Association of Jewish Libraries of Southern California




SOPHIE BRODY MEDAL

Details -- Sophie Brody Medal Award -- American Library Association website.


2007 winner - posted to Hasafran (The Librarian), electronic forum
of the Association of Jewish Libraries - February 1, 2007.

"The American Library Association announced the winner of the Sophie Brody Medal for achievement in Jewish literature at its Midwinter Conference in Seattle."

"The winner is Daniel Mendelsohn for The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million (HarperCollins). The committee also named three honor books:
Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree: an Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East (Bloomsbury/Holtzbrink). Markus Zusak, The Book Thief (Random House). Dara Horn, The World to Come (Norton).

"All are wonderful books for general reading and book groups."

Barbara Bibel
Chair, Sophie Brody Medal Committee



2006 winner - posted to Hasafran (The Librarian), electronic forum
of the Association of Jewish Libraries - January 30, 2006.

"The first Sophie Brody Medal winner was chosen at the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference. This new award for achievement in Jewish literature is endowed by Arthur Brody in memory of his wife, Sophie.

"Avner Mandelman received the medal for his powerful collection of short stories, Talking to the Enemy. The stories deal with the moral ambiguity experienced by Israeli soldiers as they bring former Nazis to justice.

"Three books received honorable mentions. Born to Kvetch by Michael Wex, tells the story of Yiddish by bringing linguistics, anthroplogy, sociology, religion, and history together.  Not Me, a debut novel by Michael Lavigne, explores the complexity of father-son relationships, personal and Jewish identity, and redemption. This book looks at the Holocaust from a new perspective.   The Orientalist: Solving the Mystery of a Strange and Dangerous Life by Tom Reiss is the portrait of Lev Nussimbaum. It provides a glimpse of life in the Middle East before World War II. His varied career and multiple personas mirror his ethnically diverse world."

Barbara Bibel
Co-Chair, Sophie Brody Committee
barbarabibel@earthlink.net