A delicious little novel starring the lovably quirky Eliza Naumann, who teaches us about family, spirituality, and her own realization that she is far from ordinary.

Publishers Review:
"Eliza Naumann, a seemingly unremarkable nine-year-old, expects never to fit into her gifted family: her autodidact father, Saul, absorbed in his study of Jewish mysticism; her brother, Aaron, the vessel of his father's spiritual ambitions; and her brilliant but distant lawyer-mom, Miriam. But when Eliza sweeps her school and district spelling bees in quick succession, Saul takes it as a sign that she is destined for greatness. In this altered reality, Saul inducts her into his hallowed study and lavishes upon her the attention previously reserved for Aaron, who in his displacement embarks upon a lone quest for spiritual fulfillment. When Miriam's secret life triggers a familial explosion, it is Eliza who must order the chaos.

Myla Goldberg's keen eye for detail brings Eliza's journey to three-dimensional life. As she rises from classroom obscurity to the blinding lights and outsized expectations of the National Bee, Eliza's small pains and large joys are finely wrought and deeply felt.

Not merely a coming-of-age story, Goldberg's first novel delicately examines the unraveling fabric of one family. The outcome of this tale is as startling and unconventional as her prose, which wields its metaphors sharply and rings with maturity. The work of a lyrical and gifted storyteller, Bee Season marks the arrival of an extraordinarily talented new writer."

I decided this little treasure of a book should make a journey, and be shared with others...so off on a bookray it goes!

This bookray is always open for new members; Just PM me if you are interested in being added to the end of the list.

When you are almost finished with the book, please PM the next person in line for their address. Hope you all enjoy the book!

Bookray order: JOIN US!
1) fio-dagua-- Portugal
2) tho-- Portugal
3) talkland-- UK
4) Robbiesmum-- UK
5) Hawkette--Australia
6) CrazyPooka-- Oregon (not responding)
7) curtangel-- Oklahoma
8) mellion108--Michigan **
9) nyisutter--Missouri
10) senorag--Mississippi
11) sejent--Kentucky
12) kalipriestess-- Florida
13) weeblet-- Virginia
14) bkwrm23--New Jersey
15) schmetterling-- North Carolina
16) prplpec-- Georgia

Arrived today! =)
First, I have to finish another ray book, but as soon as I can, I'll start reading it.
Thanks MarthaMinx!


It's already on its way to Tho!
I was surprised by this book.
When I begun the reading I didn't expect to find this interesting look over words.
Even if we know the powerfull effect words can have on us, we're not used to look at them as "living" and whole beings.
It was also interesting to discover more about the mistiscism of the jewish culture.

Received it yesterday in the mail !!! I have a few other rings/rays ahead of this one, but I'm a fast reader so I hope to give more news soon :-)

What a sad, sad story ... I read it all at once, since I couldn't wait to know what happened with Eliza and her family, but the ending didn't quite satisfy me ... But it was funny to read about the spelling bee competitions (maybe because we don't have those here ..) and to follow Eliza's thoughts and feelings during those nerve-wrecking events and also in her everyday life ...

Will be going to talkland as soon as I have the address.

I thought the book looked a little battered when I opened the envelope this morning, but it is the design of the book cover! Well, it was early.

Eliza is a nine year old girl who discovers a talent for spelling. As she progresses from classroom, school, state and then on to national level competitions her father increasing see her as a vessel to experiment with to prove his Jewish mysticism studies. As the father focuses more and more on moulding Eliza, the rest of the family grow ever further away. Aaron his son explores other religions, his wife's behaviour gets more and more strange...

Each one of the family is searching for self and God, and Saul [the father] is the unwitting catalyst for the rest of the family's spiritual journeys and in the end they all travel away from him. This is a strange and haunting book, sad but strangely uplifting too. I believe the ending of the novel is the start for Saul's own spiritual journey.

Released on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at the post office in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, in Controlled Releases.

What a great cover! Squinting through runny eyes and a pre-Christmas cold I thought like Talkland, battered cover. But it's great! This cheered me up as I'm just getting over a terrible cold and got behind with my reading. Please be patient as I'll do my best to catch up on Rings and Rays over Christmas.

This was a great read to bring me into 2004. A very sad story - I actually thought it was going to be positive, but I felt sad through each person's quest to find themselves. My mum always said you don't know someone till you live with them, but this book proves the opposite. This family didn't communicate, and barely knew each other. I felt most sorry for Miriam - wouldn't that scene in the store room be amazing on film? Saul was the catalyst to the sadness and obsessions of the others....or were they inherited from Miriam and Saul? I think so. Aaron's search for a new religion was interesting, not patronising, but we were learning as he was.

And Eliza was a fascinating character as the main one, leading us through her spelling bees, and devouring Hebrew words. But like others, I still wasn't satisfied by the ending. I think she would still crave the praise with success.

Has arrived in Melbourne. Looks like a good read. Will join my TBR pile...

A strange little story - about family dyfunction and muted communication, and about striving to met your parents' expectations - and the misfits that result from these!! With the quest to find God mixed in too!
I liked the beginning a lot, but then some parts from there found my mind wondering elsewhere.

Am sending a second PM to the next person on the list now...

Since this book seems to be stuck somewhere out there, I've started another ring with a new copy of the book...PM me is you are interested and not already on the list :)