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A RIVER COULD BE A TREE: A Memoir by Angela Himsel


Angela Himsel’s fascinating new memoir, A RIVER COULD BE A TREE (Fig Tree Books Hardcover; Nov 2018) traces her seemingly impossible road from childhood cult to a committed Jewish life with warmth, humor, and a multitude of religious and philosophical insights. 

How does a girl who grew up in rural Indiana as a fundamentalist Christian end up a practicing Jew in New York? Strict adherence to the church’s tenets was Angela Himsel’s only way to escape a certain, gruesome death, receive the Holy Spirit, and live forever in the Kingdom of God. With self-preservation in mind, she decided, at nineteen, to study at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. But instead of strengthening her faith, Angela was introduced to a whole new world with different people and perspectives. This experience slowly opened her eyes to the church’s shortcomings. Ultimately, the connection to God she relentlessly pursued was found in the most unexpected place: a mikvah on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. This devout Christian girl found her own form of salvation—as a practicing Jewish woman.

The media has enjoyed reviewing the book, interviewing the author, and sharing some of her original essays:

Tulsa Book Review: Review, 12/20/18

Give and Take Podcast: Interview, 12/12/18

Jewish Woman’s Archive: Angela’s essay posted posted on 12/11

Jerusalem Post: Review, 12/6/18

PopSugar: Angela’s essay posted on 12/5

Arroe Collins: Unplugged and Uncut Podcast: Interview, 12/3/18

Lilith Magazine’s Blog: Q&A with Yona McDonough, 11/30/18

Jewish Book Council’s Visiting Scribe Series: Angela’s essay posted on 11/26:

Jewish Community Voice (Cherry Hill): Interview, 11/21/18

Forward: Excerpt published, 11/15/18

The Herald (Jasper, IN): Interview, 11/13/18 arranged by Moshe Schulman

Book Q&A with Deborah Kalb: Interview, 11/13/18

Too Jewish Radio: Interview, 11/12/18

The Virtual Memories Show Podcast: Interview, 11/12/18h

Times of Israel: Interview, 11/10/18

The Jewish Week: Interview, 11/6/18

The Jewish Standard: Interview 11/2/18

The Herald Times (Bloomington, IN): Interview, 10/21/18

The Jewish Week: Included in Fall Arts Preview 9/13/18

ForeWord Reviews: Review, September/October Issue

Lilith: Review, Summer Issue

Kirkus Reviews: Review, 6/18/18

Filed Under: Books, Memoir, Reviews & Features Tagged With: Angela Himsel, Fig Tree Books, Jewish, Jewish author, Jewish Book Council, Judaism, Memoir, Religion

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Al Schmitt On The Record: The Magic Behind the Music

Foreword by Paul McCartney

Do you ever wonder what goes into the creation of some of the best music ever recorded? AL SCHMITT ON THE RECORD: THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MUSIC (Hal Leonard Books) is the remarkable account of one of the most respected music engineers in the business. 

A thorough and compelling account of life in and around the recording studio, AL SCHMITT ON THE RECORD offers an unprecedented window into some of popular music’s most seminal moments as told from Al’s unique perspective as “the man behind the glass.” This compelling memoir also shares some of the tricks, techniques, and tactics that have set Schmitt apart, from his approach to microphones, effects, and processors to setup diagrams from lauded recording sessions and, perhaps most importantly, his methods for catering to an artist’s vision and preferences. The resulting text is a must-read for audio pros and music fans alike.

Here is some of the great coverage this memoir has received:

The Entertainment Report – one of 2018’s best biographies

Focus TV’s On the Note – interview   

SiriusXM’s The Diner with Lou Simon – interview

MIX Online – review 

New York Journal of Books  – review 

The Inner Circle Podcast – interview/

Billboard – interview  

SiriusXM’s Debatable – interview

CNET– review 

SiriusXM’s Fab Forum on The Beatles Chanel – interview 

Music Repo – included in roundup

Filed Under: Books, Memoir, Reviews & Features, Uncategorized Tagged With: Al Schmitt, Billboard, CNET, Hal Leonard Books, Memoir, Music Engineer, Paul McCartney, Rock music, SiriusXM

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THE GIRL IN THE BACK: A Female Drummer’s Life with Bowie, Blondie and the ’70s Rock Scene

In Laura Davis-Chanin’s coming-of-age memoir, the Student Teachers drummer offers an intimate look at New York City’s punk rock hey day. THE GIRL IN THE BACK‘s authenticity has struck a chord with the media. Check out these well-earned reviews and features!

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: Names The Girl in the Back one of the Top 10 Music Books of 2018!

THE MANHATTAN BOOK REVIEW: Review, August 2018

FLAVORWIRE: Excerpt, August 2018

UNCUT MAGAZINE: Interview, August 2018

PENNY BLACK MUSIC: Interview, August 2018

DRUMHEAD: Review, July/August 2018 issue

BLAH BLAH BLAH SCIENCE Podcast: Discussed new chapters each week throughout August 2018.

