Andrée Aelion Brooks
Brooks is a journalist, author and lecturer. She has won many awards for her writings. Most recently, she won First Place in the Simon Rockower Awards for feature writing (magazines). She is also now serving as historial advisor for a pilot script for a poposed TV mini series based on her biography of Dona Gracia Nasi. In November she will be honored by the Conn. Women's Hall of Fame.
Current Works
A romantic thriller with a political twist! "Russian Dance is Jewish history like you have never read it before. First Place winner, National Federation of Press Women, 2005 for biography/history. Purchase or download a copy of this book from its (amazon.com) dedicated web page.
"The Woman who Defied Kings" is a biography of Dona Gracia Nasi, a Renaissance banker who ran an escape network; selected as a finalist in the 2003 National Jewish Book Awards. Purchase or download a copy of this book from its dedicated (amazon.com) web page.
This package of books (print, e-book, workbooks, documentary DVD) is all about raising the highly privileged child... new insights and strategies. First Place, non-fiction, National Federation of Press Women. Also featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was later made into an Emmy-nominated PBS documentary that, along with the print edition and updated e-edition, is available from this link to amazon.com. The documentary is listed separately under Amazon's Movies & TV category. The workbooks, in print or through pdf download, are available directly from the author. See e-mail contact above. This book also has its own dedicated website: chiildrenoffasttrackparents.com.
|
Catching up ...
SPECIAL: We were selected to appear at Google headquarters to tell the story of Gracia Nasi, our 16th century heroine from "The Woman who Defied Kings;" as part of Google's authors@google series that also included Tom Brokaw and Al Gore. We are equally proud that a letter of ours on Amelia Bassano (see Lecture Topics page, item 4) was selected for the Editorial Page of the New York Times and that we won a Jewish journalism award in June for an article on Harbin (see "Lecture Topics" item 15) NOTE: We continue to mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of Dona Gracia Nasi and we now have a traveling (portable) exhibit to accompany a program. Contact the author for details.
You can also join our community and see research updates by clicking on the following Facebook link: Dona Gracia Worldwide. There, you can offer your idea of which A-list performer you would like to see play the role of Dona Gracia and some of the other lead characters for our planned TV mini-series. ______________________ UPCOMING TALKS and MINI COURSES (for further details, or to register for a talk/course, call or e-mail contacts given below) May 29 noon The Amazing Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Library of Congress Washington, DC Details: Gail Shirazi - gshi@loc.gov May 29, evening The Amazing Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Gr. Washington Area Hadassah Ring House, Rockville, MD June 27, evening The Amazing Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Holland Park Synagogue Shepherds Bush, London, England. July 16 - morning The Amazing Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Learning in Retirement at Iona College New Rochelle, N.Y. Email: spage@iona.edu July 19,20. 21 afternoon, various Conversos and Jews in the History of Food 10th Annual Anousim Conference Cong. B-nai Zion, El Paso, TX email Sonya Loya: tav_22@yahoo.com July 27-28 scholar-in-residence various including: a. The Jews of China b. The Amazing Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Fire Island Synagogue Fire Island, N.Y. July 29-31 two teacher workshops: a. Food in the History of the Jews b. Alternative Faces for studying the history of Jewish Women NewCAJE Jewish Educators' Conference Nichols College, Dudley, MA Website: newcaje.org/upcoming-conference August 4 - bagel breakfast and talk Food in the History of the Jews Gomez Mill House Marlboro, N.Y. Email Ruth Abrahams: rabrahams@cjh.org August 6-12 Our Past-Ourselves The (real) story of the Immigrant Jews Berkshire Hills Emanuel Camps Copake, N.Y. Email Seth Gutlin: seth@bhecamps.com August 9, morning - lunch The Incredible Life of Dona Gracia Nasi Jewish Federation of the Berkshires 270 State Rd, Gt. Barrington, MA contact Nancy: jfb.programs@verizon.net November 5,12,19 midday Tales from the Caribbean and South America JCC Manhattan - W76 St and Amsterdam Ave New York, N.Y. Ph: 606-505-4444 November 19, evening Spinoza: Bad Boy of the Jewish World a new look at his heritage and life JCC Manhattan - W76 St and Amsterdam Ave New York, N.Y. Ph: 606-505-4444 December 8 Exploring Jewish identity in DNA and conversos Temple Rodef Shalom Falls Church, VA travel seminars with other lecturers see "Contact Info" page ________________ NOTE: scholar-in-residence programs and mini courses are regularly available. The author is also experienced at handling TV and radio interviews and moderating discussion groups. SPECIAL OFFER - no charge for leading book group discussions of her works. Travel costs a problem? These can also be arranged using a Skype video-hook up. See "Book Groups" page for details. CONTACT US: andreebrooks@hotmail.com A SAMPLING OF LECTURE TOPICS AND MINI COURSES
(more details on each topic can be found on the "Lecture Topics" page). 1. People of the Kitchen: s History of Jewish Food, including some remarkable tales along the way. 2. From Blood Libel to Balfour Declaration: the remarkable history of the Jews of England. 3. The centuries-old history and culture of the Jews of Iran/Persia. 4. Exploring Cuba: its once and future Jews.A look at the way Cuban Jews are increasingly coming out of the religious closet; based upon a recent visit by Brooks to the island. 5. A Woman for the Ages. The unlikely tale of Amelia Bassano: the shadowy Jewish woman behind Shakespeare and his canon. And how it might change our traditional image of Shylock and the original goal of "The Merchant of Venice." 6. The origins and lesser-known history of the Jews of Russia: understanding their true role in the Bolshevik Revolution. Includes research compiled for her book "Russian Dance." 7. The Incredible story of Doña Gracia Nasi: a 16th century Jewish woman banker and leader. Includes back story of how documents were found. 8. The Origins of Jewish Life in Europe and the birth of Ashkenaz. 9. The Ancient Origins of Merchant Jews and their impact upon our history. Also taught as a mini course: "On the Road with Jewish Merchants." 10. The Jews in the Renaissance: the background, personalities and their artistic achievements. Why we rarely hear about them. Also taught as a mini course. 11. Keeping a secret for 500 years: the Strange Story of the Conversos and how it r resonates even today. Also taught as a mini course. 12. Were there really Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean? Background and understanding. 13. The (real) history of the Jewish doctor. 14. How DNA studies and genealogical research is affecting our understanding of Jewish history and ourselves. 15. Magic, merchants and miracles: the 2,000-year history of the Jews of Morocco. 16. The hidden history of the Jews of China. 17. Our Past, Ourselves. The real story of the early 20th century mass Jewish immigration into America and their impact upon our attitudes today. 18. Jewish Women through the ages: five-part mini course looks at women from ancient Alexandria through to the revolutionaries of the early 20th centuries. 19. Bad Boy of the Jewish World: a new look at the life of Baruch Spinoza, the excommunicated Dutch philosopher. 20. ... and for teachers, school counselors, parents and grandparents: Raising the Over-Privileged Child; based upon her award-winning book/workbooks "Children of Fast Track Parents." A one-hour Emmy-nominated documentary, based upon the book, is also available for showing. Ask author for details. LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH BOOK? |
|
