Our next book is titled Fagin the Thief: A Novel, written byy Allison Epstein.

Long before Oliver Twist stumbled onto the scene, Jacob Fagin was scratching out a life for himself in the dark alleys of nineteenth-century London. Born in the Jewish enclave of Stepney shortly after his father was executed as a thief, Jacob's whole world is his open-minded mother, Leah. But Jacob’s prospects are forever altered when a light-fingered pickpocket takes Jacob under his wing and teaches him a trade that pays far better than the neighborhood boys could possibly dream.

Striking out on his own, Jacob familiarizes himself with London's highest value neighborhoods while forging his own path in the shadows. But everything changes when he adopts an aspiring teenage thief named Bill Sikes, whose mercurial temper poses a danger to himself and anyone foolish enough to cross him. Along the way, Jacob’s found family expands to include his closest friend, Nancy, and his greatest protégé, the Artful Dodger. But as Bill’s ambition soars and a major robbery goes awry, Jacob is forced to decide what he really stands for— and what a life is worth.

Colorfully written and wickedly funny, Allison Epstein breathes fresh life into the teeming streets of Dickensian London — reclaiming one of Victorian literature’s most notorious villains in an unforgettable new adventure.

This event is open to all members of Beth Am, so please read the book and join us for a lively discussion. To receive Zoom access details, please email bam@betham.org.

*We enjoy a partnership with Kepler's Books, which will donate a portion of your purchase back to Beth Am each time you shop – as long as you enter Kepler's site through the Beth Am website. You may also generate a contribution to Beth Am when you shop at the Kepler's Books store in Menlo Park by mentioning us at the register.