We’ve come to end of the saga of the first family of Israel: the story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their sons (and daughters). And what a story it is, filled with intrigue, jealousy, incest, rape, murder,  deception, thievery and more, but also awash with love, devotion, dedication, insights, creativity, protection, kindness and generosity. In short, this saga is the story of every extended family and the Ur- model for every soap opera ever written.

It is a story of how to live one’s life and how not to; it is a model for a life well-lived as well as a life squandered. No wonder this story is still read today and its protagonists used as models of human behavior.

Genesis provides the grist for modern family sagas, a type of book that readers never seem to tire of.  Our library shelves are filled with books about family relationships across the generations.

Why not while a way a few hours in the company of some of the following families and related topics- some fictional and some not.

The following books are available in the library:

Aciman, Out of Egypt: a memoir of the Egyptian Jewish community that is no more. Aciman is also the author of Call Me By Your Name, the inspiration for the current critically acclaimed movie.

Antler, You Never Call! You never Write!: a history of the Jewish mother traces the stereotype from its sympathetic beginnings to today’s caricature of a nagging, fault finding woman.

Birmingham, The Grandees: America’s Sephardic elite (and other studies of Jewish ethnic goups)

Cohen, The Girl from Human Street: ghosts of memory in a Jewish family looks at the modern Jewish experience through the lens of one family.

Diamant, The Boston Girl, elderly Addie Baum, looks back on her life. (FICTION)

Doades, Parenting Jewish Teens: a guide for the perplexed.

Dubner, Turbulent Souls: a Catholic son’s return to his Jewish family in this poignant book.

Foe, Here I Am is the story of a family crisis that unfolds over four wrenching weeks. (FICTION)

Harris, Holy Days: the world of a Hasidic family is a classic study of a Lubavitcher family.

Ingall, Mamaleh Knows Best: what Jewish mothers do to raise successful, creative, empathetic, creative, independent  children.

Lerner, The Bridge Ladies use the game of bridge to look back on the author’s relationship with her mother.

Nuland, Lost in America: a journey with my father is an attempt to come to terms with his uncomfortable relationship with his father.

Perl, When Life Gives You O.J.  6^th grader Zelly tries to convince her family that she’s ready for a dog. (JFICTION)

Potok, My name is Asher Lev focuses on the tension between Asher  Lev’s two sides: religious Jew and aspiring artist. (FICTION)

Rojstaczer, The Mathematician’s Shiva turns into a raucous look at Rachela Karnokovitch’s life. (FICTION)

Rosenblatt, Wrestling with the Angels: what the first family of Genesis teaches us about our spiritual identity, sexuality, and personal relationships.

Taylor, All-of-A-Kind Family is the classic story of a family of sisters growing up in the early 20^th century. One of the first modern books for Jewish children…and the general reader. (JFIC)