Feeding Mrs. Moskowitz and the Caregiver - (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) by Barbara Pokras & Fran Pokras Yaris (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In this pair of moving, gracefully poignant novellas, sisters Pokras and Yariv explore the world of the elderly with deft humor and heart-wrenching detail. Pokras' Feeding Mrs. Moskowitz introduces us to the remarkable Golde Moskowitz, an elderly Russian widow living alone with her memories. In Golde's world, "signs" are everywhere, the dead converse with the living and dreams are real. Natalie Holtzman, a thirty-six-yearold graphic artist longing for connection, fills her world with work and with Artie, her commitment-wary boyfriend. One sweltering summer morning, Golde decides to do some grocery shopping. Natalie, on her way to work, quite literally "runs into" her and the lives of both women are forever changed.

Yariv's The Caregiver unfolds in a series of stories, revealing the inner workings of Sunset Hills, a fictional upscale assisted-living facility in Hollywood. Narrated by Ofelia Hernandez, a young Latina caregiver, the stories capture both the mundane routines and the absurdities of the residents' lives. With deep empathy and subtle humor, Yariv crafts intimate portraits of characters whose passion, intensity, and intelligence are only magnified with age.

Review Quotes

Caring for aging parents is one of the most common experiences sisters share, but few can transform their responsibility into bittersweet words of wisdom the way the Pokras sisters, Fran and Barbara, have done. This book, with its tender, funny, and revealing insights into the world of the elderly, is a must-read for every caretaker.-- "Carol Saline, author of the New York Times best seller Sisters"

The novellas are beautiful little parables which are not just meant for caregivers or for the children of the elderly, but for everyone.-- "New York Journal of Books"

About the Author

Barbara Pokras is an Emmy award winning film editor and a member of American Cinema Editors, Inc. and of the Motion Pictures Editors Guild. She taught in the Cinema Department of the University of Southern California. She lives in upstate New York.

Fran Pokras Yariv is the author of two screenplays and five novels, including Last Exit and Safe Haven. She was awarded a Writers Guild of America, East, Foundation Fellowship in screenwriting. She lives in Pasadena, California.