Alan Zweibel, an original writer for Saturday Night Live, has won numerous Emmy and Writers Guild of America Awards for his work in television, which includes It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (which he co-created), Late Show with David Letterman, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He collaborated with Billy Crystal on the Tony Award-winning play 700 Sundays, and won the Thurber Prize for his novel The Other Shulman. The helpful A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What to Feed Them…and Much More. Maybe Too Much More (Flatiron Books), written by Zwibel, Dave Barry and Adam Mansbach, addresses critical questions such as: Why do random Jewish holidays keep springing up unexpectedly? Why are yarmulkes round? Who was the first Jewish comedian? What’s “Christian humor” and have you ever even heard of that phrase? Who is “the Golem” and whom do you want it to beat up? These baffling questions and many more are answered by here by a trio of enterprising writers, two-thirds of whom are Jewish. The authors dissect every holiday, rite of passage, and tradition, unravel a long and complicated history, and tackle the tough questions that have plagued Jews and non-Jews alike for centuries. Combining the sweetness of an apricot rugelach with the wisdom of a matzoh ball, this is the last book on Judaism that you will ever need. So, gather up your chosen ones, open a bottle of Manischewitz, and get ready to laugh as you finally begin to understand the inner-workings of Judaism. Kirkus Review already warned you, calling A Field Guide to the Jewish People: “An irreverent take on Jewish life, culture, and lore. No topic is off limits…. This is another zany book for Jews and those who love them.”
