Unscrolled

July 29, 2013
Bennett has assembled an eclectic and clever group of contributors for this often irreverent, but always insightful, treatment of each of the 54 portions of the Torah read annually by observant Jews. Each section is preceded by a brief, conversational, and accessible synopsis of the text. For example, editor Bennett writes of the beginning of Genesis, “While man goes about the time-consuming task of naming every animal, God realizes it is not a good idea for him to be alone.” And the Midrashim are equally creative. Damon Lindelof, the cocreator of the popular TV show Lost—and the inspiration behind this book—translates the binding of Isaac into a transcription of a police interrogation of Abraham that emphasizes how irrational the plan to sacrifice his son was. Essayist Sloane Crosley (I Was Told There’d Be Cake) presents a Pharaoh turning to WebMD to get help dealing with the plagues, and whose Google search for “Aaron’s rod” turns up rather pornographic results. Another highlight, which follows the section in Exodus that details the Tabernacle’s construction, is architect Marc Kushner’s solution to finding a spot for it in Manhattan. Jews and non-Jews alike are sure to relish this entertaining and informative bit of unorthodox exegesis. Agent: Elyse Cheney, Elyse Cheney Literary Association.

August 15, 2013
Some young writers and artists offer, to varying effect, their original takes on traditional study of the Hebrew Bible. The Torah, the Jewish Holy Scripture, is composed of The Five Books of Moses. It is divided into 54 segments from Genesis through Deuteronomy; for millennia, it has been read in sequence and studied assiduously each week of the Jewish calendar. That continuing scholarship is fundamental to the religion in all its forms. Bennett, the co-founder of the Jewish organization Reboot, enlists 54 writers, most with day jobs in the media/showbiz world, for comment on each particular portion. "Consider this...as a book of unorthodox Divrei Torah," he writes, "offered up in the spirit of the rabbinical assertion that there are infinite interpretations of the Torah and that everyone who stood at Mount Sinai saw a 'different face' of the text." Unfortunately, the exercise in casual exegesis doesn't equal the sum of its parts. The amateur theologians, undeniably talented in other venues, demonstrate that biblical hermeneutics is a special calling, one not usually using sophomoric shtick, no matter how sincere. Each portion begins with a summary of the original narrative--most entertaining, perhaps, for newcomers to the Old Testament--followed by contributions of short stories, dramas, comedies, graphic novellas, poems, monologues, photos, memoirs, riffs, takes and bits. The humor often comes in the format of a script for a show unlikely to be seen anywhere. Certainly, there are a few short stories that might stand alone and some heartfelt kernels in all the chaff. But what may be aimed at a market for lightweight gift books contains scant insight and less teaching. Among others, some of the big-name contributors include Aimee Bender, Rebecca Dana, Joshua Foer, Adam Mansbach, Sloane Crosley, Sam Lipsyte, Ben Greenman, A.J. Jacobs and Dana Shapiro. Sketchy Bible study with a self-indulgent, frisky class.

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