Shana Liebman

This is not a collection of stories that have been published in Heeb, rather it's a collection of transcribed stories that were told at Heeb's storytelling events. Some stories are absolutely hilarious, like the Arab girl whose favorite Xmas song is "The First Noel" ("born is the king of Occupied Palestine"), the Jewish girl who virtually turns into an old Jewish man in Synagogue ("We do not have to sit here like a bunch of PROTESTANTS!"), and the young man who loses his virginity in a tent in Israel ("It was so good I saw my life flash before my eyes.") - those stories had me actually laugh out loud. Other stories are more humdrum, but probably were quite fascinating when listened to - I'm not entirely sure that the transcription into text is 100% successful as some stories are inherently tied to their teller and as pure text lack that little extra. A few stories are outright crude and seem to be told merely for shock-factor and, although I'm hardly a prude, I do prefer some intention if you are to shock me. All in all, it's a decent collection - you'll know pretty soon if a story won't meet with your liking, so skip ahead to the gems of the collection, because there are quite a few there.… (plus d'informations)

I spent the first eighteen years of my life in the Bible Belt. In case you had any doubt, Protestant is the way of life there. Growing up, I knew a handful of Catholics and only two Jews. Two.

Then I moved to New York. I started hearing descriptions that involved one's Jewishness instead of one's Baptist-ness, and I had no idea what any of these characteristics meant. And though I've spent five years here and numerous hours with my friends in the "Jew frat," I still don't find much to which I can relate. Who knew that Challah bread was 1) Jewish, and 2) not pronounced like 'chew' or like 'chronic'? Well, not I, as the kids I babysit informed me last year as they ridiculed my Jewish naivety.

When I was approached with Sex, Drugs, & Gefilte Fish: The Heeb Storytelling Collection, I had my doubts—not of its quality or humor, since several top-notch actors, writers, and comedians contribute to this story collection, but if I had absorbed enough New York Jewishness to appreciate (or even understand!) the humor.

However, these stories on sex, drugs, work, and family are more like a casserole of angst-ridden, self-reflective hilarity with a little bit of Jewish flavor thrown in. The publisher describes it as "an examination of what 'Jewishness' means" to the stories' authors, but I think it can be relatable to anyone with an experience that is just so ridiculous, it becomes self-defining. The stories are occasionally vulgar, mostly hilarious, and always refreshingly honest. One of my favorites was about a 12-year-old boy who thought Bo Derek was a man, so he convinced his mom to take to him to see "10" to find out what was so special about "him." Another by actor/comedian Michael Showalter describes "mustorderitis," the phenomenon that forces one to order a specific item on a menu, even if you know it is going to be garbage. Face it...gazpacho from a diner in the middle of West Virginia is not going to be very good.

The stories are so short that I found it hard to put the book down. You'll keep telling yourself, "I'll just read another one...ok, just one more." I laughed throughout, but at the end, my question about gefilte fish still remains unanswered..what the hell is it?… (plus d'informations)