FEATURED BOOK FOR DECEMBER:
In November we wrote about a nonfiction work that directed our feet in St. Petersburg.
This month we’re highlighting a novel that treads on some of the same territory we reference in our book—the hunt for one’s place when displaced. The setting is the US and not Europe or the Caribbean. What Happened to Anna K by Irina Reyn follows a young Russian woman in New York City whose life parallels another Anna K—Anna Karenina.
I read this after Leslie and I completed our manuscript. I found that not only did the novel parallel Anna Karenina, but we wrote some passages about the lives of our Vera and Alisa that were remarkably similar to Reyn’s Anna. Perhaps, to paraphrase Tolstoy, all Russian mafia are the same. The author permits the reader both an insider and outsider view of a Soviet emigrant and captivates the imagination through Anna’s dreams.
For more information about this...
2511 Hits
When we consulted with Scott Edelstein about the steps from written manuscript to published book, he patiently explained the complicated world of publishing and concluded with an introduction to the equally complex world of self-publishing. Both Leslie and I remembered one particular nugget of advice—if you want to be in control, self-publishing is the route to go.
That characterizes Leslie and me. We love control! We wanted input into every phase of our book – particularly, the cover. We batted around a lot of cover design ideas between us, usually incorporating a photo of Vera and Alisa. Neither of us is a designer and, finally, we decided we needed professional intervention.
How do you find a good designer? I thought it would be like finding a good hairdresser.
You look at others’ haircuts and asked, “who did it?” It’s not quite that simple because we also wanted a local designer.... 
The Jews of St. Petersburg by Mikhail Beizer
http://pluto.huji.ac.il/~beizer/" >
FEATURED BOOK FOR NOVEMBER:
Beizer, Mikhail. The Jews of St. Petersburg. Excursions through a Noble Past. Translated by Michael Sherbourne. Maps by Sir Martin Gilbert. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
Summary: This book deserves its own story of origin. It begins with Mikhail Beizer’s passionate compulsion to capture the history of Jewish St. Petersburg/Leningrad from 1880-1930. Under the Soviets, the history was hidden and Beizer uncovered people, documents, and buildings that all bear witness to the lively Jewish presence that existed in St. Petersburg/Leningrad. He was, in turn, encouraged by one of my all-time favorite authors, Sir Martin Gilbert, who met him in Leningrad in 1983. The book includes Sir Martin’s cartography and introduction.
Why you might be interested: If you are traveling to St. Petersburg, this book can serve as a travel guide unlike any other. The six excursions through the... 