BOWERY ELECTRIC: New York City book launch on 7/20/18

WFMU/The Evan Funk Davies Show: Interview, 7/11/18

NAKEDLY EXAMINED PODCAST: Interview, 7/6/18

THE TRAP SET Podcast: Feature, 7/4/18

LUXURIA MUSIC/Kristian Hoffman Podcast: Live interview, 7/1/18

BARRY SINGER Blog: Feature, July 2018

PLEASE KILL ME: Feature story,  June 2018

UNDER THE RADAR: Review, June 2018

TOM TOM MAGAZINE: May 2018

 LIBRARY JOURNAL: Review, May 2018

LARGEHEARTED BOY: Special playlist feature, May 2018

THE VINYL DISTRICT: February 2018

Filed Under: Books, Memoir, Reviews & Features, Uncategorized Tagged With: Blondie, Bowie, CBGBs, David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Girl Drummer, Girl in the Back, Iggy Pop, Jimmy Destri, Laura Davis Chanin, Punk Rock, Student Teachers, Three Rooms Press

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Three Rooms Press publishes the classic prison memoir, BAD by James Carr

Bad_Autobiography_James_Carr

Today, Three Rooms Press  is releasing the updated classic prison memoir, BAD: The Autobiography of James Carr. Originally published in 1972, this book captures the pivotal point in American history when prisons decided rehabilitation wasn’t possible, and prisons became terribly punitive. Forty years later, we’re still trying to reverse the damage caused by the 1970’s criminal justice system. 

In honor of James Carr’s autobiography, here’s a list of Ten Books Spanning Five Decades That Demonstrate the Ongoing Need for Prison Reform:

  1. BAD: The Autobiography of James Carr by James Carr
  2. THE NEW JIM CROW: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander 
  3. COULDN’T KEEP IT TO MYSELF: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution by Wally Lamb
  4. IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST: Letters From Prison by Jack Henry Abbott
  5. SOLEDAD BROTHER: The Prison Letters of George Jackson by George Jackson
  6. INSIDE: Life Behind Bars in America by Michael Santos
  7. ALL GOD’S CHILDREN: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence by Fox Butterfield
  8. NEWJACK: Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover
  9. INSIDE THIS PLACE, NOT OF IT: Narratives From Women’s Prisons by Ayelet Waldman and Robin Levi
  10. ON THE YARD by Malcolm Braley

Filed Under: Memoir, News & Announcements Tagged With: 1970s prison memoir, african american memoir, Autobiography of James Carr, Black Panthers, criminal justice system, institutional racism, James Carr, prison, prison memoir, Soledad Brother, Three Rooms Press

By otrpr Leave a Comment

TV writer Rita Lakin’s THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM debuts this week from Applause Theatre & Cinema Books

 

Only Woman in the Room

In a recent New York Times op-ed, TV producer and writer Nell Scovell wrote an eye-opening piece about women in the TV industry. She argues that “the ‘Golden Age for Women in TV’ is actually a re-run” (The New York Times).

Rita Lakin is one of those women who made great strides in shaking up the status quo in TV. Though her name may not be immediately recognizable, Rita Lakin touched the lives of millions of TV viewers week after week for over 25 years. In THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM: Episodes in My Life and Career as a Television Writer — published this week by Applause Theatre & Cinema Books — Rita Lakin writes about an era when a woman’s “place” was in the home. Lakin stepped out and climbed the ladder to the top, becoming one of the most respected television writers in the business, an inspiration and a passionate advocate for women’s rights.

Early reviews are flush with praise:

“Every woman in the entertainment business should read this book as an example of courage, fortitude, and self-confidence. It’s a survival manifesto. And every man in the entertainment business should read this book as a cautionary tale of arrogance, conceit, and privilege.” –Steven Bochco, creator/writer/producer of Hill Street Blues, LA Law, NYPD Blue and Murder in the First

“At turns hilarious, tender, and tough, this is the fabulous memoir of a woman who forged her own path to the writers’ room in an industry dominated by men. —Foreword Reviews

“From my experience I have found that there are two kinds of autobiographies, one is written for your family and friends knowing full well that others would not be very interested in your life, and the other is where the author really has something interesting to say. Rita Lakin’s The Only Woman in the Room falls into the second category, particularly if you have grown up during television’s golden age in the 1960’s and up to the 1980’s when Lakin was crafting dozens of television stories such as Dr. Kildare, Peyton Place, Mod Squad and Dynasty and many more.” — Norm Goldman, BookPleasures.com

You can learn more about Rita in these features that are running this week:

  • Feature in EMMY Magazine
  • 3-part feature on the Jewish Book Council’s Visiting Scribe Blog
  • Interview in Jungle Red Blog
  • Feature on Shelf Pleasure/On the Nightstand
  • Interview with Norm Goldman of BookPleasures

Filed Under: Memoir, Reviews & Features, Uncategorized Tagged With: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, BookPleasures.com, feminism, Foreword Reviews, Memoir, Nell Scovell, Only Woman in the Room, Rita Lakin, Steven Bochco, television memoir, television writer, The New York Times, TV industry, TV memoir, TV writer, women in TV industry

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