An astute and welcoming introduction to the daily practice of reading psalms.
Robbins, a rabbi, explores the value of routinely reading psalms in this nonfiction work.
The 150 psalms in Jewish scripture cover the spectrum of human emotion and religious life. There are psalms of praise, lament, and thanksgiving; others provide historical retellings or defy genre classification altogether. While the ancient practice of reciting the Shir Shel Yom (“Psalm of the Day”) may seem outdated in the 21st century, the author emphasizes the importance of developing spiritual routines to our mental well-being. To those interested in using psalms as the basis of their daily prayers, Robbins cautions against the natural inclination to start at Psalm 1 and read the rest chronologically—they are perhaps most effective when read in close conjunction with the Jewish calendar. This book provides analysis of the historical context needed to better understand the psalms, as well as explanations of the complex metaphors and myriad of Hebrew names used to describe God. For instance, the word Adonai, translated into English as “my Lord,” is far more meaningful after one realizes that it is the “vocalization of the ineffable Hebrew letters spelling one of God’s names, yod, hei, vav, hei”). In addition to providing learned commentary, the author also offers practical advice on how to routinize daily readings, including tips on maintaining a written journal and creating a physical space that is attentive to lighting and temperature. A member of the clergy at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, Texas, and author of multiple books on Judaism, Robbins brings a scholarly panache to her biblical commentary that is reflected in the book’s ample endnotes and reference materials. And while there is much in this book for academics, it is impressively accessible, offering lay readers an engaging narrative, actionable guidance, and a wealth of ancillary materials to help readers navigate the Jewish calendar and holidays.
An astute and welcoming introduction to the daily practice of reading psalms.Pub Date: Nov. 20, 2023
ISBN: 9780881236415
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Central Conference of American Rabbis Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.
The veteran actor, comedian, and banjo player teams up with the acclaimed illustrator to create a unique book of cartoons that communicates their personalities.
Martin, also a prolific author, has always been intrigued by the cartoons strewn throughout the pages of the New Yorker. So when he was presented with the opportunity to work with Bliss, who has been a staff cartoonist at the magazine since 1997, he seized the moment. “The idea of a one-panel image with or without a caption mystified me,” he writes. “I felt like, yeah, sometimes I’m funny, but there are these other weird freaks who are actually funny.” Once the duo agreed to work together, they established their creative process, which consisted of working forward and backward: “Forwards was me conceiving of several cartoon images and captions, and Harry would select his favorites; backwards was Harry sending me sketched or fully drawn cartoons for dialogue or banners.” Sometimes, he writes, “the perfect joke occurs two seconds before deadline.” There are several cartoons depicting this method, including a humorous multipanel piece highlighting their first meeting called “They Meet,” in which Martin thinks to himself, “He’ll never be able to translate my delicate and finely honed droll notions.” In the next panel, Bliss thinks, “I’m sure he won’t understand that the comic art form is way more subtle than his blunt-force humor.” The team collaborated for a year and created 150 cartoons featuring an array of topics, “from dogs and cats to outer space and art museums.” A witty creation of a bovine family sitting down to a gourmet meal and one of Dumbo getting his comeuppance highlight the duo’s comedic talent. What also makes this project successful is the team’s keen understanding of human behavior as viewed through their unconventional comedic minds.
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-26289-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
A frank and funny but uneven essay collection about neurodiversity.
An experimental, illustrated essay collection that questions neurotypical definitions of what is normal.
From a young age, writer and comedian Myers has been different. In addition to coping with obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks, she struggled to read basic social cues. During a round of seven minutes in heaven—a game in which two players spend seven minutes in a closet and are expected to kiss—Myers misread the romantic advances of her best friend and longtime crush, Marley. In Paris, she accidentally invited a sex worker to join her friends for “board games and beer,” thinking he was simply a random stranger who happened to be hitting on her. In community college, a stranger’s request for a pen spiraled her into a panic attack but resulted in a tentative friendship. When the author moved to Australia, she began taking notes on her colleagues in an effort to know them better. As the author says to her co-worker, Tabitha, “there are unspoken social contracts within a workplace that—by some miracle—everyone else already understands, and I don’t….When things Go Without Saying, they Never Get Said, and sometimes people need you to Say Those Things So They Understand What The Hell Is Going On.” At its best, Myers’ prose is vulnerable and humorous, capturing characterization in small but consequential life moments, and her illustrations beautifully complement the text. Unfortunately, the author’s tendency toward unnecessary capitalization and experimental forms is often unsuccessful, breaking the book’s otherwise steady rhythm.
A frank and funny but uneven essay collection about neurodiversity.Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780063381308
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
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