Arie Kaplan to speak at the RI Jewish Historical Association fall meeting

On Nov. 2 at 2 p.m., the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association will hold its fall meeting at Temple Sinai, Cranston. Author and international lecturer Arie Kaplan will speak on “Wizards of Wit: Jewish Comedy from Caesar to Seinfeld.”

Kaplan is an award-winning author.  Most notably, he is the author of the critically acclaimed nonfiction book “From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books” (Jewish Publication Society, 2008), which was named a Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books For Youth winner in 2009. It was also a 2008 finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, a 2009 Sophie Brody Honor Book (awarded by the American Library Association), and a 2009 National Best Books 2009 Awards Finalist (awarded by USA Book News).  Kaplan’s newest nonfiction book is “Saturday Night Live: Shaping TV Comedy and American Culture,” which was published by Lerner in September.

His literary career has taken him around the world on countless speaking engagements in order to promote and discuss his books, comics, cartoons and graphic novels. He’s an in-demand public speaker specializing in pop culture related subjects, and he’s lectured at such venues as the 92nd Street Y (New York City), the Skirball Cultural Center (Los Angeles), the Nevele Grand Resort (The Catskills), the Connecticut Historical Society, The Krakow Jewish Culture Festival (Krakow, Poland) and the Trondheim Jewish Cultural Festival (Trondheim, Norway).

The meeting is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

For more information, contact Anne Sherman at 401-331-1360 or rjhist@aol.com.