Letty Cottin Pogrebin, the founder of Ms. Magazine and author, most recently, of "Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy," will kick off the "Go Read It!" series. (Photo/File)
Letty Cottin Pogrebin, the founder of Ms. Magazine and author, most recently, of "Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy," will kick off the "Go Read It!" series. (Photo/File)

‘Go Read It!’ Free virtual Contra Costa author series kicks off Sept. 1 

By J. Staff | August 17, 2022

J.’s coverage of books is supported by a generous grant from The Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund.

The annual Jewish author series “Go Read It!” launches Sept. 1 on Zoom, with Ms. Magazine co-founder Letty Cottin Pogrebin discussing “Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy.” In the book, Pogrebin reveals her Jewish immigrant family’s struggles and scandalous secrets — from abandoned children, to religious transgressions, to hidden sexual identity.

Presented by Contra Costa JCC’s Under One Tent, Congregation B’nai Shalom and the Jewish Book Council in partnership with Diablo Valley Hadassah, the series runs through June, with new authors announced regularly. Members of the community are invited to suggest writers by emailing [email protected].

“Through technology, we are now able to invite writers from all parts of the globe, including Israel and Great Britain, to easily appear before our community to discuss their books and answer questions from our audience,” Under One Tent chair Jo-Ann Jacobson said in a press release. “This year’s lineup is especially exciting due to the wide diversity of the genres we’re featuring.”

Appearing in the weeks ahead are historian Andrew Lawler (“Under Jerusalem,” Sept. 6); cookbook writer Cathy Barrow (“Bagels, Schmears and a Nice Piece of Fish,” Sept. 12); memoirist and humorist Annabelle Gurwitch (“You’re Leaving When?” Sept. 20); and Samantha Winokor-Meinrath (“#antisemitism,” Oct. 24).

The Sept. 15 event will be a special treat for food fans, featuring the Bay Area’s own Adeena Sussman, author of “Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors from My Israeli Kitchen,” in conversation with culinary historian Michael Twitty (a Bay Area favorite who was recently in San Francisco for an event at the JCCSF) about Twitty’s new book, “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.”

Esther Erman (“Rebecca of Salerno”), Gioia Diliberto (“Coco at the Ritz”) and Howard Blum (“The Spy Who Knew Too Much”) are also expected to participate.

For more information and to register for the events, visit underonetent.org or email [email protected].

J. Staff