Winner of the 2005 Drue Heinz Literature Prize
Between Camelots is about the struggle to forge relationships and the spaces that are left when that effort falls short. In the title story, a man at a backyard barbecue waits for a blind date who never shows up. He meets a stranger who advises him to give up the fight; to walk away from intimacy altogether and stop getting hurt. The wisdom—or foolhardiness—of that approach is at the heart of each of these stories. In “I’ll Be Home,” a young man who has converted to Judaism goes home for Christmas in Miami, and finds that his desire to connect to his parents conflicts with his need to move on. “The Movements of the Body” introduces us to a woman who believes that she can control the disintegration of her life through a carefully measured balance of whiskey and mouthwash. These are stories about loss and fear, but also about the courage that drives us all to continue to reach out to the people around us.

Between Camelots (Drue Heinz Literature Prize, 17)

Literature & Fiction

Ebenbach, David Harris

United States

University of Pittsburgh Press

For the very real people in David Ebenbach’s vivid and emotional stories,” says author Jesse Lee Kercheval, “becoming a parent—as Judith, the single mother in four of the stories, says—is going ‘into the wilderness.’” The collection Into the Wilderness explores the theme of parenthood from many angles: an eager-to-connect divorced father takes his kids to a Jewish-themed baseball game; a lesbian couple tries to decide whether their toddler son needs a man in his life; one young couple debates the idea of parenthood while another struggles with infertility; a reserved father uses an all-you-can-eat buffet to comfort his heartbroken son. But the backbone of the collection is Judith, who we follow through her challenging first weeks of motherhood, culminating in an intense and redemptive baby-naming ceremony. Says author Joan Leegant, “Ebenbach takes us deep into the heart of the messy confusion and terror and unfathomable love that make up that shaky state we call parenthood. These stories are fearless, honest and true.

Into the Wilderness: Parenting Stories

Short Stories & Anthologies

Washington Writers' Publishing House

The Artist's Torah

The Artist's Torah is an uplifting and down-to-earth guide to the creative process, wide open to longtime artists and first-time dabblers, to people of every religious background--or none--and to every creative medium. In this book, you'll find a yearlong cycle of weekly meditations on a life lived artistically, grounded in ancient Jewish wisdom and the wisdom of artists, composers, writers, and choreographers from the past and present. You'll explore the nature of the creative process--how it begins, what it's for, what it asks of you, how you work your way to truth and meaning, what you do when you get blocked, what you do when you're done--and encounter questions that will help you apply the meditations to your own life and work. Above all, The Artist's Torah teaches us that creativity is a natural and important part of the human spirit, a bright spark that, week after week, this book will brighten. ""This original, eloquent, clear, and practical book is a commentary, a memoir, and a how-to manual for the aspiring artist; it is a motivational treatise and a treasury of sage quotations."" --Lori Lefkovitz, Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of English, Northeastern University ""The Talmud notes that the Torah is a 'shira,' a song or a poem--artistic, crafted, deliberate, and beautiful. David Harris Ebenbach opens our eyes and exposes our hearts to the artfulness of Torah hiding in plain view. The Torah that emerges from his gentle reading rewards the reader with deep wisdom and exquisite beauty."" --Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Vice President, American Jewish University ""Ebenbach is a learned interpreter of the Bible, steeped in the literature of both traditional Jewish interpretation and the musings on the artistic process from self-reflective artists. His insightful readings of Scripture are profound and moving, spurring his readers both to align themselves with creative forces and to regard biblical texts in fresh and inspiring ways."" --Rabbi Jacob J. Staub, Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Spirituality, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College David Ebenbach is the author of two collections of short fiction: Between Camelots (2005) and Into the Wilderness (2012). He has won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize; fellowships to the MacDowell Artist Colony, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and the Vermont Studio Center; and an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council. Ebenbach teaches creative writing at Georgetown University.

Religion & Spirituality

Wipf and Stock

The Artist's Torah is an uplifting and down-to-earth guide to the creative process, wide open to longtime artists and first-time dabblers, to people of every religious background-or none-and to every creative medium. In this book, you'll find a yearlong cycle of weekly meditations on a life lived artistically, grounded in ancient Jewish wisdom and the wisdom of artists, composers, writers, and choreographers from the past and present. You'll explore the nature of the creative process-how it begins, what it's for, what it asks of you, how you work your way to truth and meaning, what you do when you get blocked, what you do when you're done-and encounter questions that will help you apply the meditations to your own life and work. Above all, The Artist's Torah teaches us that creativity is a natural and important part of the human spirit, a bright spark that, week after week, this book will brighten.

Christian Books & Bibles

Cascade Books

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ebenbach, David Harris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Ebenbach, David Harris

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ebenbach, David Harris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Between Camelots (Drue Heinz Literature Prize, 17)

Into the Wilderness: Parenting Stories

The Artist's Torah

The Artist's Torah