Diesel Bookstore Hosts Insightful Talk on Jewish-American Trailblazers
David Denby, celebrated cultural critic and bestselling author, will visit Diesel, A Bookstore on Thursday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss his latest book Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer. The event will be held in the store’s open-air courtyard and is free to the public.
Denby will be joined in conversation by Kit Rachlis, senior editor at ProPublica and a veteran journalist whose career includes leadership roles at several major publications, including the L.A. Weekly and the Los Angeles Times. The conversation promises an incisive and lively exploration of Denby’s literary portraits of four towering Jewish-American figures whose influence reshaped music, journalism, feminism, and literature in the 20th century.
Seating for the event is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees may reserve a seat by purchasing a copy of Eminent Jews here..
In Eminent Jews, Denby profiles Leonard Bernstein, Philip Roth, Betty Friedan, and Norman Mailer—four iconic Americans who redefined their respective fields while embracing their Jewish identity in a post-war America that was beginning to embrace cultural pluralism. Through their outsized personalities and creative ambition, Denby argues, these figures challenged conventional norms and expanded the cultural and intellectual landscape of the United States.
Denby, a longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and former film critic at New York magazine, is the author of several books, including Great Books and Lit Up. His essays have also appeared in The New Republic and The Atlantic. He resides in New York City with his wife, novelist Susan Rieger.
Rachlis, known for his editorial leadership and award-winning journalism, brings decades of experience to the evening’s discussion. His work has supported Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations and best-selling books, including The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein.
Diesel, A Bookstore is located at 225 26th Street, Suite 33, in the Brentwood Country Mart.
