New Books Network Maya Arad, "Happy New Years" (New Vessel Press, 2025)
Nov 11, 2025
Maya Arad, an Israeli author and literary scholar at Stanford, discusses her novel Happy New Years. She explores the life of Leah, an immigrant grappling with the duality of public triumphs and private turmoil over five decades. The conversation delves into themes of loneliness, social standing, and the complexities of human connection. Arad reflects on women's roles in the 1960s, the influence of key relationships, and the stigma surrounding mental health. Through Leah's journey, Arad contrasts optimism with her own realist outlook.
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Form Shapes Storytelling
- Maya Arad chose the epistolary structure first and built the novel around annual letters before Rosh Hashanah.
- The form shaped the story's intimacy and gradual revelation of Leah's life over decades.
Letters Returned By A Friend
- The book opens with Leah's son wanting his mother's letters published and asks Mira if she kept the originals.
- Maya Arad signals readers to look near the end for how the letters were preserved.
Loneliness Drives Persistence
- Leah feels consistently out of place and keeps writing despite lukewarm responses from classmates.
- Her persistence shows how she clings to identity and connection even when relationships are one-sided.
