We’ve all been asked the tough question before: Name 5 people, dead or alive, with whom you would want to have dinner. Well, with all the options, why not narrow it down? Instead, let’s take a look at the top 5 Jewish authors with whom I would want to “break the fast” with this Yom Kippur:

1. Ayn Rand – Since The Fountainhead ranks as one of my top ten favorite books, I couldn’t resist including its author in my dinner party. Her views on capitalism made her a fascinating writer for her time, and only she can get away with writing 30-page monologues and still have readers intrigued. Besides, how great is the name Ellsworth Toohey?? While she might get carried away and dominate the conversation, her opinionated personality means she’ll be able to hold her own as the only woman invited.

2. Maurice Sendak – Yes, this is the author of children’s books, most notably, Where The Wild Things Are. But, don’t be deceived by this fact. Children’s book can be just as powerful as adult genres, and Sendak knew that. No other children’s book tackles such complex issues about family so well. Also, let’s face it. The line, “…let the wild rumpus start!” is one of the greatest. The man who can make a word like “rumpus” popular is someone I want to meet!

3. Jonathan Safran Foer – Still a young writer, Foer has written a book that still leaves me wondering: Everything is Illuminated. Depicting the story of a man searching for the woman who saved his grandfather during the holocaust, the book provides a vivid history as it flashes back and forth through time. But, what really makes this story great is the character of, Alex, the Ukrainian guide. His garbled misuse of the English language is amusing, but it’s his words that leave you guessing at the end of the book. So, I have some questions for this author!

4. Philip Roth – His famous novel, Portnoy’s Complaint, was one of the first books I read in college. I still remember being shocked by such explicit eroticism, and it’s thanks to Roth that I discovered the idea that books about sex aren’t always just about sex. Not to mention, people still wonder if the book is really a partial autobiography of Roth himself – wouldn’t you like to know if it’s true?

5. Shel Silverstein – As the writer of those crazy and memorable poems that so many children love, I couldn’t resist inviting Shel Silverstein to my dinner party. It’s probably because, when I was little, I was obsessed with one of his poems about a king whose mouth gets stuck shut after eating peanut butter sandwiches. I want to meet the man behind such a crazy and fun poem!

-Sarah