Bess Kalb
Bess Kalb’s Jewish Grandma Is Her Muse
As I read Bess Kalb’s debut, Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, I sat on my couch, crying. Subtitled “A true (as told to me) story,” the book is told from the perspective of Bess’s beloved grandmother, Bobby, who passed away at age 90. As I wrote in Alma’s spring books preview, “I have never read anything that feels truer to my experience of having a Jewish grandmother.”
As I sat crying on my couch, I was filled with so much love for my grandparents and my mom and Jewish families and Bess’s story and Bess’s grandma Bobby that I didn’t know what to do with myself. Actually: I knew what to do. I put the book down and called my grandma. I told her about the book I had just read, about how much the story reminded me of her, and how much I love her. We talked about the book, where she was (Arizona; it was too hot, she was coming back early), and about other books we’d read recently (she had taken my recommendation and read Girl, Woman, Other and loved it). We hung up, and I promptly called my mom to have a similar converation.
Like a totally normal person and competent interviewer, when I finally got the chance to chat with Bess Kalb, I opened by telling her, “I loved it just so much. I cried. I called my grandma, I called my mom, it is truly one of my favorite books I’ve read in a really long time. So I just wanted to say that before we get started.” Bess, kindly, responded, “That’s exactly why I wrote it. So if it results in more grandmas being called, then that’s her entire mission — and my entire mission.”
With Bobby’s mission out of the way, we talked about Bess’s debut, the challenges (and comforts) of writing about her grandmother, and how she is now channeling Bobby as a new mom.
