JOY ON PAPER The Radio Archives

a memoir-in-miniature

I found Jennifer Lang’s PLACES WE LEFT BEHIND an intriguing memoir told—as she says, in miniature. It’s just 120 pages, but it is packed with a compelling story of love and life’s challenges. Using an experimental style that is both refreshing and thought provoking, she draws the reader into a playful manner as she explores her relationship with her husband and the world outside of her suburban California background. Emphasized words, flow charts, pages with lots of white space, words that appear to be in motion and ready to run to the next page. A little bit breathless. It makes for an intense and very enjoyable read.

I found it so cute that although she left Northern California many years ago, her voice is still that of an eager and excited young woman ready to bravely take on the world. I look forward to talking to her again in October when part two of her memoir is released.

When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during the First Intifada in Israel, she understands their relationship isn’t perfect.

Both 23, both Jewish, they lead very different lives: she’s a secular tourist, he’s an observant immigrant. Despite their opposing outlooks on two fundamental issues—country and religion—they are determined to make it work. For the next 20 years, they root and uproot their growing family, each longing for a singular place to call home.

In Places We Left Behind, Jennifer puts her marriage under a microscope, examining commitment and compromise, faith and family while moving between prose and poetry, playing with language and form, daring the reader to read between the lines.

Places We Left Behind is published by Vine Leaf Press and they should be applauded for being innovative and open to new ideas in the world of books.

Buy this great book today

Visit Jennifer Lang's website

You can discover more about Jennifer Lang and the Israel Writers Studio.