The recently published book by Racine native and Madison resident musician and scholar Ben Sidran, “There Was a Fire: Jews, Music, and the American Dream,” was named a finalist by the Jewish Book Council in the 2012 National Jewish Book Awards in the category of Modern Jewish Thought and Experience.
The book explores how American Jews created much of American musical culture, not just by writing and performing music, but through the publishing, recording, and film industries as well.
The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle reviewed the book in the April 2012 issue.
In addition, Joy Ladin’s memoir “Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey Between Genders,” which is published by the University of Wisconsin Press, also was a finalist in the category Biography-Autobiography-Memoir.
The book council announced the awards on Jan. 15.
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