Jewish writers shut out by publishers are writing their own comeback

Detailed summary

Let my people write

Since Oct. 7, hundreds of Jewish writers discovered if they were slapped with the epithet of “Zionist” that their careers would be over. There was even a viral, vile campaign “Is your fav author a zionist?” meant to whip up antisemitism and boycotts akin to a modern-day book burning.

A free speech organization committed to protecting writers “at risk” and combating censorship and book bans erupted in scandal after it published a damning report that Jewish and Israeli writers faced “a range of threats and repercussions.” Its own president, who couldn’t align with a resounding opposition to cultural boycotts, resigned from PEN America in protest.

Jewish authors have been “review bombed” — had their books flooded with awful reviews — and been told to scrub Jewish characters and references to Israel.

The mob’s been missing the plot, and literary luminary Neil Blair — J.K. Rowling’s longtime agent — has had enough.

In October, Blair founded High Line Publishing Studio, whose aim is to support a diversity of voices and reject the groupthink that’s become so pervasive in the publishing industry.

“It’s really what publishing was always supposed to be — freedom of speech across the whole spectrum,” Blair, determined to rewrite the rules, told The Post. “It is a welcoming place for a number of categories of people, opinions and voices that unfortunately have been canceled right now” and includes “gender-critical” writers and those on the right and even the left.

“If we create a society where the only books that are being published perform to the point of view” of ideological zealots, said Blair, “it’s worse than sad. It’s dangerous.”

High Line will have two divisions: Odessa Editions, which will elevate Jewish and Israeli voices, and Antidote Books, a place for bold nonfiction writers.

Odessa editor Jacky Klein said she’s been “deluged” with hundreds of submissions — some from established authors who’ve lost their agent in the new climate.

Opening of the article, excerpted from New York Post. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.