Book Review: Reading Glennon Doyle’s memoir, Untamed, is diving into an adventure of what we can become. We collectively grow stronger as we are more willing to ask hard questions. Many of us feel caged in our roles and Doyle asks us, “Will we be brave enough to unlock ourselves?” She tells us that “imagination is how personal and worldwide revolutions begin.” If we are looking for the easy way, we may miss our best lives. It might be terrifying to go after our dreams—but worth it.
During COVID-19 #SafeAtHome, I shared eight books that have transported me out of quarantine and into the worlds carefully created by the authors including Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist set in India, and Susana López Rubio’s The Price of Paradise which is set in Havana in 1947 and made me feel like I was back walking along el Malecón as well as: Wild, Eat Pray Love, The Lies That Bind, Between the Lines, An Unorthodox Match and Where’d You Go Bernadette.
Kupershtein endured extreme hunger, inhumane conditions and constant psychological torment. Yet even in those depths, he fought daily to preserve his humanity.
Kudrow’s connection to comedy runs deeper than her Hollywood career. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she grew up in a family where humor wasn’t just entertainment — it was a way to cope.
While the documentary succeeds in showing the band’s power and chemistry, and is full of energy, one is left wondering what would have happened if Slovak lived.
The war against two stubborn enemies, such as Iran and Hezbollah, has an interesting lesson to teach on obstacles created by regimes that are polar opposites.
There is something deeply cyclical about Judaism and our holidays. We return to the same story—the same words, the same questions—but we are not the same people telling it. And that changes everything.
Emma’s diary represents testimony of an America, and an American Jewish community, torn asunder during America’s strenuous effort to manifest its founding ideal of the equality of all people who were created in the image of God.
On Yom HaShoah, we speak of six million who were murdered. But I also remember the nine million who lived. Nine million Jews who got up every morning, took their children to school, and strove every day to survive, because they believed in life.
Gratitude is greatly emphasized in much of Jewish observance, from blessings before and after meals, the celebration of holidays such as Passover, a festival that celebrates liberation from slavery, and in the psalms.
The seder table itself is a model of radical welcome: we are told explicitly to invite the stranger, to make room for those who ask questions and for those who do not yet know how to ask.
The playground in Jerusalem didn’t stop antisemitism, and renovating playgrounds in New York City is not likely to stop it there, either — because antisemitism in America today is not rooted in a lack of slides or swings.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.
I am a Finalist for NAEJ Book Critic Award!
Lisa Ellen Niver
Thank you to National Arts and Entertainment Journalism awards! I am honored to be a finalist for the NAEJ awards in the category of Book Critic!
NAEJ 2020: Category: BOOK CRITIC B5. Books
* Lisa Niver, Ms. Magazine and Wharton Magazine, “Untamed’: Brave Means Living from the Inside Out”
* Shawna Kenney, Rock the Bells, “Best Hip Hop Memoirs”
* David L. Ulin, Alta Journal, “’Joy Harjo’s Trail of Tears,’ ‘California Dreaming,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Torchbearer’”
Read all of my book reviews here!
Ms. Magazine: “Untamed”: Brave Means Living From the Inside Out
Wharton Magazine: Treat Your Business Rival as Inspiration, Not Competition
Ms. Magazine: 8 Books That Will Transport You
During COVID-19 #SafeAtHome, I shared eight books that have transported me out of quarantine and into the worlds carefully created by the authors including Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist set in India, and Susana López Rubio’s The Price of Paradise which is set in Havana in 1947 and made me feel like I was back walking along el Malecón as well as: Wild, Eat Pray Love, The Lies That Bind, Between the Lines, An Unorthodox Match and Where’d You Go Bernadette.
Ms. Magazine: Feminist Fiction Books to Curl Up With for the Holidays
Ms. Magazine: Eve Rodsky Wants Feminist Partners to Play Fair
Ms. Magazine: Lilly Singh’s Late-Night Milestone is Just Her Latest Bawse Move
Thank you to Los Angeles Press Club and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for the honor of being nominated. Please see this post for my past awards and nominations:
https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/award-winner-for-southern-california-journalism-awards-thank-you/
Want to read more of my articles? This post has all my articles and interviews from 2020 to 2010:For all of my interviews, TV segments, videos, awards and articles, please see my portfolio site: LisaNiver.com
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Kupershtein endured extreme hunger, inhumane conditions and constant psychological torment. Yet even in those depths, he fought daily to preserve his humanity.
‘The Comeback’: Lisa Kudrow Returns to Stage 24, Where It All Began
Kudrow’s connection to comedy runs deeper than her Hollywood career. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she grew up in a family where humor wasn’t just entertainment — it was a way to cope.
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Netflix Doc Shows Hillel Slovak Sparking the Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
While the documentary succeeds in showing the band’s power and chemistry, and is full of energy, one is left wondering what would have happened if Slovak lived.
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Shortly after arriving for the exchange program, the war with Iran began on Feb. 28.
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The war against two stubborn enemies, such as Iran and Hezbollah, has an interesting lesson to teach on obstacles created by regimes that are polar opposites.
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There is something deeply cyclical about Judaism and our holidays. We return to the same story—the same words, the same questions—but we are not the same people telling it. And that changes everything.
A Diary Amidst Division and the Fight for Freedom
Emma’s diary represents testimony of an America, and an American Jewish community, torn asunder during America’s strenuous effort to manifest its founding ideal of the equality of all people who were created in the image of God.
When Criticism of Israel Becomes a Test for Jews Everywhere
Judge Israel as you would judge any state: rigorously, truthfully and proportionately.
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On Yom HaShoah, we speak of six million who were murdered. But I also remember the nine million who lived. Nine million Jews who got up every morning, took their children to school, and strove every day to survive, because they believed in life.
Gratitude
Gratitude is greatly emphasized in much of Jewish observance, from blessings before and after meals, the celebration of holidays such as Passover, a festival that celebrates liberation from slavery, and in the psalms.
Freedom’s Unfinished Journey
The seder table itself is a model of radical welcome: we are told explicitly to invite the stranger, to make room for those who ask questions and for those who do not yet know how to ask.
Thoughts on Security
For students at Jewish schools, armed guards, security gates, and ID checks are now woven into the rhythm of daily life.
Can Playgrounds Defeat Antisemitism?
The playground in Jerusalem didn’t stop antisemitism, and renovating playgrounds in New York City is not likely to stop it there, either — because antisemitism in America today is not rooted in a lack of slides or swings.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.