Cynthia Shoshana Ozick (born April 17, 1928) is an American short story writer, novelist, and essayist. Ozick's fiction and essays are often about Jewish American life, but she also writes about politics, history, and literary criticism. In addition, she has written and translated poetry. The Holocaust and its aftermath is also a dominant theme. In 1971, Ozick received the Edward Lewis Wallant Award and the National Jewish Book Award for her short story collection; The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories. For Bloodshed and Three Novellas, she received, in 1977, The National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Three of her stories won first prize in the O. Henry competition. Less