RESOURCES FOR BOOK CLUBS
for Veritas, My Father's Paradise, Heart of the City, and The Outsider
VERITAS
Click here for book club extras for Veritas.
MY FATHER'S PARADISE
Since 2008, the Jewish communities of Baltimore, Denver, Long Island (NY), Northern New Jersey, Philadelphia, Portland (OR), and The Twin Cities (MN) have chosen My Father's Paradise as their "One Book" community read, using the book as a springboard for wide-ranging events and year-long discussions of culture, history and identity. If you've selected My Father's Paradise for your book club, here are some resources that may help spark a lively discussion:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: At the back of the paperback edition is a lengthy Q & A with the author and several pages of discussion questions. For clubs using the hardcover, Philadelphia's One Book, One Jewish Community has produced an exceptional readers' guide, complete with questions for discussion. Download the discussion guide (PDF) here.
SABAR FAMILY TREE: Unraveling the ties among the main characters in My Father's Paradise can at times be tricky. On the Same Page Long Island has put together a helpful one-page family tree (PDF) here.
FIND ZAKHO ON THE MAP
HEAR THE AUTHOR: Ariel has talked about My Father's Paradise, Aramaic and the Kurdish Jews on NPR and other radio stations. To hear Ariel (and sometimes his father, too), click below:
Ariel and his father, Yona, on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show (one hour)
Ariel and his father on Southern California's KPCC (18 minutes)
[Click "Listen to Episode" and advance sliding dot to 87:30]
Ariel on Dallas NPR station KERA
Ariel on Philadelphia NPR station WHYY
Ariel on NPR's All Things Considered, discussing his February 2013
Smithsonian Magazine article on the scholarly hunt for the last
speakers of Aramaic, the language of Jesus and of the Jewish
Talmud (5 minutes, February 2013)
Ariel discusses the history and fate of Aramaic on Chicago NPR station WBEZ (15 minutes, March 2014)
WATCH THE AUTHOR: You can stream video by clicking below.
Interview on "Mosaic" public affairs program
WPTV / Palm Beach NBC affiliate (30 minutes) - Nov. 2011
Interview on PBS's The Book Studio (8 minutes) - January 2010
Interview on C-SPAN2's Book TV (10 minutes) - March 2009
Feature program on Ariel & his father on Jewish Life TV (40 minutes)
COOK LIKE MY SAVTA (GRANDMOTHER) MIRYAM
Download my grandma's recipes for kubeh matfonia (cracked wheat dumplings in beet-tomato soup) and yaprach (stuffed grape leaves), as recalled by her youngest child, my aunt Ayala
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF JEWISH KURDISTAN
Video montage of historic photos of Zakho
Recent Photos from Diarna, the Geo-Museum of Middle-Eastern Jewish Life
A short documentary about Israeli Kurds, by Rivka Stein
READ ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ariel's bio
Algonquin Books Conversation with the Author
D.C. Examiner Q & A Photo Spread
Los Angeles Times story about Ariel & his father Yona
First-person essay for Algonquin's literary journal The Algonkian
CONSIDERING MY FATHER'S PARADISE FOR YOUR CLUB?
Download and pass around the Introduction and First Chapter (pdf)
HEART OF THE CITY
Listen to Ariel on NPR's Tell Me More (6 minutes)
Read the New York Daily News story
See the photos Ariel's mother took in Washington Square Park the day she met his father.
Join the New York Love Stories Facebook page
THE OUTSIDER
Listen to Ariel tell part of psychologist Roger Barker's story on the award-winning radio program This American Life.
Read an interview with Ariel on KCUR, Kansas City's NPR station.
Read a front-page Kansas City Star feature story inspired by The Outsider, then watch a short accompanying YouTube video with scenes from around Oskaloosa today.
FOLLOW ARIEL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: "Like" Ariel's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/arielsabar
Twitter: Follow @arielsabar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/arielsabar
ORDER HEART OF THE CITY
Amazon Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org / Support independent bookstores
IndieBound / Support your local bookstore
Powell's
ORDER MY FATHER'S PARADISE
Amazon Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org / Support independent bookstores
IndieBound / Support your local bookstore
Powell's
ORDERTHE OUTSIDER