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Two books, two realities: How October 7 transformed Lihi Lapid's American book tour
Israeli author Lihi Lapid's experience publishing two books in the US highlights the shift in Jewish-American relations after October 7. Her first book faced rejection from Manhattan bookstores, while her second, published by a small Jewish press, became a bestseller, illustrating the changing cultural landscape.
Israeli novelist and journalist Lihi Lapid's journey through the American publishing world over the past two years has become a personal lens into a broader cultural shift. In an essay published by The Jerusalem Post and in a podcast interview with The Jerusalem Report's editor-in-chief Ruth Marks Eglash, Lapid recounts how her two books, both launched into the American market, landed in starkly different realities—one met with silence, the other with success.
Coverage comparison
The Jerusalem Post, which published both the essay and the podcast transcript, framed Lapid's story as both a professional and personal milestone and a window into what she describes as a "tectonic shift" in the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora. The coverage emphasizes the role of anti-Zionism and antisemitism in shaping the reception of Israeli authors in the US, while also highlighting the resilience of Jewish cultural institutions in response.
Key claims
Lapid signed with HarperCollins for her debut novel,On Her Own, which was being translated into English and was set to launch in Manhattan in May 2024. The novel, a family story about an aging mother grieving her son lost in the army decades earlier, contains no politics, according to Lapid.
Despite the support of a major international publisher, HarperCollins searched for three months and could not find a single Manhattan bookstore willing to host Lapid's launch event. One store offered to let her sign copies in a back storage room, which she described as "quiet" and "horrible."
Lapid's second book,I Wanted To Be Wonderful, was picked up by a small Jewish publishing house run by Zibby Owens, retitled from her earlier work, and rushed to print. Within a week, it became a bestseller, per Lapid's account.
Lapid described daily petitions calling for Israeli books to be pulled from translation and Israeli films removed from festivals, even when the authors were vocal critics of the Israeli government.
Lapid expressed a belief that shared culture, particularly through literature and storytelling, can bridge the gap between Israel and the Diaspora.
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Claim
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ClaimLihi Lapid signed with HarperCollins for her debut novel, On Her Own, which was being translated into English and set to launch in Manhattan in May 2024.