Corie Adjmi grew up in New Orleans and started writing in her thirties. Her award-winning fiction and personal essays have appeared in dozens of publications including North American Review, Indiana Review, Huff Post, Medium, Motherwell and Kveller. Her first book-length publication was a collection of short stories titled Life and Other Shortcomings. The collection won a number of prizes including an International Book Award, an American fiction award and an IBPA: Benjamin Franklin Award. When she is not writing, Corie does volunteer work, cooks, bikes and hikes. She and her husband have five children and a number of grandchildren, with more on the way. She lives and works in New York City.
Casey Cohen is a teenage Middle Eastern Jew in 1970’s New Orleans whose parents send her reeling by deciding to return to their roots in the Orthodox Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn.
Casey suddenly finds herself in a new and foreign world, where men pray daily to thank God they’re not women, parties are extravagant events at the Museum of Natural History, and the Marriage Box is actually a place – a pool deck designated for teenage girls to put themselves on display for prospective husbands. At first horrified, Casey soon finds herself tempted after she meets Michael. Looking for love and belonging, she marries him at eighteen, hoping and believing she can adjust to Syrian ways. But when Michael tells her he wants her to have a baby instead of going to college, Casey begins to wonder if she can integrate her two opposing worlds, or if she’ll need to leave one in order to find her way.
“Corie Adjmi’s fabulous novel The Marriage Box is an unputdownable tale of Old World traditions-meets-New World desires. Adjmi doesn’t hold back in this coming-of-age tale of a young woman who loses herself early on, shaped by a destructive past. The writing is rich, immersive, and seamless. You will root for Casey as she forges her own way in a patriarchal world. A must-read.”
—Lisa Barr, award-winning author of Woman on Fire
“Adjmi has written a fascinating story of culture and custom and the choices that go along with it. Compelling and compulsively readable; I found myself rooting for Casey Cohen as I flipped through the pages, finishing in one single sitting. A must-read.”
—Rochelle Weinstein, USA Today best-selling author of What We Leave Behind
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I do love hearing fun page-turner as getting to that point in the writing process took so long. But I think I get the most excited when someone says they can see the story vividly and that it would make a great movie.
How is Casey similar to or different from you?
Casey is like me in that she is sensitive to the needs and wants of others. She’s not like me in that she is sometimes impulsive and reckless.
If The Marriage Box were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I think Isabel May has just the right look and attitude to play Casey. She’s got an innocence about her but also you can see something mysterious and troubling below. And Logan Lerman is the perfect combination of handsome and charming with a dash of dangerous. He would make a great Michael.
Which TV series are you currently binge watching?
The Split and Beef. I usually watch two shows at a time. One with my husband and one without.
If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
I live in NYC and I went downtown the other day for the first time in a really long time. I used to know the city inside and out and everything looked so unfamiliar. I’d take you with me to explore the area. I love discovering new boutiques, restaurants and bookshops. We could also go to Central Park. It’s gorgeous now with all the Cherry Blossoms blooming.
What is the last thing you had a good laugh about?
I’ve been super busy writing the last few years, which is why I haven’t been downtown in a while. I also haven’t gone to lunch with my girlfriends in way too long. But the other day, the reason I went downtown was to meet my friends. One, has a laid-back look. Her hair is brown and wavy. She wears flats and no makeup. My other friend has bleached blonde hair, only wears heels, and would never go out without a full face of makeup. They have an ongoing joke, making fun of each other, that they would never leave the house looking like the other. It’s playful, a comedy routine, and makes me laugh.
Thanks to Corie for chatting with us and to BookSparks for sharing her book with our readers.
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Listen to this book on Speechify!
An entertaining and captivating cozy mystery.
ReplyDeleteI was out of my element when I traveled to India. Very worthwhile and fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI was invited to a seder - it was interesting.
ReplyDeleteI had to take over and be the "parent" to a nephew. My sister had an obligation that conflicted with a parent and child event. Even though I am the older sibling I was not able to have children. So for a year I was the "parent" at this weekly event.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a young girl, I decided to take a class at the local art gallery. I chose Figure Sketching not realizing what that meant. When I attended the class, I was the only female. A woman walked in and sat in a chair on a raised stand, she removed her robe and was naked. I was definitely “out of my element”.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school, we had a class talk about exotic animals. I was terrified of snakes but somehow ended up with a boa constrictor around my neck for a class photo. It made me hate snakes even more!
ReplyDeleteI am really NOT one for public speaking.
ReplyDeleteWin I agreed to go out for Thai with a group of my Sister's friends. My first reaction was to say no but I didn't want to disappoint my Sister.
ReplyDeleteI took oil painting classes and did well!
ReplyDeleteClimbed a tall ladder but was afraid of heights.
ReplyDeleteNot a public speaking person but had to make a speech
ReplyDeletehiking
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