The Book of Life celebrates Chanukah with Sylvia Rouss, author of the Sammy Spider series; Eric Kimmel, who now has audiobooks available on his website; Josh Nelson, a performer in the Lights TV special; and Rabbi Ilene Schneider, author of the mystery Chanukah Guilt.

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Are you a member of the tribe? Which tribe? What is a tribe, anyway? We take a look at the Klezmer Company Orchestra's CD "Beyond the Tribes," the documentary film "The Tribe," and a book by photographer Rafael Goldchain, "I Am My Family." Links, as always, at www.bookoflifepodcast.com. Please send comments and questions to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com.

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The Book of Life's Blog Action Day episode features Blog Action co-founder Cyan Ta'eed, and authors Aubrey Davis (Bagels from Benny) and Eric Kimmel (The Mysterious Guests), discussing themes of poverty and generosity. See blogactionday.org for info about this worldwide event. www.bookoflifepodcast.com bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com

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Meet The Book of Life's new Canadian Correspondent, author & librarian Anne Dublin! Anne introduces us to her Toronto writers' group as they discuss the Jewish elements of their work. Check out Anne's website at annedublin.ca. www.bookoflifepodcast.com bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com

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The Book of Life's 2008 High Holidays Special! We speak to Jacqueline Jules, author of the picture book Sarah Laughs, and to Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, author of the self-help book We Plan, God Laughs: 10 Steps to Finding Your Divine Path When Life Is Not Turning Out Like You Wanted. Then we ask graphologist Arlyn Imberman to analyze the handwriting of these two authors as well as Book of Life Host, Heidi Estrin, to help us get into a self-reflective mode for the Jewish New Year. www.bookoflifepodcast.com bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode of The Book of Life, we talk to 2 Jews and get way more than 3 opinions. These two conversations are the last of the material recorded at Book Expo 2008. Smart, articulate women Kathy Bloomfield (a Jew by choice) and Laurel Snyder (a product and practitioner of interfaith marriage) explore Jewish identity and how it affects our reading and our writing. Please visit www.bookoflifepodcast.com to vote on our format: should our podcast have short single-interview episodes, or should we continue with longer shows featuring several guests? Feedback: bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com XML: http://heidiestrin.audioblog.com/rss/the_book_of_life.xml

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In Part 4 of The Book of Life's series from the Book Expo America conference, we hear about new and forthcoming titles on the Holocaust for adults and youth. Before closing, we'll cleanse our palates with a non-Holocaust-related interview, one that was mistakenly left out of Part 3 (Jewish Literature for Adults). Please take the survey at bookoflifepodcast.com: Do you prefer the current format of a half-hour show with several interviews, or would you like shorter single-interview episodes? Thanks for your feedback! www.bookoflifepodcast.com bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com

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The Book of Life's coverage of Jewish books at the 2008 Book Expo America conference in Los Angeles. In this third segment of the series, we look at Judaic books for adults. www.bookoflifepodcast.com

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Interviews recorded at Book Expo America 2008, covering Jewish books for older kids and teens.

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What's new in Jewish picture books? Follow Book of Life host Heidi Estrin around the 2008 Book Expo America conference to listen in on publishers talking about their new and forthcoming titles!

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Book of Life host Heidi Estrin will be attending Book Expo America 2008 in Los Angeles, to record material for the podcast and to promote the Sydney Taylor Book Award. If YOU will be at Book Expo, drop her a line at bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com! (If you meet up, she'll give you a shiny gold Sydney Taylor Book Award lapel pin!) The Book of Life www.bookoflifepodcast.com

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The Book of Life celebrates Israel's 60th birthday with a musical extravaganza! 1) Composer Yuval Ron talks about the music he created for the Oscar-winning short film West Bank Story. 2) Fran Manushkin discusses her book Come, Let Us Be Joyful: The Story of Hava Nagila 3) We learn about the 60 @ 60 concert tour with music promoter Michael Dorf, who tells us about the best in new Israeli pop music Links to more info on the artists featured in this episode can be seen at www.bookoflifepodcast.com. Please email comments and questions to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com.

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The Book of Life takes you on a virtual trip around the world for Passover! 1) Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks discusses People of the Book, her fictional history of the Sarajevo Haggadah. 2) Basya Schechter talks about her band Pharoah's Daughter, which mixes world music and psychedelic rock with Middle Eastern sounds. 3) Author Ilana Kurshan describes her compilation of translations, Why Is This Night Different From All Other Nights? The Four Questions Around the World. Bonus: Even more translations with 300 Ways to Ask the Four Questions! Links to the featured books and CD's are at www.bookoflifepodcast.com. Send feedback to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com. In our next episode we'll celebrate Israel@60! Don't miss it!

