Mordecai Richler meets Jane Austen in The Book of Faith. Faith, Rhoda, and Erica, affectionately known the Three Graces, are members of a liberal Jewish congregation in contemporary Montreal. Rabbi Nate wants a grand new synagogue; Marty, the congregation's treasurer, harbours a raunchy secret; and Melly is a hard-nosed Holocaust survivor with an agenda. Award-winning author Elaine Kalman Naves's debut novel is a delicious send-up of synagogue politics. It is also a paean to friendship.

Elaine Kalman Naves was born in Hungary, and grew up in Budapest, London, and Montreal. She was for many years literary columnist for The Gazette in Montreal, and is the author of seven previous books, among them the award-winning memoirs Journey to Vaja (McGill Queens) and Shoshanna’s Story (McClelland & Stewart). Elaine's honours include a Canadian Literary Award for Personal Essay, two Quebec Writers' Federation prizes for non-fiction, and two Canadian Jewish Book Awards for Holocaust Literature. Elaine has been a frequent contributor to Ideas on CBC Radio and lectures widely at colleges, universities, and book clubs. She lives In Montreal.

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"In The Book of Faith, Elaine Kalman Naves is as wise about 21st century synagogue intrigues and middle-age romances as Jane Austen was about early 19th century English drawing rooms. In fact, if Austen were around today — and Jewish, of course — I'm betting this is the kind of novel she'd be writing. Kalman Naves's story of love and loss, female friendship and hard-earned resilience is fast-paced, heartfelt and sharply observant. The Book of Faith is a serious delight.? -- Joel Yanofsky, author of Bad Animals and Mordecai & Me.