Shais Rison, aka MaNishtana, was born in 1982 into an African–American Orthodox Jewish family, which traces its African–American Jewish roots seven generations back. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Shoshana. As the blogger behind MaNishtana.net, he works to nurture unity and strengthen multifaceted identity within the Jew of Color community, and invites all to participate in this niche social media site’s conversations. As the founder of JOCFlock.org, an online dating site for Jews of Color, MaNishtana helps Jews of Color find their zivug/beshert. A social activist more by chance than choice, his life’s true passions include a constant quest for the best rum or scotch, 1940s films, and winning arguments through proliferous use of sarcasm.

MaNishtana newest book, the “not–autobiography” Thoughts from a Unicorn is a witty, straight-talking collection of memoirs, essays, and a few haikus that will take you on a journey of laughs, tears, self-reflection, learning, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Full of insight, reflections on personal experiences, fond memories, and honest regrets, this book will have you reaching for the tissue box sitting next to the pen and notepad you’ll want to keep on hand just to remember more than a few points. As any reader of his blog, www.manishtana.net, knows, his sharp humor cuts straight to the core of a matter. You’ll never be left guessing, but maybe wondering, at the end of each chapter.