Sponsored by: Community You Can Believe In
Book Discussion with Lynda Cohen Loigman: The Matchmaker's Gift
Monday, March 13, 2023 • 20 Adar 5783
7:00 PM - 9:00 PMBeth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117USA Today bestselling author Lynda Cohen Loigman will join us to discuss her latest book, The Matchmaker’s Gift, a story about two women from two different eras—a matchmaker and her divorce attorney granddaughter—who defy societal expectations and embrace their unique gift for seeing soulmates in the most unexpected of places.
Ms. Loigman discussed one of her earlier novels, The Wartime Sisters, at a Women's Network event a few years ago, and we are very excited to welcome her back as our Women's History Month guest speaker!
Most Jewish matchmakers in early 1900s New York were men, so Loigman explains that she “imagined how a group of religious men would feel about a young, unmarried woman who was blessed with a gift that allowed her to do their job better than they ever could. [...] The Matchmaker’s Gift became a story about women whose intelligence, ambition, and talents were suppressed, but who nonetheless found the strength to follow their calling.”
These chapters simmer with vibrant detail [...] recall the early twentieth century Jewish immigrant experience. [...] exudes authenticity, invoking the sights and smells of a bygone Lower East Side. [...] anyone whose life has been touched or inspired by a grandparent will be drawn to The Matchmaker’s Gift—its vision of how one generation can affect another through shared stories and connections.
--Ellyn Lem, Professor of English at the University of WI-Milwaukee at Waukesha and a cultural critic. Her scholarship includes numerous articles and books, including Gray Matters: Finding Meaning in the Stories of Later Life (2020).
"Combining authentic historical fiction with mystery and a touch of romance, Loigman artfully reminds us that the past is never far, the present is a gift and the future is ours for the making. The Matchmaker’s Gift is timely and timeless, and readers should make time for this original and touching story about the things that matter most."
––Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman With The Blue Star
Loigman grew up in Longmeadow, MA. She received a B.A. in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. Her debut novel, Two-Family House, was a USA Today bestseller and a nominee for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Wartime Sisters, was selected as a Woman’s World Book Club pick and a Best Book of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine. The Matchmaker’s Gift has been named a Best Book of Fall by Parade - BuzzFeed - New York Post - GMA.com - People.
While we encourage you to purchase and read The Matchmaker's Gift in advance, we will also have copies available for purchase at the event.
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Sat, July 27 2024
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