$25.00

Timothy S. Laniak’s reading of the book of Esther demonstrates that shame and honor are the fundamental values upon which the popular narrative is framed. Anthropological insight verifies the presence of a dramatic “plot” that hinged on honor/shame reversals. Esther’s pilgrimage from the margins of society to its center requires the public humiliation of her threatening enemies. This engaging story about one of Israel’s heroines magnifies the pivotal concerns of a whole community in Diaspora.

“an excellent contribution to the analysis of this document and of the Diaspora community”
—Victor Matthews, Southwest Missouri State University