Sue's Bookshelf: Charlotte Author Judy Goldman Releases Memoir

Charlotte Jewish News May 2022

By Sue Littauer

I remember sitting on the beach in Hilton Head in the early fall of 2018 reading an advance copy of “Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap” by Charlotte author Judy Goldman. I remember it distinctly because I could not put the book down. Judy Goldman’s compelling style brought me intimately into her world as the details of her story unfolded.

On May 5, the author’s most recent work, “Child: A Memoire” will be published and, once again, I was fortunate to receive an advance copy — and once again I was swept up in the author’s vivid recounting of her story. She was raised by Mattie, her family’s African American housekeeper in Rock Hill, South Carolina, during the 1940s. The author’s straightforward prose is filled with detailed descriptions and wide-eyed insights into the people around her. It is a fascinating memoir of the love between a child and her Black nanny during the Jim Crow era and a memoir of growing up Jewish during this time. We come to admire the author’s parents as she observes them standing up to bigotry and hatred and setting a moral standard for their family and their community. Because Mattie and the author’s mother viewed each other as best friends, it was no surprise that long after Judy Goldman’s parents had passed away, Judy and her siblings cared for Mattie and treated her as a beloved family member.

The bond between Judy Goldman and Mattie continued throughout their lives. Writing her memoir raised many questions for her. As the author vividly recalled the events and circumstances of her life, she realized she may not have understood them as they really were. It is this questioning that ties us to the author as she seeks to uncover the realities of the central relationships in this moving memoir.

Clearly Judy Goldman’s new book, “Child,” has captivated me, and I am eagerly awaiting the September meeting of the Center for Jewish Education Book Club when Judy Goldman will be our guest speaker. To learn how you can join us, please contact me at sueb.littauer@jewishcharlotte. org.

Judy Goldman is the author of seven books — three memoirs, two novels, and two collections of poetry. Her new book, Child: A Memoir, will be published May 5, 2022. “Child” was named a Must-Read Book in 2022 by Katie Couric Media.

Her memoir, “Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap,” was named a Best Book of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine and received a starred review from Library Journal.

Her work has appeared in “USA Today,” “The Washington Post,” “LitHub,” “Real Simple,” “The Southern Review,” “Kenyon Review,” “Gettysburg Review,” “Ohio Review,” “Prairie Schooner,” “Shenandoah,” and “Crazyhorse.” She has received numerous awards, including the Hobson Award for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters and the Fortner Writer and Community Award for “outstanding generosity to other writers and the larger community.”

Our next CJE Book Club meets on Wednesday, May 11 at 10:30 a.m., Main Street, Shalom Park. The book is “Eternal” by Lisa Scottoline. For more information, please contact Sue Littauer at sueb.littauer@jewishcharlotte.org.

CJE Jewish Book Festival Encore Event: June 2, 7 p.m. with Lisa Scottoline. For information and to register, visit www.jewishcharlotte.org.