Judy's Newest Book is Here! - Judy Gruen's Mirth & Meaning Blog

Now Available for Purchase

News & Events

The Skeptic and the Rabbi Hits Book Stores

The Skeptic and the Rabbi is featured in special High Holiday displays at many Barnes & Noble stores. The strong showing for Judy’s book has put the book into its second printing already. Here’s Judy at the B&N at The Grove in Los Angeles.

Praise for The Skeptic and the Rabbi

“This marvelous book should connect with the widest possible readership – ferociously religious or fervently secular; Jewish, Christian or humanist; baby boomer, Gen X’er or millennial . . . Judy’s relationship with Judaism comes across as a serious romance, but one that raises as many new life questions as it settles. The call to ‘rules, rituals and restraint’… don’t bring an end to thinking and choosing but provide a means to think more deeply and choose more richly.” – Michael Medved, author of The American Miracle: Divine Providence in the Rise of the Republic.

Readers will appreciate learning some of the reasons behind Jewish practice as well as understanding the differences between the three major branches of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. This is a rewarding book for both general readers and book groups. – Joan Curbow, Booklist

The Skeptic and the Rabbi manages to be light and heavy, profound and amusing, uplifting and serious. . . These contradictions mirror an upbringing of contradiction as well as the main conflict of author author’s life – to become Orthodox or not.” – Devorah Gordon, L.A. Jewish Home

Mirth & Meaning Blog

News & Notes from Judy

August 2, 2017 by Judy Gruen

It’s not exactly news that I have been sending out far fewer columns of late. I’ve struggled with this decision because I love staying in close contact with my readers, and appreciate so much the emails I receive afterward. I miss that. But I also needed to stay tightly focused on finishing my next book, The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith, which will be published in a mere four weeks! I am very excited about this major milestone in my writing career, and hope you will like it, review it online, You can download an excerpt from it from the link above.

Many of you have already pre-ordered the book, and I thank you for that! For those who have not, please consider ordering from a “real” bookstore, the kind you have to drive or walk to. Yes, online sales and Amazon rankings are important, but lets support bricks-and-mortar bookstores so that we do not lose them altogether. Also, indie bookstores are extremely supportive of the authors of She Writes Press, my publisher, and it’s only right to support them in return. Not sure where the closest indie-owned bookstore is near you? Find one through IndieBound.org. Yes, my book will be distributed in Canada as well, and an e-version will be available in a few weeks. More…

Click for full blog