Anita Diamant, World Renowned Author, Spoke Sept. 23rd

Anita Diamant’s writing career began in Boston in 1975. As a freelance journalist, she contributed to local magazines and newspapers, including the Boston Phoenix, the Boston Globe, and Boston Magazine, branching out into regional and national media, with articles in New England Monthly, Yankee, Self, Parenting, Parents, McCalls, and Ms.

Diamant’s first book was The New Jewish Wedding. Written in the year following her own wedding, Diamant’s handbook combined a contemporary sensibility, respect for tradition, and a welcoming prose style. She followed the wedding book with five more guidebooks to Jewish life and lifecycle events: The New Jewish Baby Book, Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today’s Families, Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends, Saying Kaddish, How To Comfort the Dying, Bury the Dead and Mourn as a Jew, and How to be a Jewish Parent.

In 1997, Diamant published her first work of fiction, The Red Tent, inspired by a few lines from Genesis. The book became a word-of-mouth bestseller thanks to reader recommendations, book groups, and support from independent bookstores. In 2001, the independent booksellers alliance honored The Red Tent as its “Booksense Best Fiction” selection. There are editions in more than 25 countries world-wide, including Australia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. 

Three other novels followed: Good Harbor, The Last Days of Dogtown and, Day after Night, which is set in 1945 Palestine and tells the story of four young Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who make their way to the land of Israel.  Her fifth novel, The Boston Girl, will be published in December 2014.

An award-winning journalist and resident of Newton, Diamant's articles have appeared in the Boston Globe Magazine, Real Simple, Parenting Magazine, Hadassah, Reform Judaism, Boston Magazine and Yankee Magazine.

Don't miss the opportunity to hear and meet Ms. Diamant!