Fiction Luncheon: Matthew Goodman, Joanna Smith Rakoff, Jonathan Tropper

Matthew Goodman Hold Love Strong Born to a 13yearold in the bathroom of his family's small apartment, Abraham Singleton enters a world laden with the inherent obstacles of impoverished communities. Deeply intuitive and cerebral, Abraham is determined to thrive in the face of familial, communal and personal devastation. In this haunting, lyrical and evocative novel, Goodman—who earned a bachelor's in literature from Brandeis University and an MFA from Emerson College—composes a paean to the power of family and belonging in the AfricanAmerican community. Joanna Smith Rakoff A Fortunate Age Like The Group, Mary McCarthy's classic coming of age novel, Joanna Smith Rakoff 's richly drawn and immensely satisfying first novel details the lives of a group of Oberlin graduates whose ambitions and friendships threaten to unravel as they chase their dreams, shed their youth and build their lives in presentday. As they begin their careers, marry and have children, they must navigate the shifting dynamics of their friendships and of the world around them. Rakoff holds a BA from Oberlin, an MA from University College in London and an MFA from Columbia University. She has written for The New York Times, Vogue, and more. Jonathan Tropper This is Where I Leave You Jonathan Tropper's latest novel is a riotously funny, emotionally raw story about love, marriage, divorce, and family. The death of Judd Foxman's father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family has been together in years as the mourners honor their father's dying request by spending shiva (the seven days following the funeral) together. The week quickly spins out of control as grudges resurface and secrets are revealed. Tropper is the author of How to Talk to a Widower, Everything Changes, The Book of Joe and Plan B. This Is Where I Leave You is being adapted for film at Warner Bros. JCC Members $18.00 NonMembers $20.00