"So much ground is covered in this book, from the power of ritual in times of grief, the importance of community, of seeing everyone with empathy, about how connected we all are to one another, about the nature of time with all of its strange contradictions, and means to be alive in the face of our inevitable mortality. Ferryman is an exquisite story told with deep sensitivity. In creating such a mercurial, exquisitely wrought and tender portrait, Katia Ariel has given us all a gift." Thank you Magdalena Ball for your thoughtful review of 'Ferryman' for Compulsive Reader. @katia_deer #ferryman #ferrymanbook #katiaariel #bookreview #compulsivereader #bookrecommendations #wilddingopress #biography #nonfiction #goodreads #mustreads

@thirty_books At a book launch last night I protected my peace (not to mention my limited patience) and scurried away to buy another book (so not the book being launched) and read in the corner. From the first page alone @katia_deer Ferryman @wilddingopress exudes generosity and curiosity and I know that she has crafted a beautiful, important and magnificent story. She is the type of writer I want to hear. #AustralianWomenWriters #AustralianWriters #NonFiction #nonfictionbooks

Wonderful article by Suzana Fantov in Hrvatski Vjesnik! In 'Telling Maria's Story' she interviews Debra Gavranich about her mother Maria, a young woman from the Croatian island of Korčula who crossed the world in search of a new life in Australia. Debra's book 'The Girl Who Left' has touched readers across generations, cultures and continents - we've lost track of how many times it has been reprinted. Read the article online via our link in bio. #thegirlwholeft #debragavranich #korcula #croatia #queensland #canefield #narrativenonfiction #proxybride #wilddingopress #goodbooks #authorinterviews @the.girl.who.left

Great to see 'Ferryman' reviewed in the Nine Media (The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald) on the weekend. Fiona Capp writes: 'For years, Ephraim Finch has had a recurring dream. He is on a barge laden with souls going back and forth across a river. The dream is a distillation of his life’s work as director of Melbourne’s Jewish Burial Society and keeper of memories of the dead. Struck by Finch’s boundless capacity to hold these stories and his feeling for those who grieve, Katia Ariel wanted to know more about “this heart-language” and how she might become “fluent in its lexicon”. Through her encounters with Finch, his journals and those whose lives he has touched, she not only creates a multi-faceted, nuanced portrait of a remarkable man and the wider community he embraced when he converted to Judaism, but also charts a deepening of her own heart-language. This is a work alive with conversations between the living and the dead, a reminder of the importance of ritual in the act of remembrance.' The book is out now in all good bookshops and from online booksellers. P.S. For a limited time, you can also order signed copies directly from our website 😃 @Katia_deer @RMMarketingServices #ferryman #ferrymanbook #ephraimfinch #nonfiction #biography #ritual #remembrance #deathwork #bookreview #readinglist

“A poignant and heartfelt evaluation of the spaces between life and death.” Thank you to Anne Sarzin for her thoughtful and beautifully written review of 'Ferryman: The Life and Deathwork of Ephraim Finch' by Katia Ariel. Out now, 'Ferryman' is a deeply reflective and poetic exploration of mourning, memory and meaning. Ariel weaves biography and memoir into a moving portrait of Ephraim Finch, who guided Melbourne’s Jewish community through sacred rites of death and remembrance with compassion, innovation, and humanity. 🔗 Read the full review at J-Wire 📖 Ferryman is available now @katia_deer @jwireaus @rmmarketingservices #bookreview #ferryman #FerrymanBook #KatiaAriel #EphraimFinch #JewishCommunity #LifeAndDeath #Memoir #Biography #JewishHistory #AustralianPublishing #WildDingoPress #Bookstagram #NewBookRelease #IndependentPublishing #FaithAndTradition #BookReview #AuthorLife #JewishStories #GriefAndHealing #FuneralRites #AustralianAuthors

Did you know you can start reading Ferryman: The life and deathwork of Ephraim Finch via Book2Look? You can get the link from our bio or go to our website and search for the book. It gives you a little snippet of what's in store. It's a wonderful story. We hope you enjoy it. It's available now through all good bookshops and online retailers. #ferryman #emphraimfinch #katiaariel #biography #nonfiction #stories #deathwork #wilddingopress #book2look #lookinsidethebook #takealookinside #startreadingnow @katia_deer

Great to see this article - A Journey with the Ferryman - by Aviva Lowy in The Jewish Independent. Ferryman: The Life and Deathwork of Ephraim Finch by Katia Ariel unveils the extraordinary legacy of Ephraim Finch, the beloved Director of Melbourne’s Chevra Kadisha for 30 years. Katia was tasked with capturing Finch’s remarkable life—a journey shaped by compassion, dedication, and a profound connection to Jewish ritual. Despite being raised in the Soviet Union and not in a religious home, Ariel’s deep connection to Jewish customs through her own experiences with funerals made her the ideal author for this poignant biography. Over two years, Ariel interviewed Finch, now 80, and poured through his extensive journals, exploring his transformation from Geoff, a working-class butcher’s son, to a man whose work became synonymous with service to the Jewish community. Finch’s compassion and devotion are highlighted, including his efforts to document the stories of Holocaust survivors, soldiers, and those who have passed through his care. In the article Katia reflects on the deep connection she developed with Finch’s community and how she saw him as a “living repository” of Jewish traditions. The book also explores Finch’s personal journey, including his visit to Auschwitz and his unique relationship with the families he served, providing readers with both an emotional and historical narrative. With Ferryman, Ariel delivers a deeply personal and emotional tribute to a man whose life exemplified the very best of service, community, and Jewish ritual. It's a wonderful story and we hope you enjoy reading it. To read the article online see our link in bio. #JewishCommunity #ChevraKadisha #EphraimFinch #KatiaAriel #JewishRituals #JewishTradition #JewishLife #MelbourneJewishCommunity #JewishHistory #JewishLegacy #CulturalHeritage #SpiritualGuidance #CommunityService #JewishAuthors #JewishStories #BookRecommendation #NonFiction #biography #WildDingoPress #deathwork #artsandculture #interview #authorinterview @katia_deer @rmmarketingservices

Great to see Katia Ariel in this lineup at Willy Lit Fest. Her book ‘Ferryman: The life and deathwork of Ephraim Finch’ is out next month. EVENT DETAILS Grief, Ritual, Reverence Melanie Cheng (The Burrow), Katia Ariel (Ferryman) and Gabriel Weston (Alive) talk about the things that make life worth living when faced with darkness. 🗓️ Sunday 22 June ⏰ 3pm - 4pm AEST 📍 Williamstown Town Hall: CHAMBER 🎟️ >$22 See Willy Lit Festival website for details. Preorder Ferryman now on our website or your preferred bookseller. @katia_deer @willylitfest #willylitfest #katiaariel #ferryman #ephraimfinch #deathwork #literaryevents #authorevents #wilddingopress

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