Dear Reader,

On September 30^th, Elie Wiesel—author, activist, Nobel Peace Prize laureate—turns 75. Wiesel has lived what can be called an exemplary Jewish life of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Famous as a Holocaust survivor, he has used his unique position as a moral authority to champion the rights of victims worldwide; meanwhile, he has written dozens of books on Jewish history and culture and taught college classes for more than a quarter century. In honor of his birthday, JBooks.com looks at Wiesel as an author, teacher, and personality.

Wiesel's latest book, Wise Men and Their Tales, collects his lectures on the great personalities of Jewish history. Ken Gordon calls it "an accessible yet complex introduction to Jewish scholarship."

In his years at Boston University, Wiesel has inspired thousands of students. Read a selection of their messages of gratitude and praise for him.

“It’s hard growing up in a house where your dad is the arbiter of morality in the 20th century,” says Wiesel's son, Shlomo-Elisha.  And what about that arbiter of morality himself?  In a prize-winning profile, JBooks.com's publisher, Yosef Abramowitz, asks, "Is Elie Wiesel Happy?" 

Enjoy these features. We'll be back with another update—Yom Kippur content—early next week, and in the second week of October we'll be announcing the winners of this year's National Jewish Book Awards. If you haven't signed up for our free e-letter, now's the time to do so—you'll automatically be entered to win a $50 gift certificate.

And, please, drop me a line with suggestions, feedback, or thoughts about Jewish books.

Have a fulfilling Rosh Hashanah and a good, sweet year,

Josh Lambert

Editor, JBooks.com