Laurie Gwen Shapiro

Laurie Gwen Shapiro (born 1966, New York City) – an American author, documentary filmmaker, and journalist. Graduated from Syracuse University’s School of Public Communications in 1988. Early in her career she worked in publishing (including as an assistant to Peter Jennings) before moving into documentary filmmaking and writing. Jewish identity and culture are central themes in several of Laurie Gwen Shapiro’s early books. As a native of the Lower East Side and an active contributor to publications like The Forward, her work often explores the intersection of Jewish heritage with modern life and history.  While Laurie Gwen Shapiro is primarily known for fiction that blends screwball comedy and literary satire, several of her works utilize mystery motifs—from classic “who-dunnit” setups to modern historical investigations. Rachel Ganelli is the half-Jewish protagonist of The Unexpected Salami. Heather Greenblotz is the Jewish protagonist of The Matzo Ball Heiress. Although Jewish themes appear in some of her fiction,Shapiro is not principally a writer of Jewish literature. Her work is characterized by humor, strong female protagonists, and an interest in unusual historical figures and true stories. [Google/AI & ChatGPT]

Shapiro, Laurie Gwen, (The Unexpected Salami [hc, Algonquin Books, 1998] 978-1565121942 [pb, Algonquin Books, 1999] 978-1565122321

Shapiro, Laurie Gwen, (The Matzo Ball Heiress [pb, Red Dress Ink, 2004]) 978-0373250530