2nd grader Mike learns his way around the American Playground: a conversation with Mike Shokrian
Release Date: 06/17/2025
Fagin, the Jew; Fagin the Thief; Fagin the Man: a conversation with Allison Epstein
Nice Jewish Books podcast
When Allison Epstein first saw the musical Oliver!, one character stood out—Fagin. He was the only Jewish character she’d ever seen on stage. But when she later read Dickens' Oliver Twist, her excitement turned to dismay. The Fagin in the novel was a far cry from what she’d hoped: he was a cruel caricature with no backstory, no first name, and no humanity. So, Allison did what writers do best—she rewrote the story. In her novel Fagin the Thief, Allison breathes life into the man Dickens left in the shadows, giving him depth, history, and a voice of his own. Join me on Nice Jewish Books...
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Who Killed the Rabbi's Wife: a conversation with Saul Golubcow
Nice Jewish Books podcast
Step into the world of mystery, memory, and meaning with author Saul Golubcow. In this compelling interview, Golubcow discusses his gripping works, The Cost of Living and Who Killed the Rabbi’s Wife?—this collection of three novellas and a novel feature Frank Wolf, a Holocaust survivor turned private investigator. Once a philosophy professor, Frank now solves crimes within the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods of 1970s New York City. Joined by his inquisitive grandson Joel and later his sharp daughter-in-law Aliya, Frank navigates a complex world where Jewish tradition, trauma, and truth...
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2nd grader Mike learns his way around the American Playground: a conversation with Mike Shokrian
Nice Jewish Books podcast
Michel may not be the big man on campus, but he definitely rules his 2nd grade classroom in Tehran and all is well in his world. That is, until his family decides to uproot him and brother Saeed and move the family to Los Angeles. Newly minted as "Mike" he struggles to navigate a new language, new customs, new foods, and most importantly new heirarchies on the playground. Join me for a conversation with Michael Shokrian about his new book American Playground. Follow along with the . Check out his Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book Thanks to: The...
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Small Moments Made Large in Displaced Persons : a conversation with Joan Leegan
Nice Jewish Books podcast
In March, Rena Citrin, chair of the Association of Jewish Libraries fiction award, told me (not quite in these words) to get my tush in gear and read Joan Leegant’s excellent short story collection, Displaced Persons. It took two months for it to percolate to the top of my “to be read” pile but I’m thrilled that it did. Her stories are full of relatable people, situations, and humor, not to mention delicious sentences. Follow along with the Check out Joan's and her Tikun Olam inspiration Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book Thanks to: ...
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Midwives' Escape: a conversation with Maggie Anton
Nice Jewish Books podcast
It’s Passover! Time to slurp the soup, crunch the matzah, and make jokes about Moses never stopping to ask directions in the desert. It’s also a great time to speak with Maggie Anton about her latest book, the Midwives’ Escape. Through the eyes of the Egyptian midwives, we see what life was like for the Israelites as they learned to transition from a people enslaved to a self-supporting community. Follow along with the Check out Maggie's Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book Thanks to: The Association of Jewish Libraries Heidi Rabinowitz,...
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AJL Fiction Award Winners
Nice Jewish Books podcast
Every year, the Association of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award committee scours the book world for books with significant Jewish content. They look for extra-ordinary writing, accurate depictions of Jewish life in all its diversity, and contributions to the field of Jewish literature. This month I am excited to speak with Rena Citrin about the lastest winners of this award. See the 2025 . Winner: Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari (Random House, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC) Honor: The Hebrew Teacher by Maya Arad, translated by Jessica Cohen (New Vessel Press) Honor:...
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The Second Journey : an adventurous blend of Jewish & Chinese folklore and wisdom / a conversation with Joel Bigman
Nice Jewish Books podcast
When the Buddhist monk Xuanzang returned to China from India, bringing back precious Buddhist texts, he thought his traveling days were over. But then he finds an intriguing scrap with writing that he does not recognize. Finally connecting it with the Jewish community in Kaifeng he is implored by the community to go on another journey – this time even further west through Persia and Israel to find and bring back a teacher for the Kaifeng Jews. He is joined by his disciples, the magiFc Monkey and 8 rules Pigsy. Eventually a Jewish man known as Bear acts as a guide and interpreter as they...
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Dangerous Golem? or Man of Her Dreams? A conversation about a Magical Meet Cute with Jean Meltzer
Nice Jewish Books podcast
After her town is carpeted with antisemitic leaflets, ceramic artist Faye finds refuge in her studio and before she knows it, her hands have created the figure of a man. She enscribes all her wishes into the clay and buries it under her rose bushes. The next day she runs into a handsome stranger, knocking him unconscious and giving him amnesia. As she gets to know him, he seems more and more like the man of her dreams. But is he just too good to be true? Or could he be a golem that she created and who just might become dangerous? Find Jean on her Follow along with the . Support the...
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When all else fails ... call the Magic Maker / a conversation with Mickey Dubrow
Nice Jewish Books podcast
For 100 years the Rosenfelds have been trapped in a time bubble in their tenement apartment on the lower East Side of New York. They can only catch glimpes of the outside world which has no idea that they are there. Until one day, Esther Luna, who works in the building which has now been turned into the Tenement Museum see a girl in the window who smiles and waves at her. After exploring every reasonable explanation, Esther turns to Rabbi Meyer Poppers, a Jewish magician. While he finds the source of the curse, figuring out how to lift it is another matter entirely. And lifting it without...
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Will living "With a Good Eye" bring Luna luck? a conversation with Gila Green
Nice Jewish Books podcast
Luna Levi may have graduated high school, but she is far from any kind of path to success. She works part time at a motel in Ottowa to help support her family since neither parent seem capable of it. Luna's mother has dreams of being a theater star and takes off for weeks at a time to perform in regional productions and her father, suffering from PTSD after serving in the Israel army, lives on the streets. Luna watches her mother try one "get rich quick" scheme after another; each one bring the family further into debt. Her brother Ronen is an eternal optimist who tries to encourage her...
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Michel may not be the big man on campus, but he definitely rules his 2nd grade classroom in Tehran and all is well in his world. That is, until his family decides to uproot him and brother Saeed and move the family to Los Angeles. Newly minted as "Mike" he struggles to navigate a new language, new customs, new foods, and most importantly new heirarchies on the playground. Join me for a conversation with Michael Shokrian about his new book American Playground.
Follow along with the transcript.
Check out his website.
Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.
Thanks to:
- The Association of Jewish Libraries
- Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
- Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)
- Donate to support the podcast
If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.