Holocaust novel Delicate finds its American audience after years of rejections from publishers

Ron Segal, an author with a personal connection to the Holocaust, faced numerous rejections from American publishers before his novel, Delicate, found a home. Originally written in Hebrew and published in Israel in 2010, the book was translated into German and gained popularity there. Segal was unable to secure an American publisher for an English translation, but recently, the Jewish Book Council facilitated a connection between Segal and Ayin Press.

Delicate, translated into English by Philip Simpson, is set to be released to JBC readers through their book club, Nu Reads, on September 22, with a wider publication planned for 2027. The novel is inspired by Holocaust testimonies and is narrated by a survivor whose memories blur the line between fact and fiction. Segal's decision to write about the Holocaust was not deterred by the lack of a built-in audience, but rather, he was inspired by the urgent need to preserve these stories.

Segal acknowledges the challenge of telling Holocaust stories when the original storytellers are fading away, stating, "[Emotional truth] is another layer of remembrance, an attempt to capture what a historical experience felt like when facts alone cannot convey its emotional reality." The emotional reality of the Holocaust in the US differs from that in Israel, as Americans are more likely to view it as "old news" and Jewish victimhood as no longer central to the narrative.

The "emotional reality" of the Holocaust in the US may explain why American publishers were hesitant to embrace Segal's work for so long. However, Segal remains undeterred, believing that Delicate has reached American readers at the right time – as the country grapples with a surge in antisemitism. Delicate marks the sixth book chosen for the Nu Reads book club, a subscription service that aims to share Jewish books with an audience eager for them, despite the American publishing industry's less-than-supportive environment.

Jewish Book Council CEO Naomi Firestone-Teeter chose Delicate for its unique exploration of passing down Jewish stories and history. She describes the book as pushing readers to think differently about memory, storytelling, and Holocaust remembrance, praising its nuances and perspective that make it uniquely powerful. JBC is proud to have played a role in bringing Delicate to English readers, ensuring that this important story continues to be told.