Caren Neile waves a magic wand over interviews with the much-loved doyenne of Jewish storytelling, transforming them into story: scenes rendered in sharp prose that make the events walk right off the page into the reader's heart. Peninnah's World uses a novelist's technique to recreate Peninnah Schram as vividly as if she had stepped out of a Jewish version of Little Women.

This nimble biographical writing offers an authentic view into the inner and outer worlds of one of our most important contemporary storytellers. Peninnah's World is a compelling reading experience, rich with intimacy and vivid dialogue. Neile's illumination of Peninnah's artistic journey to becoming an esteemed leader in her field is inspiring and adds pivotal detail to stories of the early days of the American storytelling renaissance.

Through her dedicated scholarship, compelling performances and irresistible charm, Peninnah Schram single-handedly revived the Jewish oral storytelling tradition in America. This touching, intimate biography offers an album of vivid anecdotes conjured from Schram's recollections. Like Peninnah's name, it is a precious string of pearls.