Ruth Tenzer Feldman's Blog, page 15

April Fish Day!

Meanwhile, back in Blue Thread, Miriam snarks at her mother’s use of French words “as if French instantly turned chatter into conversation.” But I have a feeling Miriam would have approved of this postcard, which was popular in her day. One April 1st tradition in France is to slap a paper fish on someone’s back and say, poisson d’avril! Whatever your tradition (we used to put sugar in the salt shaker), enjoy the day.

Bridge: The Historical Hand

In Blue Thread, Miriam’s mother takes her to a bridge game at Mrs. Steinbacher’s house in the hopes of teaching Miriam to play bridge.

Mrs. Steinbacher steered me to the sideboard and poured me a glass of Chablis. ‘Try these Belgian chocolates,’ she said. ‘They’re positively luscious. Here, come sit beside me. I’m playing East, partnering with your mother. Oh, it’s such a treat to have you! I miss my Florence so. Don’t you? Ladies, after we’ve filled our glasses and plates, are we ready?’

Mrs....

Kyra’s Katzenheim Pig

The only animals that get any play in Blue Thread are goats, and they are not vital to the story. Rosie, the piglet in Bridget Zinn’s Poison, is so important that she earns a place on the cover of this new, young adult fantasy. Kyra, a sixteen-year-old potions master, wants nothing to do with Rosie, a “Katzenhem” pig noted for her bloodhound-ish skill in tracking people. Let’s put it this way, quoting Zinn:

“She didn’t like children at the best of times, and now was nowhere near the best of ti...

Sweet Song from Way Back When

I’m putting together a playlist for the companion novel to Blue Thread. More about that later, but for now I got to wondering about songs that were popular in 1912. Would Miriam Josefsohn have liked this one, for instance? The song was first published in 1898, and stayed popular for more than fifty years. Here’s a YouTube recording by Perry Como in 1947–sorry for the ad.

Enjoy!

Blue Thread Meets Blue Shoe

Followers of Blue Thread probably know that the title of the book refers to a blue-colored fringe in a prayer shawl. In the Bible’s Book of Numbers 15:38, the ancient Israelites are commanded to add fringes (in Hebrew: tzitzit) to the corners of their garments. The Biblical edict goes on to require that the tzitzit have a thread of blue (p’til t’chelet). There’s more about that in a blog post from last November.

What is the precise color of t’chelet? The color is supposed to echo that of the...

Invitation to Try Poison

I’ve interrupted the usual blogging here to invite you to attend the book signing and release party for Bridget Zinn’s feisty fantasy, Poison. Bridget will be attending in spirit, as we lost her to colon cancer in 2011 at age 33. More than a dozen authors, including me, will be signing Poison on her behalf. April Henry, Sara Ryan, and Laini Taylor will read from Bridget’s debut novel.

Saturday, March 16, 6:00 p.m.

A Children’s Place Bookstore

4807 NE Fremont St.

Portland, OR.

Phone: 503-284-8292.

B...

Harry Lane for Women’s History Month

There are many women whose lives inspire us, and Women’s History Month gives us a chance learn about them. I’d also like to remind folks of a man who contributed much to supporting women as equal members of society. His name was Harry Lane. He was an ardent suffragist during the time of Blue Thread, and the day that Oregon voters passed the suffrage amendment in the state they also elected Lane to the U.S. Senate.

The biography you’ll see here was written by Kimberly Jensen for The Oregon Ency...

KidLit Meets Women’s History Month

If it’s March, the spotlight shifts from Black History Month to Women’s History Month. I happen to think that the history of all people is best learned all year ’round, but still I welcome the opportunity to focus on those of us who have been overlooked. So, in the spirit of Women’s History Month, I direct your attention to this excellent site:

http://kidlitwhm.blogspot.com/

Kidlit Celebrates Women’s History Month is a blog founded by two librarians, and it brings together authors and illustra...

Mama’s Pearls Were Ama’s Pearls

In Blue Thread, Miriam goes to a Halloween party dressed as Marie Antoinette. Her mother, Lillian Josefsohn, gives her a pearl necklace to wear. Later,

Mama came to the front hall. She insisted that Mrs. Steinbacher’s chauffeur drive Charity and me to the railroad depot. Sure enough, a few minutes later the Packard was once again in front of our house. I feared for a moment that Mama would come with us, but she didn’t. Instead, she gave me the pearl necklace I’d worn as Marie Antoinette.

This p...

Happy Birthday, George–Again!

By the time the characters in Blue Thread celebrated George Washington’s birthday in 1912, the date was firmly fixed as February 22. But it wasn’t always so.

According to the National Archives, George Washington was born on February 11, 1731. This was based on the Julian calendar, which Britain was one of the last countries to still use. In 1752, Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar, which placed Washington’s birth on February 22, 1732.

By the time of his death in 1799, t...