By Sue Littauer

Having just finished my third novel by author Jacqueline Friedland, I cannot recommend her books highly enough. Each of the books I’ ve read,“ He Gets That from Me,”“ The Stockwell Letters,” and“ Counting Backwards,” tackles a contemporary issue, a period of history relevant to today’ s world, or both. Additionally, each novel incorporates legal themes, adding authenticity to the reader’ s experience.

“ Counting Backwards,” published in March 2025, is especially intriguing. Goodreads describes the novel this way:“ Inspired by true events revealing America’ s troubling past involving Pre-War eugenics practices,

this emotionally riveting dual timeline novel brings together the lives of two inspiring women while exploring the timely and important themes of immigration, fertility, and motherhood. A revelatory tale of heartbreak and hope, it is an unputdownable story that will stay with readers long after the final page.”

“ The Stockwell Letters,” published in 2023, is based on the true story of female abolitionist Ann Phillips and her connection to Anthony Burns, a young man who briefly escaped American slavery and rocked the nation

with his astonishingly heroic story. Unfortunately, the book’ s themes remain strikingly relevant today, particularly the suppression of women and the fight for Black lives.

“ He Gets That from Me,” published in 2021, won several awards, including Best Indie Book of the Year, the Reader’ s Favorite Award, and Best Book Club Pick. Contemporary topics such as same-sex marriage, surrogacy, and the bonds of family are featured prominently. According to Kirkus Reviews:“ It is hard to imagine a better novel for a book club discussion … A thoughtful and gripping family tale that will haunt readers long after finishing it.”

I’ ve been so fascinated by Jacqueline Friedland that I watched a couple of online interviews with her to learn more about where she gets her inspiration. She has quite an impressive background, having graduated magna cum laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School. She practiced as a commercial litigator at a prestigious New York law firm before pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating from the program in

2016. And she managed to accomplish all this while being the mother of four children!

If you’ re interested in discussing thought-provoking books with like-minded individuals, please consider joining Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte’ s Center for Jewish Education Book Club. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30 a. m. on Main Street in the Levine JCC at Shalom Park. On June 11, we will discuss“ The Escape Artist” by Jonathan Freedland, and on July

11,“ The Long Island Compromise” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.

All of these books are available in the collection of the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Blumenthal Resource Center at Shalom Park. For more information, contact: sueb. littauer @ jewishcharlotte. org