Diana Bletter

A Remarkable Kindness: A Novel Diana Bletter

Brief Description: Through a largely hidden ceremony four friends discover the true meaning of life. It's 2006 in a seaside village in Israel, where a war is brewing. Lauren, Emily, Aviva and Rachel, four memorable women from different backgrounds, are drawn to the village. Lauren, a maternity nurse, loves her Israeli doctor husband but struggles to make a home for herself in a foreign land miles away from her beloved Boston. Seeking a fresh start after divorce, her vivacious friend Emily follows. Strong, sensuous Aviva, brought to Israel years earlier by intelligence work, has raised a family and now lost a son. And Rachel, a beautiful, idealistic college graduate from Wyoming, arrives with her hopeful dreams. The women forge a friendship that sustains them as they come to terms with love and loss, and the outbreak of war. Their intimate bond is strengthened by their participation in a traditional ritual that closes the circle of life. As their lives are slowly transformed, each finds unexpected strength and resilience. Brimming with wisdom, rich in meaningful insights, A Remarkable Kindness is a moving testament to women s friendship, illuminating a mostly unknown ritual that underscores what it means to truly be alive."Review Quotes: Bletter brings this quartet of complex, gutsy, smart, passionate women to life with rare delicacy and depth . . . Loss and endings are part of this novel s rich fabric. Gracefully written scenes . . . such respect and tenderness. --Janice Steinberg, author of "The Tin Horse""Review Quotes: "Bletter brings this quartet of complex, gutsy, smart, passionate women to life with rare delicacy and depth . . . Loss and endings are part of this novel's rich fabric. Gracefully written scenes . . . such respect and tenderness. "--Janice Steinberg, author of "The Tin Horse"Review Quotes: In this tightly woven tale, where war and loss hover over four American women living in Israel, love blooms between friends and lovers, and Bletter s reverent rendering of the Jewish burial rituals implores us to grab hold of life. --Michelle Brafman, author of "Washing the Dead""Publisher Marketing: Through a largely hidden ceremony . . . four friends discover the true meaning of lifeIt's 2006 in a seaside village in Israel, where a war is brewing. Lauren, Emily, Aviva and Rachel, four memorable women from different backgrounds, are drawn to the village. Lauren, a maternity nurse, loves her Israeli doctor husband but struggles to make a home for herself in a foreign land thousands of miles away from her beloved Boston. Seeking a fresh start after a divorce, her vivacious friend Emily follows. Strong, sensuous Aviva, brought to Israel years earlier by intelligence work, has raised a family and now lost a son. And Rachel, a beautiful, idealistic college graduate from Wyoming, arrives with her hopeful dreams. The women forge a friendship that sustains them as they come to terms with love and loss, and the outbreak of war. Their intimate bond is strengthened by their participation in a traditional ritual that closes the circle of life. As their lives are slowly transformed, each finds unexpected strength and resilience. Brimming with wisdom, rich in meaningful insights, A Remarkable Kindness is a moving testament to women's friendship, illuminating a mostly unknown ritual that underscores what it means to truly be alive. Review Citations:

Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2015 (EAN 9780062382443, Paperback)

Romantic Times 08/01/2015 pg. 36 (EAN 9780062382443, Paperback)

Contributor Bio:  Bletter, Diana Diana Bletter is a writer whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Commentary. Her first book, The Invisible Thread: A Portrait of Jewish American Women, with photographs by Lori Grinker, was shortlisted for a National Jewish Book Award. In 1991, she moved from New York to a seaside village in northern Israel where she lives with her husband and children, and volunteers in a burial circle.