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The audience will be treated to the scene of a young woman's "reverse Jewish nose job" in 1960s Los Angeles when author Allan Appel reads from his new novel "The Hebrew Tutor of Bel Air," at Metuchen's Congregation Neve Shalom's Book & Author Event on Jan. 24, 2010.

"It's a humorous scene, but it's also a declaration of pride for her and a critique of the Jewish community in which she feels something is lacking," Appel told The Jewish State, describing the fictional scene, which inverts the typical procedure.

Now in its 16th year, Neve Shalom's annual book and author event invites a group of authors to come to the synagogue to discuss their recently published works, read from them, and answer questions from the audience. Additionally, the authors' books will be on sale and attendees will have the opportunity to talk with the authors afterwards.

"We try to select books with some sort of Jewish content and I've been very pleased with what we've done," explained Amy Artman, the program's organizer. "Other programs just bring authors who are Jewish, we really try to select works in which the content is of interest to a Jewish audience.

In addition to Appel, Betsy Carter, author of "The Puzzle King"; Michael Aaron Rockland, author of "Stones"; and David Sax, author of "Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen" will be present to read from and discuss their respective books. This year's event will feature three works of fiction and Sax's non-fictional book, which documents the Jewish deli -- past, present, and future.

Appel's novel chronicles the story of two young Jews in the summer of 1963 in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

"The setting was at a time when the world felt like it may end because of the Cuban Missile Crisis and therefore let's live now and do crazy things. That was the zeitgeist, especially for 17-year-olds, growing up at that time," Appel said.

In the novel, 17-year-old Norman is hired to tutor the spoiled, wealthy 16-year-old Bayla for her belated bat mitzvah, and the novel tells the story of their evolving relationship, little of which involves studying Hebrew.

"It's definitely a novel, but all fiction that's true or makes a difference comes out of one's personal life, but through art it's transferred to make it somewhat more universal. I did work as a tutor, but never in Bel Air, never for a rich girl, and I've never rode a motorcycle," Appel said.

Carter's book, her third, also draws on her own story, but perhaps more indirectly.

"The Puzzle King" is the fictional account of the true story of her great aunt and uncle's efforts to rescue the family they left behind in their native Germany on the eve of the Holocaust, family of which Carter herself is a descendent.

Carter said that as a reporter and editor for most of her career, she "was always looking at other's stories and not my own."

A few years ago, Carter decided to investigate the family myth that her great uncle had invented the board game Monopoly. Although she found out that this myth was false, she discovered that he was in fact the inventor of a line of jiggle saw puzzles and was widely known as the "puzzle king."

"From then on, I got so fascinated with his story, which led to the story of my novel," Carter told The Jewish State, explaining how she came to this topic.

In Carter's previous work, a memoir entitled "Nothing to Fall Back On: The Life and Times of a Perpetual Optimist," she wrote about how her personal life was falling apart while her professional life was soaring.

"That time was a blip compared to what these people went through and I realized that I came from a lineage of courage and boldness and it made me feel better about myself, that I came from good stock," she said.

Artman said that the event, which was originally founded by former Neve Shalom member Samuel Freedman, the New York Times religion columnist and professor at Columbia's journalism school, is part of the synagogue's robust adult education program.

"Neve Shalom, I would say, prides itself on its adult education programs and this event is part of that," she said.

The event, which is free and open to the public, has been sponsored by the Khan family for the past two years in memory of Donald and Ruth Khan, long-time members of Neve Shalom who died several years ago.

Congregation Neve Shalom's Book & Author Event will take place Jan. 24, 2010 at 10 a.m., with refreshments served at 9:30 a.m. Neve Shalom is located at 250 Grove Ave., Metuchen.