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The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read! In this episode we hear from Amy Meltzer, author of Mezuzah on the Door, and from Sarah Gershman & Kristina Swarner, author & illustrator of The Bedtime Sh'ma: A Good Night Book. Authors Eric Kimmel and Maggie Anton chime in with their own mezuzah memories.

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The Book of Life hosted a live, call-in show on February 7, 2008 with special guest Pamela Ehrenberg, author of Ethan, Suspended. Our discussion topic was "what makes a book Jewish?" This recording of the call-in show has been edited for clarity and sound quality, but is essentially the same show heard by those who listened live on the big day. Many of those who called in are well-known as authors or bloggers, and links to their accomplishments may be found at www.bookoflifepodcast.com.

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In this special "Bells & Whistles" edition of The Book of Life, host Heidi Estrin gives instructions for accessing the live Book of Life call-in show being held on Thursday, February 7, 2008, 3-4pm EST. These same instructions are available in written form at www.bookoflifepodcast.com. The theme of the February 7 program is "Funny, That Book Doesn't Look Jewish" and our guest will be Pamela Ehrenberg, author of the middle-grade novel Ethan, Suspended. We'll take calls about Ethan, Suspended, and about what makes a book Jewish in general. Remember, the call-in number for February 7 is 724-444-7444, and the Call ID is 10816. www.bookoflifepodcast.com

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The Book of Life, a show about Jewish books, music, film and web! This January 2008 episode offers themes of empowerment with these interviews: 1) Raz Godelnik, founder of Eco-Libris, where you can plant a book for each book you read 2) Chana Rothman, whose debut album "We Can Rise" displays her female fronted earthy groove 3) Linda Silver, creator of The Jewish Values Finder, a database and book identifying values in Jewish children's books 4) Rachel Kamin, chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, describing the 2008 winners of this award for Jewish lit for kids and teens FYI: February 7, 2008, 3-4pm EST The Book of Life will host a live call-in show on the theme "Funny, That Book Doesn't Look Jewish!" Please join us by calling in! Instructions will appear on our web site. www.bookoflifepodcast.com

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Markus Zusak speaks! A live, unedited presentation recorded at Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida with the author of The Book Thief. This extra December 2007 episode of The Book of Life podcast is a Hanukkah present for all you listeners, along with our new embeddable podcast player. Visit www.bookoflifepodcast.com and click on the "Put my show on your site" button to embed The Book of Life player on your own web site, blog, or social network! Happy Hanukkah!

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Happy Hanukkah, and Happy 2nd anniversary to The Book of Life! On this episode, we meet: 1) Illustrator Ann Koffsky to learn about her snowflake Jerusalem of Peace, created for Robert's Snow for Cancer's Cure; 2) Author Sarah Lamstein & illustrator Neil Waldman, creators of Letter on the Wind: A Chanukah Tale; 3) Kenny Ellis, cantor and performer who created the CD Hanukkah Swings; and 4) Barbara Bietz, author of the chapter book Like a Maccabee. Links to more info on all these people and their work can be found at www.bookoflifepodcast.com.

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The Book of Life's Thanksgiving Shout-Out Special is a bonus episode for November 2007! Includes interviews with musician Todd Herzog and illustrator Maryann Kovalski, as well as shout-outs to many listeners who have written in to the show, and info about the Blogathon at the Feldman Library (home base of The Book of Life).

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The Book of Life is a monthly podcast about Jewish books, music, film and web at www.bookoflifepodcast.com. In this episode we celebrate traditional radio and the new media revolution of podcasting and blogging that was born from it. We interview Harold Augenbraum, director of the National Book Foundation, about the Foundation's choice of Terry Gross, host of NPR's Fresh Air, for this 2007 Literarian Award. We talk to David & Susan Siegel about the history of Jews in radio. They are the authors of Radio and the Jews: The Untold Story of How Radio Influenced America's Image of Jews, 1920's - 1950's. We meet literary blogger and synagogue librarian Marie Cloutier at the Podcast & New Media Expo. Marie's blog can be read at www.bostonbibliophile.com. Be sure to check back later in November 2007 for our Thanksgiving Special podcast! Links to more info on all interviewees can be found at The Book of Life website at www.bookoflifepodcast.com.

