books The IN offers a sneak I Lynne Konstantin peek ts always dangerous search for an to old flame you quite got never Shapiro's cent over. But what if you find him and he doesn't remember newest novel. This is the Shapiro's - you? premise of Susan newest Unhooked, Five Men Who Broke co-author of The Bosnia List, grew up in West Zedek in Southfield before head- ing to the big city, where she writes for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and pointed to Susan an Shapiro will Author Dinner 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at Temple Israel, West Bloomfield. $18/includes dinner and wine. (248) 661-5700; temple-israel. org. She also will lead a Secrets of Publishing Panel 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Barnes & Noble, West Bloomfield. The event Is free; donations benefit the scholarship fund at Shapiro's alma mater, the Roeper School in Bloomfield Hills. (248) 626-6804; bn.com. "This was just on "I didn't know you ing in:' City falls for her poetry, but study distinguished profes- order- "I didn't order this;' he said. "So who did?" Lila leaned box to show her the to arms. were atop, paid by turkey receipt taped "My from the classrooms and bed- Lila's cheeks and neck became of Greenwich Village, sent Vermont and Tel Aviv. "I called the deli. They said Although, says Shapiro, 54, the story is really a semi -autobio- your mother phoned in the order. They usually don't take graphical look at "a nice Jewish, Midwestern girl whose Jewish credit cards from out -of- towners, mother sends her too much food in New York:' Below, an from What's Never Said. excerpt but she convinced the - owner that her poor daughter and her poet in Yiddish! suffering a hundred . - friends would starve without her "It's past. lip. weight since I've been just food:' She was defen- sive. Or never was it hurt? Damn, he meant to hurt her Lerner women were bringing out Jewish guilt. "You don't find his it odd? I mean, if your mother is so omnipresent in your life, how you ever going to get close to are a man?" "I've been close to lots of guys who aren't threatened by my mom. She's an over-feeder. the presses;' Lila raised her voice. "She grew up a poor orphan, she lost her husband. I write about it She misses enough:' all the time. You told already defrosted my turkey;' he said. feelings. Now he felt mortified. These Stop most me. me she's my vivid character:' Daniel felt as if Hannah Lerner "What's wrong with having two birds?" Lila tried, clearly not had sprung from Lila's poems to crash his holiday party. He liked getting it. her better "I the hoping cooking;' he explained. "Okay, I'll bring Mom's to the to was serve one I'm crimson. per- passion did this?" here. She's worried I don't eat own you all this? Damn. All the way from Wisconsin:' spent this:' She bit her "But I the credit card She examined the bill. mom on "I've lost later, she arranges a meeting with him, and the story bounces rooms must have of Hannah Lerner. sor, 20 years her senior. Decades help kids and bucks He went to the monster for when he'd get published and Thanksgiving meal for a dozen people before. "Oh, I know what happened. I told Mom I was freaking out about the cooking dinner part, afraid I'd look stupid:' Lila smiled sheepishly. "Ieez. She the Lower East Side:' He crossed his reclaim his floor. homemade brownies, wine. But nobody had sent him a kosher delivered from Ben's Kosher Deli trying to from your internships, his star stu- dents and their grateful parents sent him gifts: a knitted scarf, jobs toes, challah and three fruit pies. She looked at him confused. from Wisconsin to New on in his classes overtaking huge 20-pound cooked turkey, cranberry sauce, vegetables, stuffing, gravy, pota- against the cabinet. comes Daniel a Washington offering, heroine Lila Penn, a naive 20-year-old York tiles the food his counter: lls of party;' Lila said qui- etly, looking down at the parquet led Lila to his small kitchen and Post. In her newest speak at came over, Said. Susan after your Every year, When she In What's Never Shapiro (left) explores the "I guess she had it from when she sent you that thank-you note ing and she tells her mother: Bloomfield and had her confir- Congregation Shaarey it had to be delivered morning. If you didn't know about it, how did she get my name and address?" York to New moves novel, What's (Heliotrope Books), to be released Aug. 3. The award- winning Manhattan professor and New York Times bestselling author of 10 books, including mation at this for graduate school and develops a hopeless crush on her poetry professor Daniel Wildman. That all changes when he invites her to a Thanksgiving dinner he's throw- Never Said My Heart and food, that inno- an 20-year-old Jewish girlfrom Wisconsin, at author Susan Set up: Lila Lerner, Arts & Life Editor dorm:' She put her hands in her pockets. He wanted her to to take his side, understand, to see intrusive her mother was how was. She mangling his holiday plan. "Don't you find it bizarre that she IN on not to let his the page. He tried day be wrecked by the blonde Wisconsin ballabusta he'd never met. "You don't date students;' Lila said. "So why do you care so much who I get close to any- way?" Why did he? "When do you graduate again?" he asked her quietly. 0 July 30 • 2015 49