Dear Friends of Itzik’s Well,
I am excited to let you know that my new book, Shechinah at the Art Institute: Words, Worry, Wonder, is officially released today. Published by Blue Light Press, it is a collection of essays, poetry, and memoir. It considers love, loss, family, AIDS, Jewishness, queerness, and living in this more-than-human world. Oh, and it’s often funny. (Mostly intentionally.)
To order a copy (or ten) on Amazon, click here. (I’m encouraging folks to order today or tomorrow to create an algorithmic burst.)
To order from your favorite bookstore, give them this ISBN number: 978-1421835594.
There will be a book launch reading and discussion tonight at 7pm PST at Congregation Ner Shalom. Out-of-towners can join in here. No pressure – there will (I hope) be future events too.
Advance praise for the book? I’m glad you asked:
“In Keller's luminous writings, divine messengers reveal both the radiance within the everyday and the clouds that subdue the sacred. With this dazzling book, Keller takes his place among the messengers.” –Esther Schor, author of Emma Lazarus
“Quirky, playful, steeped in classical Jewish learning, Keller unveils long-suppressed queerness in Jewish tradition and encounters the sacred miraculously appearing in the secular world.” –Rabbi Dr. Rachel Adler, author of Engendering Judaism
“This book makes my heart sing. Irwin reminds us that in this darkened world, there is still light. And there is love. It's what makes this book not just entertaining, but important.” –Linda Ellerbee, journalist and author of And So It Goes
“The wisdom, humor, and perspective in these stories will enrich you and gently bind you to other lives both ancient and modern. A good story heals the loneliness which is the hidden wound of our time. Bravo Irwin. What a gift you have offered to us all.” –Rachel Naomi Remen MD, author of Kitchen Table Wisdom
“Absolutely wonderful, so refreshing, hopeful in a world so desperate for peace.” –Greg Sarris, author of Grand Avenue
In Shechinah at the Art Institute, Keller inhales all the world he inhabits and savors the details of all the miracles and realities of life. . . He understands that the past is always present. He understands that the past is part of us. This is something we should all understand. ––Lily Brett, author of Lola Bensky
A few pages into reading Reb Irwin Keller’s luminous book, I began mentally compiling a list of people I wanted to give a copy to. My father. My stepmother. My sister. My aunt. This friend who is Jewish. That one who is not. This is what Irwin does in his writings and in his life; he enlarges the circle, invites everyone in, mingling the secular with the spiritual with the skeptical with the bawdy with the beautiful. It’s all there in this book, a record of a spiritual being having a very human experience and savoring the all in all of it. Pull up a chair, feast, enjoy. –Alison Luterman, author of Desire Zoo
I look forward to your feedback, your Amazon reviews, and your help spreading the word.
Stay well, and many blessings,
Irwin
Author photo by Adam Shemper. Cover design by Sasha O’Malley.