Velveteen Rabbi: 70 Faces reviews

Three scenes from the day of my smicha

A kaddish for Debbie

70 Faces reviews

January 13, 2011

Thank you all so much for the kind words and good wishes on my ordination and in response to the publication of 70 Faces! My cup truly runneth over.

I wanted to give a shout-out and special thanks to those who have written or posted about 70 Faces so far:

Daily Faith and Poetry in The Berkshire Eagle: "[The poems in 70 Faces] take time to think about daily things -- a bottle of milk, talismans on a desk -- and ongoing things -- the names of animals, the urge to make -- and lifelong things -- a baby born in danger, a difficult reunion at a funeral. // They chronicle the round of the year and the quiet, continual effort to walk forward, to think about work and family and the light on the ridge lines."
70 Faces at Tasting Rhubarb: "Here are characters and landscapes of old, familiar stories from the books of Moses retold, repainted in startlingly vivid thoughts and images - the flood wreaked by a God with post-partum depression, the investigation and conjuring of the often absent woman's perspective, the rueful wondering how these stories might have been less harsh and vengeful, how their harshness might serve now as a lesson in compassion. // And so the old stories come right into the texture of our own lives."
Read this book at Awkward Offerings: "Reb Rachel engages head-on with a question that nags — what is the downside to this whole taking over Canaan business? There is nothing heavy-handed or polemical here. She could be talking about the ancient Israelites, the modern Israelites, or any of us caught in the situation of getting the better of someone else. In my humble, really good poetry tackles big questions in such a way as to leave the reader with more questions, shaking our collective heads heads in wonder. The good stuff – and here I'm quoting another poem from the book - builds a structure to house what you long for."

Thanks to Kate Abbott, Jean Morris, and Sue Swartz for these generous and thoughtful reviews. (If any of y'all out there who've bought the book feel inclined to review it, please do, and drop me a line to let me know you've done so! I appreciate it so much.) Support independent publishing and order a copy of the book here!

On an only semi-related note (hey, it relates to me and to poetry), thanks to The Forward for publishing my poem Birch Magazine in honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday of Tu BiShvat.

Posted at 11:10 AM in 70 faces, poetry | Permalink | Comments (2)

Comments

Thank you all so much for the kind words and good wishes on my ordination and in response to the publication of 70 Faces! My cup truly runneth over.

I wanted to give a shout-out and special thanks to those who have written or posted about 70 Faces so far:

Daily Faith and Poetry in The Berkshire Eagle: "[The poems in 70 Faces] take time to think about daily things -- a bottle of milk, talismans on a desk -- and ongoing things -- the names of animals, the urge to make -- and lifelong things -- a baby born in danger, a difficult reunion at a funeral. // They chronicle the round of the year and the quiet, continual effort to walk forward, to think about work and family and the light on the ridge lines."
70 Faces at Tasting Rhubarb: "Here are characters and landscapes of old, familiar stories from the books of Moses retold, repainted in startlingly vivid thoughts and images - the flood wreaked by a God with post-partum depression, the investigation and conjuring of the often absent woman's perspective, the rueful wondering how these stories might have been less harsh and vengeful, how their harshness might serve now as a lesson in compassion. // And so the old stories come right into the texture of our own lives."
Read this book at Awkward Offerings: "Reb Rachel engages head-on with a question that nags — what is the downside to this whole taking over Canaan business? There is nothing heavy-handed or polemical here. She could be talking about the ancient Israelites, the modern Israelites, or any of us caught in the situation of getting the better of someone else. In my humble, really good poetry tackles big questions in such a way as to leave the reader with more questions, shaking our collective heads heads in wonder. The good stuff – and here I'm quoting another poem from the book - builds a structure to house what you long for."

On an only semi-related note (hey, it relates to me and to poetry), thanks to The Forward for publishing my poem Birch Magazine in honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday of Tu BiShvat.