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The Book of Life: a show about Jewish people and the books we read! This episode celebrates classic Jewish children's books. The All-of-a-Kind Family books by Sydney Taylor represent with an interview with Sydney's daughter, Jo Taylor Marshall. Author Michelle Edwards tells us about her picture book, Chicken Man. We discuss The Rabbi and the 29 Witches by Marilyn Hirsh with editor Margery Cuyler, librarian Tasha Bergson-Michaelson, and some enthusiastic kids. And we introduce the Feldman Library Blogathon (cbiboca.blogspot.com)! Links available at The Book of Life web site, www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

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The Book of Life sees the world through new eyes in this Jewish New Year season. We speak to Mordicai Gerstein, award-winning author of The White Ram, a picture book midrash about the sacrifice of Isaac. We hear from Rabbi Cary A. Friedman, author of Wisdom from the Batcave, about how Batman can teach each of us to live a super, heroic life. Musician Yoshie Fruchter describes his CD Beyond the Book, about the inner lives of biblical personalities. And Brynn Olenberg Sugarman tells of her award-winning picture book Rebecca's Journey Home, which is based on her own daughter's adoption. Links to more info on these books and CDs is available at The Book of Life at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

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The Book of Life celebrates klezmer music! We visit the Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University and hear some of their historic klezmer samples. We talk to Joan Betty Stuchner, author of The Kugel Valley Klezmer Band (also known in Canada as Shira's Hanukkah Gift). We meet Yale Strom, a "one man klezmer industry," who tells us about his books, films, travels, and performances. Don't forget to inscribe yourself in The Book of Life's High Holidays "Book of Life" at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com!

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The Book of Life explores magic and mystery with: Cantor Amy Miller, an expert on the Jewish view of Harry Potter...Jason Lutes, author of the graphic novel Houdini the Handcuff King...Sarah Mlynowski, author of Bras & Broomsticks...and mystery writer Pari Noskin Taichert.

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The Book of Life cools off with summer reading. We learn about the ReaderGirlz web site, and their promotion of a Jewish title: Goy Crazy by Melissa Schorr. Then we talk to Melissa herself! We hear from the music group Sababa. And we talk to Nextbook.org for summer reading recommendations.

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The Book of Life celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month (May) with a focus on baseball! We hear from Carol Matas, author of the middle-grade historical novel Play Ball. We meet Aviva Kempner, the independent filmmaker behind the documentary The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg. We take a break to "say Chai" in celebration of our 18th episode. Then we hear a book review of Across the Alley from fellow podcasters Andrea & Mark of Just One More Book. Finally we speak to the author of Across the Alley, Richard Michelson. Baseball themed-music in this episode provided by hungryformusic.com; our regular background music provided by freilachmakers.com. The Book of Life is sponsored in part by the Association of Jewish Libraries, jewishlibraries.org. Visit the podcast webpage at jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

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The Book of Life is a monthly podcast about Jewish people and the books we read. In this episode we explore the power of books to sustain the Jewish people. We hear from Jonathan Kirsch, author of God Against the Gods and A History of the End of the World, about his upcoming keynote address to the Association of Jewish Libraries. We meet Nancy Kalikow Maxwell, author of Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose of Libraries and Librarianship. We learn about WJEW, an online Jewish radio station managed by teens. And we hear about Milk & Honey Press, a new Hebrew/English publisher of children's books.

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The Book of Life celebrates Passover! This episode features interviews with author Dave Horowitz (Five Little Gefiltes), author Tami Lehman-Wilzig (Passover Around the World), Sean Altman of the band Jewmongous, and Cantor Stephanie Shore with her CD Pesaschtick.

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Celebrate Purim with The Book of Life! Interviews with the creators of the picture book Queen Esther Saves Her People, and the adult comedy book Jewtopia... movie reviews of "One Night with the King" and "For Your Consideration"... and listener-submitted Jewish jokes!

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The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, kicks off the new year with new books and new music. We learn about the newly announced winners of the 2007 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Jewish children's literature. We hear from a young Israeli band, A Groyse Metsi'e, about their new CD. And we speak to author Ann Redisch Stampler about her folktale Shlemazel and the Remarkable Spoon of Pohost, which has just been named a 2007 Sydney Taylor Honor Book.

