About this talk

Renowned Jewish vocalist and writer Elizabeth Schwartz's first book of fiction, "The Sweet Fragrance of Life & Other Stories" is a meditation on historic European Jewish Culture seen through the lens of a woman's point of view. She will read excerpts from her stories and talk about the religious, cultural and historic factors that shaped them and her approach to traditional Jewish art.

The author weaves in rich historical particulars, from the political climate of decades past to an account of a real-life incident that inspired one of the tales herein. Smooth, descriptive prose makes these short stories fly by. This exceptional collection's brevity is sure to leave readers wanting more.

Read about the book on "Kirkus Reviews" here. 

You can read more and order the book here: https://www.elizabeth-schwartz.com/books

About the Author

Elizabeth Schwartz has been called "The Edith Piaf of Yiddish" and "a revelation" with a superb mastery of klezmer ornamentations. As the vocalist for Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi and as a soloist, she has performed at festivals, synagogues and concert halls on every continent except Antarctica (she's working on that). 

As a writer, Schwartz co-created the award-winning audio dramas The Witches of Lublin and Debs in Canton for Suemedia Productions. She contributed a chapter on klezmer vocal technique to Shpil: The Art of Playing Klezmer (Scarecrow Press). Her recipes of Jewish food can be found in A Wandering Feast: A Journey Through the Jewish Culture of Eastern Europe (Jossey-Bass), Zydzi Od Kuchni (Austeria) and It's Always About the Food (Harper Collins). Her first book of fiction (in English... and Yiddish), The Sweet Fragrance of Life & Other Horror Stories, was published by Olniansky Tekst in 2023. The illustrated audiobook, with narration in English and Yiddish and music by Yale Strom, will be released by SueMedia Productions in October of 2024.