Jimmy Kimmel Live Writer to Discuss New Novel at Special Zoom Event at The Braid

Emmy-nominated TV writer Bess Kalb saved every voicemail her grandmother Bobby Bell ever left her. Then, at ninety, Bobby died. She lives on in Kalb's critically acclaimed debut novel, Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (As Told to Me) Story, where Bobby is speaking to Bess once more, in a voice as passionate as it ever was in life.

On Sunday, November 8, at 11:00 am PST, 2:00 pm EST, Kalb will share what possessed her to write a book in her late grandmother's voice. This is the first event since Jewish Women's Theatre officially changed its name to The Braid, to better reflect its wide-ranging, diverse offerings of theatre, art, cultural, and educational events.

Novelist Susan Orlean describes Kalb's book as "Tender, funny, fresh and unconventional. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me manages to make something new and wonderful out of a family memoir. Kalb has a light, lovely touch and a big heart, which combine to make this book irresistible."

Recounting both family lore and a few secrets, Kalb's grandmother Bobby brings readers four generations of indomitable women and the men who loved them. There's Bobby's mother, who traveled solo from Belarus to America in the 1880s to escape the pogroms, and Bess's mother, a 1970s rebel who always fought against convention.

Then there's Bess, who grew up in New York, then relocated to the rough-and-tumble world of L.A. television. Her grandma Bobby was with her all the way - she was the light of Bess's childhood and her fiercest supporter, giving Bess unequivocal love, even if sometimes of the toughest kind.

In Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, Bobby reminds Bess of the experiences they shared, and she delivers - in phone calls, texts, and unforgettable heart-to-hearts brought vividly to the page - her signature wisdom:

If the earth is cracking behind you, you put one foot in front of the other.
Never. Buy. Fake. Anything.
I swear on your life every word of this is true.

With humor and poignancy, Kalb provides proof of the special bond that can skip a generation and endure beyond death. A reviewer called the book "a feat of extraordinary ventriloquism and imagination by a remarkably talented writer." Novelist Jodi Picoult said of Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, "I have not been as profoundly moved by a book in years."

"When I heard Bess Kalb speak at a book event recently, I knew our audience would love her and her grandmother Bobby," said Ronda Spinak, artistic director of The Braid/Jewish Women's Theatre.

Author and Braid writer Lisa Rosenbaum, who will be moderating the conversation with Kalb, added, "I was so delighted by Bess Kalb's concept for this book - that her bond with her grandmother was so strong she was able to write their story in her grandmother's voice, with all its humor and deep wisdom. It is truly a love story between a grandmother and her granddaughter, enriched by its deeply researched family history."

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A Conversation with Author Bess Kalb is free to attend, but The Braid/JWT hopes viewers will consider choosing a virtual ticket from its website. For the link to register and more information on how to use Zoom, visit: www.jewishwomenstheatre.org/zoom.

The Braid/Jewish Women's Theatre is the 2020 winner of The Argonaut's Best of the Westside's "Best Live Theatre Award" and The Santa Monica Daily Press award for "Most Loved" performance venue. The Braid/JWT presents inspiring Jewish stories, art, and other programming that highlight Jewish contributions to contemporary life. Now in its 13th (bat mitzvah) season, The Braid/JWT's salon theatre of original dramatic shows, each written to a specific theme, displays the diverse and eclectic community of writers, artists, and creators who celebrate Jewish life, one story at a time. Learn more about The Braid/JWT at: www.jewishwomenstheatre.org.

For virtual tickets to Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A Conversation with Author Bess Kalb, visit: www.jewishwomenstheatre.org/zoom.

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