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The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates Hanukkah! We interview Stephen Krensky and Greg Harlin, author & illustrator of Hanukkah at Valley Forge. We talk to Nora Guthrie, Woody Guthrie's daughter, about the new Klezmatics CD "Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah." We hear from Deborah Heiligman, author of Celebrate Hanukkah with Light, Latkes and Dreidels. And we announce the winner of our holiday book drawing!

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This brief "addendum" to The Book of Life podcast offers timely information about a new book list of Hanukkah stories for children.

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The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates Jewish Book Month! We speak to Howard Schwartz, author of Before You Were Born; to Carolyn Starman Hessel, director of the Jewish Book Council; to Esme Raji Codell, author of Vive La Paris; and to David Levithan, author of the YA novel Wide Awake. We also announce a holiday book drawing for you to participate in.

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The Book of Life explores Jewish continuity with Alice Hoffman's historical novel Incantation, Abigail Pogrebin's Stars of David, in which she speaks to famous contemporary Jews, the a capella music of LISTEN UP!, and a sneak peak into the future with teenager Leah Larson and her teen magazine Yaldah.

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The Book of Life celebrates new beginnings. We talk to Rahel Musleah, author of Apples and Pomegranates, a Family Seder for Rosh Hashanah. We interview Ken Gordon, editor of Jbooks.com, a web site where The Book of Life will soon be broadcast. And we hear from Brenda Ferber, first time author and winner of the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award for Julia's Kitchen.

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The Book of Life, a Show about Jewish People and the Books We Read. This month we celebrate the power of storytelling. We talk with author/illustrator Simms Taback (Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, Kibitzers & Fools). We hear from storyteller Karen Golden. We speak to Sharon Elswit about her resource guide The Jewish Story Finder. And we talk to Gali Cooks, Director of the PJ Library project.

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The Book of Life podcast celebrates Jewish life in America! We interview Linda Glaser and Phil Myzel, author and subject of the novel Bridge to America. We hear a review of the CD American Jewish Summer. We speak to author Susan Goldman Rubin about her book L'Chaim! To Jewish Life in America! And we get book recommendations from super-librarian Nancy Pearl.

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This episode of The Book of Life podcast takes you on an armchair summer trip to meet author Holly-Jane Rahlens in Germany, author Pnina Moed Kass in Israel, and to learn about Jewish music from all over the world with Putumayo's Jewish Odyssey CD. You'll also learn how to participate in a Los Angeles Summer Reading Club without leaving home, and to virtually attend a Boston library convention... by blogging!

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For our May 2006 episode of The Book of Life, we celebrate Get Caught Reading Month, a campaign of the Association of American Publishers.

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This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features many books and CD's that would make great Afikomen gifts! I'm including age recommendations to help you select the right gifts for the kids at your seder. In this episode, we hear from: * Jean Marzollo, author of Miriam and Her Brother Moses and other Bible stories [Preschool - Grade 2] * Shira Kline, musician, on her new CD Shirlala Pesach! (If you live in NY, you might want to go to the CD Release Party on April 2 at the Manhattan JCC - check Shira's website) [Preschool - Grade 3] * Anna Olswanger, author of Shlemiel Crooks [Grades 3-5] * Steve Brodsky of Mah Tovu, on the hit single Pharoah Pharoah, a parody of Louie Louie [ALL ages, including teens] * CBI Student Brittany Paris reviews The Yarmulke, Kippah, Coppel Book by Rifka Freidman, with a little help from Rabbi Robert Silvers [Preschool] * Bonus Track: Pesaschtick, a collection of family Passover songs and parodies by CBI's Cantor Stephanie Shore, Music Director Susan Shane-Linder and congregant Deborah Silver [All ages]

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The Book of Life celebrates Purim

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The Book of Life, a Show About Jewish People and the Books We Read: episode 3 focuses on Jewish heroes of the Olympics, the civil rights movement, the art world, and even on Jewish superheroes.

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Interviews with the winners of the 2006 Sydney Taylor Book Awards for Jewish children's literature, and a conversation with Andy Rubin, founder of the Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band.

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In this inaugural episode of The Book of Life, the show about Jewish people and the books we read, we feature: * Eric Kimmel, author of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins * CBI Youth Director Aley Sheer reviewing Craig Taubman's new CD, The Hanukkah Lounge * Author Rebecca Tova Ben Zvi on her new book, Four Sides Eight Nights * CBI's Rabbi Richard Agler, sharing a page from his personal "Book of Life" * and a "bonus track" of Rabbi Robert Silvers singing "Thank God I'm a Jewish Boy!"

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