked to non-subscribers.
Another free site I enjoy is The Good Book Fairy. To view of photo of the Good Book Fairy and me, click here.
I’m also enjoying the free podcast The Bookcase with Charlies Gibson and his daughter Kate. I love the banter between them and their author interviews are great. I read the Sea Wife and I will Find You after listening to their podcast. I enjoyed both books and have more recommendations from them.
Now, for the mystery guest who read Romantic Comedy with me. It’s my one-year-old dog named Juno.
David-Horodok history teacher Gennadiy Grigorievich Bosovets with his students at the sculpture in the town square.
A history teacher ignites the flame remembering the Jewish descendants of the small town of David-Horodok, Belarus.
Some educators leave a legacy to their students. History teacher Gennadiy Grigorievich Bosovets of David-Horodok in Belarus takes it one inspirational step further. He initiated the creation of a monument in remembrance of the Jewish descendants of David-Horodok in the town square.
Carla Schwartz Contributing Writer
Many of the descendants today, fondly known as David-Horodokers, live in Metro Detroit. The Detroit David-Horodok Organization has 600 families on the mailing list, while the Israeli David-Horodok Organization has 200. Both groups include members worldwide and include second- and third-generation Holocaust survivors. David-Horodok, Davyd-Haradok and David-Goradok are just some of the spellings of the town.
According to the website Shtetl Routes, the city was named after Prince David, grandson of Yaroslav the Wise and founded in 1100 with Jews settling in the 1500s. The Jewish community flourished in the 1800s, with three synagogues. Due to pogroms and antisemitism in Russia, many of the descendants left during the late 1800s and continued to leave until 1939.
From 1921 to 1939, David-Horodok was part of Poland, and afterwards the city became part of Russia. The Nazis entered the town in 1941 and shot 7,000 men, women and children in the forest. When the Soviets entered the town in 1944, no Jews were left in David-Horodok.
Today, there are no Jewish residents in the city.
But the memory of the Jewish presence is alive, thanks to historians and David-Horodokers. At the mass grave site, there is a monument established by the Israeli organization in 2009. Bosovets teaches his students about the area. When he noticed the path to the memorial was difficult for visitors to reach, he conceived the idea to construct another sculpture in the city center.
This project was funded by both the Detroit and Israeli organizations of descendants of David-Horodok.
The wood and granite sculpture, by local artisan Sergey Zhilevich, has a carving of a father and son on one side and a mother and daughter on the other.
The new sculpture not only marks the path to the mass grave site, but also relays the Jewish history in town. This major endeavor included securing funds, permits, design and installation.
The prominent sculpture of wood and granite was designed by local artisan Sergey Zhilevich with a carving of a father and son on one side and a mother and daughter on the other. There is an inscription in English, Hebrew and Russian: “In memory of the 500-year-old Jewish community of David-Horodok, brutally annihilated by the Germans 1941-1942.”
The monument was completed in 2020, but due to COVID, the dedication was postponed. Special ceremonies for International Holocaust Remembrance Day were held on Jan. 27, 2023, at the mass grave site and at the new sculpture in the town square. Candles were lit and flowers placed as Bosovets reiterated the plight of the Jews from David-Horodok to his students.
Amy Friedman Brody of West Bloomfield and Roz Blanck of Franklin, are co-presidents of the Detroit David-Horodok Organization and believe this sculpture of remembrance evokes hope and is making an indelible imprint.
According to Blanck, “The monuments created are extraordinary because future generations will learn about the history of the Jewish community in David-Horodok.”
Connecting David-Horodokers
The Facebook page of the Descendants of David-Horodok connects landsmen and friends worldwide.
When former Detroiter Cheri Eisenberg, currently living in Atlanta, visited David-Horodok in 2010 with more than 100 David-Horodokers, she was enthralled by the history. “The trip greatly impacted me, and in 2013, I was motivated to start a Facebook page to connect other landsmen.”
Many of her relatives perished in David-Horodok, while some of her Eisenberg family settled in Detroit. She explains that the page evolved fusing her interest in Yiddishkeit and her family roots.
There are 1,500 followers, mostly with roots in David-Horodok, but others from neighboring towns like Stolin, Rubel and Turov joined. The page connects people with cousins in Israel, Argentina, Chile and all over North America. Recently, a family in Switzerland connected with cousins in Israel.
As the administrator of the page, Eisenberg feels rewarded. “Opening the doors to family connections is without a doubt the most rewarding dividend of our Descendants of David-Horodok Facebook page.”
Carla Eisenberg Schwartz is a former columnist for the Detroit Jewish News and blogger at www.motownsavvy.com. Her father, Abe Eisenberg, was born in David-Horodok as well as her maternal grandmother, Ida Szusterman Mittler.
It’s a lunch club like no other. Author Diane Bergner describes her prosecco guzzling friends in this metaphor. Think Sex in the City meets the Devil Wears Prada sprinkled with Crazy Rich Asians. And please substitute Palm Beachers for Asians. I’m talking about the fictionalized ladies who lunch in her debut novel The Royal Coconut Beach Lunch Club.
Yes, they can be crazy, rich, scandalous and oh, so much more. The protagonist, Julia Wild, is an attorney who became a fundraiser for a Performing Arts Center in Royal Coconut Beach. By the way, the author is an attorney, and currently the vice president of development for the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. Hmm. . . Perhaps this lady writes what she knows.
Bergner’s descriptions of the powerful and wealthy sparkle alongside the Jimmy Choo stilettos. I’m not sure why she left out the Lily Pulitzer prints, but she managed to mention the Stubbs and Wootton shoes.
Oh, did I mention that everyone is having an affair? Well, not exactly everyone. The protagonist only dreams of one with an Argentinian billionaire who she meets clandestinely on the bridge. Remember, Royal Coconut Beach, like Palm Beach, is an island.
She confides in her lunch buddies about work, pleasure and daily living. Can raising dollars for nonprofits really be a back-stabbing, challenging business? Does Bergner blur the lines of reality in this roman a clef?
Read it for yourself, because I know you will enjoy it. The short, witty chapters fly by. And, by the way, pass the prosecco please.
Motown Savvy 