The Sami Rohr Prize in Fiction is one of the biggest awards in the Jewish literary world, given by the Jewish Book Council each year, alternating years between fiction and poetry. The five finalists were just announced:

* Allison Amend – Stations West (Louisiana State University Press)
* Nadia Kalman- The Cosmopolitans (Livingston Press)
* Julie Orringer—The Invisible Bridge (Knopf)
* Austin Ratner – The Jump Artist (Bellevue Literary Press)
* Joseph Skibell –A Curable Romantic (Algonquin Books)

In addition to being psyched because we’re that into literature, and because there’s so much quality Jewish fiction being produced these days, we’re also proud that three of those finalists have been MJL readers’ picks! Allison Amend was a guest-blogger for us when Stations West was released.
The Invisible Bridge
was one of our favorite summer reads. And Joseph Skibell, a professor of literature who also plays a mean ukulele, was one of the first Jewniverse picks with his novel A Curable Romantic.

So thanks for inspiring us! And, if you’re curious about what the next books to hit big will be…well, not to toot our own horns, but keep reading MyJewishLearning.com and you’ll find a few.