Book Discussion: Kantika by Elizabeth Graver

From Constantinople to Barcelona, Havana, and New York, Kantika sings of the joys, hopes, and devastation experienced by twentieth-century Sephardi emigres. Rebecca Cohen’s odyssey begins amid a settled, privileged childhood embraced by generations of well-to-do Ladino speakers. It quickly devolves through loss of home, a tragic marriage, and decrease of family cohesion. Rebecca’s indomitable resilience, good sense, and traditional values propel her across international boundaries and expectations as she becomes a thoroughly original American.

One Bay One Book is a year-long conversation connecting Bay Area readers through discussions and events centered around a single title and its themes.