Sarah Laughed

Women tend to get short shrift in the Bible. Their mention is only "brief and ellipticalâ" according to Professor Vanessa Ochs. Many women appear as provocateurs, seductresses, and agitators, such as Jezebel. But Ochs shows that there are also characters and stories that can serve modern women as role models and sources of inspiration. Ochs makes a deep exploration of values "moral, spiritual, and feminine," using stories of Eve, Miriam, Esther, Ruth, Rebecca, and more. Carrington MacDuffie's narration is soft and soothing. The result is less a scholarly study of the biblical text than an inspirational recording or meditative tool. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine