“... the idea of oneness in human experience is a deeply spiritual concept.”  Vanessa Paloma

In The Mountain, the Desert and the Pomegranate Vanessa Paloma looks at the mysteries and complexities of life on multiple levels. Life is not simple physical observation, but spirituality and felt perceptions influence what we see, hear, and do. From coyotes that join in a chorus backing up the soprano singing in the desert to the pomegranate and the Berbers who live in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and geckos that live in towers in Casablanca, life is full of mysteries. Paloma explores that promise in life.

Vanessa Paloma, performer, writer, lecturer on Moroccan life, is a specialist on Judeo-Spanish traditions and music. She is a Research Associate of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Brandeis University, a former Senior Fulbright Research Scholar, and an award winner of the American Institute for Magrebi Studies. Paloma currently lives in Casablanca.

Referring to Ms. Paloma’s work, The National newspaper of Abu Dhabi, says, “The very act of exploring a common tradition binding Jews, Muslims and other groups in Morocco is an expression of cultural unity often lacking in political discourse.”

 

Review

Association of Jewish Libraries. Reviews. May/June, 2012. Page 53

Paloma, Vanessa. The Mountain the Desert and the Pomegranate: Stories from Morocco and Beyond. Santa Fe, NM: Gaon Books (Kol Bat Series, Voices of Jewish Women, v. 11), 2011. 88 pp. $21.95 cloth; $14.00 pbk. (9781935604167; 978-1935604037).
An interesting small collection of stories based on the life and experiences of the author, a professional singer, researcher, and specialist in Sephardic traditions and music, who lives in Casablanca. The stories are about multiple universes and perceptions, about paradox. They are short, and hold the interest of the reader. The book includes striking black and white illustrations, digital photographs, which enrich the text. There is also a glossary, and a listing of titles in the Kol Bat series. The book was published in collaboration with the Gaon Institute, an organization that supports tolerance through literacy. It is recommended for school, academic and public library collections, as well as temple and synagogue libraries.
Susan Freiband, Retired Library Educator, Arlington, VA

 

 

Award Winning Writing

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