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If All the Seas Were Ink
If All the Seas Were Ink: A Memoir | Ilana Kurshan
9 posts | 5 read | 15 to read
At the age of 27, alone in Jerusalem in the wake of a painful divorce, Ilana Kurshan joined the worlds largest book club, learning daf yomi, Hebrew for daily page" of the Talmud, a book of rabbinic teachings spanning about 600 years and the basis for all codes of Jewish law. A runner, a reader and a romantic, Kurshan adapted to its pace, attuned her ear to its poetry, and discovered her passions in its pages. She brought the Talmud with her wherever she went, studying in airplanes, supermarket lines, and over a plate of pasta at home, careful not to drip tomato sauce upon discussions about the sprinkling of blood on the Temple altar. By the time she completed the Talmud after seven and a half years, Kurshan was remarried with three young children. With each pregnancy, her Talmud sat perched atop her growing belly. This memoir is a tale of heartache and humor, of love and loss, of marriage and motherhood, and of learning to put one foot in front of the other by turning page after page. Kurshan takes us on a deeply accessible and personal guided tour of the Talmud, shedding new light on its stories and offering insights into its argumentsboth for those already familiar with the text and for those who have never encountered it. For people of the bookboth Jewish and non-JewishIf All the Seas Were Ink is a celebration of learningthrough literaturehow to fall in love once again.
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Insightsintobooks
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One of my favorite books!!!!

#kindledeals #kindledeal #ebooksale

Lchnessmnstr I had credits that were about to expire, thanks for the recommendation! 4y
Insightsintobooks @Lchnessmnstr you're welcome. 4y
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Anna40
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Mehso-so

The author connects her personal stories with Talmud tractates. She is certainly a brilliant scholar and accomplished writer but this book is neither a memoir nor a book about the Talmud. Often superficial, a bit dull. An unpopular opinion but this book was not for me.

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Anna40

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/9-things-to-know-about-the-daf-yomi-dai...

@Izai.Amorim : Daf Yomi cycle starts today if you want to sign up!

Izai.Amorim I tried it many years ago but it was - timewise - too much of a good thing... I hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year, by the way! 5y
Anna40 @Izai.Amorim am realistic. I signed up, but 7 years every day? I sometimes can't find the time for the weekly Torah portion so don't think it'll work for me. But I did order the tagged memoir- author read the Talmud every day and writes about it in her book. Happy 2020 to you too 5y
4 likes2 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
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This book was waiting for me when I got home from my trip! I can‘t wait to read it!! #bookmail #TBR

Cinfhen I‘ll be really curious to hear your thoughts! You must be happy to be back with the kiddies 😁How‘s the car??? 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen Kids are great! 💗💗 The car is fine (probably will need som body work eventually) thankfully so we‘ll see what insurance says. Jet lag is the worst! But at least we‘re getting some Shabbos cooking done!😁 6y
Cinfhen Thank God for the big and little things ❣️❣️❣️Shabbat Shalom 😘😘😘 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen Yes! 💞Shabbat Shalom!!✨✨ 6y
72 likes4 comments
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razmanda
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Is there anything better than #bookmail and #pjlibrary?! Especially when it‘s a book for me?

Insightsintobooks I love that book, I almost selected that one, but figured I already have the ebook format. 6y
23 likes1 comment
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Cinfhen
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Pickpick

After several weeks I've finally finished this deeply profound memoir. Ilana Kurshan is brilliant; a true scholar and lover of literature, language and learning. I was often overwhelmed by her prose and train of thought as her mind works at a much higher level than mine🙄If your interested in an introspective memoir from a genuine humble genius; read this. PS: Author will be at #JCoB on March 11, NYC 🤗❤️

