Posted on January 8, 2008 by Steve Pollak
Even though I write in English, this blog gets very few visitors from England. In fact, in the five or so months I’ve been posting regularly, I’ve received fewer than 100 visits from United Kingdom (according to my Google Analytics account).
Nevertheless, the United Kingdom seems to be a place where Jewish literature is taken seriously. Just gander at the line-up for Jewish Book Week 2008, coming to London’s Royal National Hotel from Feb. 23 to March 2. The U.K.-based Jewish Book Council (not to be confused with the U.S. organization with the same name) unveiled the schedule on their Web site yesterday.
I’d be willing to fly over there just to attend the writing workshop with Amy Bloom. How cool would that be?
If that doesn’t grab you, there’s plenty more to see and hear. Among the other speakers will be Michael Oren, Benny Morris, Daniel Mendelsohn, A.J. Jacobs, Shalom Auslander, Ron Leshem, and Philip Davis. Heck, even Sari Nusseibeh will be there.
From what I can see, it appears the organizers did a good job of booking speakers who are actual writers. Here in the states, a lot of Jewish book festivals bring in a decent number of writers to talk but oftentimes the keynote speakers are an actor, a comedian or some other celebrity who has a new book out.
So, good for you Jewish book enthusiasts of the U.K. Now, if you’d only start reading my blog more often. …