Cathythoughts Lovely review ❤️& flowers 💓 (edited) 7y
ElishaLovesBooks This sounds great! I really want to read it! Thanks for tagging me and letting me know your thoughts!💕 Have a good Shabbos!🕯🕯 7y
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Mdargusch Beautiful review and flowers! 💕 7y
TrishB Lovely review. Those flowers are Friday to me now! 💜 7y
Mdargusch So true @TrishB . If @Cinfhen has flowers then it must be Friday. 7y
Reviewsbylola That sounds intimidating. 7y
DebinHawaii Pretty flowers! 💐My library has this on e-book but I wanted to see what you thought before I put in a request for it. 7y
Cinfhen It was intimidating @Reviewsbylola great adj...I'm not sure what to tell you @DebinHawaii I found it hard to grasp at times & I'm somewhat familiar with Judaism...she writes beautifully and honestly 7y
DebinHawaii @Cinfhen Yeah, it sounded interesting and when I looked on Litsy I saw you were reading it. I was afraid it might be a bit too much for me. 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 💕💕 7y
130 likes5 stack adds12 comments
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Cinfhen
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My ambitious #FebruaryTBR @Jess7 I‘m in the middle of four already, #Dunces is a group #buddyread with @emilyhaldi Snow Falling is for #BooktoScreen with @MinDea and Secret Scripture is a mini #buddyread with @TrishB & I‘m dying to read Tin Man already..... #ReadingResolutions

emilyhaldi Tin Man is great ❤️ and can't wait for #dunces! 👏🏻👏🏻 7y
TrishB I‘ll be ready anytime from Sunday? 7y
TrishB And Tin Man ❤️ 7y
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Cinfhen I can start on Sunday @TrishB even though I'm already in the middle of 4 books... #WhyNot 7y
Kalalalatja *chants* Tin Man! Tin Man! 🙌 7y
TrishB Cool 👍🏻 I‘m hoping to be at the Litsy meet up Saturday and didn‘t want to put that one in my bag and carry round all day! 7y
Cinfhen Really?!? Litsy meetup ❣️❣️❣️FUN @TrishB (edited) 7y
KarenUK More love for Tin Man.... 💕👍😊... hope we all haven‘t built it up too much!! 😬 (edited) 7y
Jess7 Red Clocks in on my Feb #TBR too !! 7y
ElishaLovesBooks I‘m curious to hear your thoughts about Dunces. . . I really disliked it. It‘s probably an #unpopularopinion but I didn‘t like the writing 🤷🏻‍♀️🙈 7y
Cinfhen I'm looking forward to Red Clocks @Jess7 I feel like it hasn't gotten too much #LitsyAttention which I'm happy about...I like going into a book without too much fanfare😊 7y
TrishB UK meet up in London tomorrow, things a bit difficult at home so will decide later! I know exactly what you mean about high expectations.....I feel sorry for the books! 7y
Cinfhen Sorry things are hectic at home @TrishB sending love💕 7y
Reviewsbylola Please please please love Dunces. 🤣🤣🤣 7y
Cinfhen I'm sweating over this one @Reviewsbylola 😨😨😨 7y
123 likes17 comments
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Cinfhen
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Finally got Sing back from my friend @TrishB Hope to mail it out with The Blinds this week...Super excited for the tagged book that my friend just loaned me...It‘s written by someone local,who happens to be a friend‘s SIL. I think you might find it interesting @ElishaLovesBooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful picture my friend ❤️😘 7y
Cinfhen Thanks, my friend 😘😘😘 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 7y
ElishaLovesBooks This looks so interesting!! I can‘t wait to hear what you think!! 7y
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amvs1111 I love that vase! 7y
Cinfhen Thanks so much @amvs1111 it‘s a favorite of mine 💕 7y
Cinfhen I‘ve never been interested in studying Talmud @ElishaLovesBooks but this memoir sounds fascinating. My hubby is on his fourth consecutive Daf Yomi cycle!!! Pretty impressive 7y
TrishB Yay 🎉🎉 yours will be in the post this week too , so you get the travelling book in time for February 💜 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen I feel the same about studying the Talmud- there are so many other things I need to learn😊. Wow- your husband should be very proud- amazing accomplishment!!!👏👏 7y
MiyakoBunny Pretty flowers 💐 7y
Cinfhen Thanks @MiyakoBunny 😁🌹🌺🌻 7y
MommyWantsToReadHerBook @Cinfhen this sounds fascinating. I love Chaim Potok's books and the way the Talmudic studies of the characters are described always give me a certain frisson... Somehow just different from the way we Christians study the Bible 7y
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 2! Just released. Ilana has written a memoir about learning through literature. She discusses her professional, spiritual, and personal growth while studying the Talmud. She doesn't aim to convert, only to explain the intellectual aspects of a faith. She takes us through the daf yomi, the world's largest book club, devoted to studying the Talmud over a 7-year period. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Cinfhen She's speaking in my community this weekend~ hope to hear her! 7y
HeatherBookNerd Love the cover 7y
BookBabe Cool cover! 7y
65 likes5 stack adds3 comments